Maison Law represents California dog bite victims who develop infections along with their other injuries. We stand by our clients through a difficult recovery and help them secure the support they need to heal and recover financially. We make sure they can pay every medical bill and receive financial support while they can’t go to work. Victims should contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation. It’s a no-risk opportunity to find out what your case may be worth and how to hold a dog owner and insurance companies fully responsible for a hand injury.
Dog Bite Infection Dangers
California is a great place for dogs. Millions of residents have pets in their homes and take them out on trips or for exercise during the day. Dog owners enjoy the companionship, but they face a strict legal duty to keep others safe from dog bites.
An unrestrained dog can wander a neighborhood and bite neighbors. A dog owner may allow a pet too much leash, leading to a painful bite on a passerby. The consequences can include broken bones, deep puncture wounds, and torn ligaments. What’s more, a dog’s mouth carries a lot of dangerous bacteria that can cause lacerations to become infected.
The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) reports that around 15% to 20% of dog bite wounds end up infected. Scratches are less likely to get infected. Puncture wounds, especially hand wounds, are more likely to cause infection. The fluids that are found in finger and thumb joints can provide a breeding ground for germs.
Wounds that are infected can take longer to heal and victims might contract a dangerous viral disease.
These are just a few of the possible consequences:
- Rabies: This is a viral disease spread through a dog’s saliva. The life-threatening virus affects the brain and nervous system of victims. Patients may experience difficulty swallowing, hallucinations, and partial paralysis. Victims of bites from a dog that may be infected must get a series of shots.
- Sepsis: A severe reaction to a dog bite infection. Victims will experience high or low body temperature, confusion, drowsiness, and a lot of pain. Patients must take antibiotics to prevent further damage.
- Staph and Strep Infections: Dogs’ mouths carry the staphylococcus and streptococcus bacteria. These strong infections are often resistant to antibiotics. When they reach the bloodstream, they are life-threatening.
- Cellulitis: This infection enters the skin through cuts and lacerations, such as the wounds a dog bite will create. It can also enter the bloodstream and become life-threatening. Symptoms include fever, chills, and blisters.
With these serious side effects of a dog bite, victims can seemingly heal from a bite and then suffer setbacks due to infection. This is why it’s so important that a dog bite injury settlement considers the possible future suffering of patients. Once victims sign off on settlement agreements, they can’t go back and ask for more assistance when an injury flares up or becomes infection complications arise.
Your California dog bite lawyer makes sure you receive the compensation you need now and could need in the years ahead.
Compensation For Dog Bite Infection Victims
Your lawyer makes sure every hardship a dog bite victim endures is included in an injury claim. The complications caused by a bite wound infection would be first on the list. This is a critical step because anything left off would end up as a cost you and your family would have to pay.
Your lawyer will demand total reimbursement for every medical cost you face during recovery. But many other factors should earn you support.
This is just a brief list of some of the factors that can earn compensation in a dog bite settlement check:
- Hospital and rehabilitation expenses.
- Lifelong support for a permanent disability or a dog bite permanent disfigurement.
- Physical pain.
- Emotional distress, such as depression and anxiety. You might have PTSD symptoms after going through an attack and have uncontrollable fear around any dog.
- Loss of enjoyment of life.
- Replacement of income lost while you can’t return to work.
- Damage or destruction of property.
For more information on the many different types of injuries that can result from a dog bite injury and the insurance tactics to watch out for check out Maison Law’s page on California dog bite injuries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my family seek support if a loved one dies due to a dog bite infection?
Yes. Families who lose a loved one to a dog attack and a deadly infection can file a wrongful death claim. This claim asks for help with funeral costs and remaining medical bills. It also seeks future support for the guidance and income the victim can no longer provide the family.
How long do I have to file an injury claim after a dog bite?
You have two years from the date of the dog bite to file an injury claim. You should take action soon so that your attorney has the best chance to collect evidence before it disappears.
What if I can’t afford a dog bite lawyer?
You won’t need any money upfront. Maison Law’s dog bite lawyers work on a contingency basis. This means they don’t get paid unless they win your case. Then, your lawyer gets paid out of the award you receive.
Contact a California Dog Bite Attorney
After you or a loved one has suffered a serious dog bite injury, including an infection, contact a California Dog Bite Lawyer to discuss your case, free of charge. It’s a no-risk opportunity to find out about all the benefits available to you and how to hold an insurance company fully responsible.
Maison Law wants you to get the best medical care available and not have to worry about how you’ll pay for your care. We’ll stand by you until you heal and have everything you need to rebuild your life.
