According to the Centers for Disease Control, it is estimated that 4.7 million dog-bite incidents occur in the United States every year. Of those 4.7 million, over 800,000 will seek medical attention, 386,000 will need emergency medical care, and over 400,000 are children. If you are part of this statistic, you need to contact a knowledgeable, experienced, aggressive Tennessee attorney at The Cave Law Firm, Pllc. Our attorneys have the experience necessary to handle your dog bite and dog attack case.
The attorneys at The Cave Law Firm, Pllc have years of experience and have handled cases in Greeneville, Kingsport, Johnson City, Rogersville, and all over East Tennessee to obtain justice from negligent owners and Insurance Companies. We will work for you to get the settlement you deserve, taking care of your case from the beginning to the end.
Bites
Bites occur when an attacking dog clamps down its jaw muscles and long canine teeth on the skin and flesh of the victim. Puncture and tearing wounds are often accompanied by scratches from the biting action with teeth or clawing with the paws during the attack.
Scars
Approximately 44,000 facial injuries are seen in United States hospitals per year from dog bites and dog attacks. The most common target for a dog attack is the face including cheeks, lips, and nose. These facial wounds can result in disfiguring scars that can have lifelong consequences from both a physical and emotional standpoint, especially in young children. Attacks of the extremities (arms, hands, legs, and feet) are also very common. Facial and body scars can require many painful and expensive plastic surgeries to try to reduce or remove the scar.
Emotional & Physiological Issues
Adults, children, and toddlers who have been bitten, attacked, and injured by a dog may have emotional and physiological issues that they carry with them for the rest of their lives. The emotional scars can affect every part of their lives, from being able to sleep at night to carrying out daily living activities. The victim may also develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with symptoms of frightening memories, flashbacks of the attack, nightmares, unreasonable fear for personal safety, difficulty concentrating, and emotional withdrawal. Such mental injuries may require lifelong psychological counseling and treatment.
Rabies
Rabies can be a fatal disease if it is not treated in time. The disease attacks the brain and nervous system, and it is transmitted in the saliva of animals infected with the rabies virus. Dog bite and dog attack victims must seek medical attention immediately after being bitten as a preventative measure if the attacking dog had rabies. If the dog cannot be identified and tested for rabies, as a precaution, it is necessary for the bite victim to undergo a series of 6 shots over a period of 28 days. It is imperative that treatment start early (before rabies symptoms appear) or the disease could be fatal.
Head or Brain Trauma
Head or brain injuries can occur if the dog attacks and bites the victim’s head, or if the victim hits the head on a hard object while trying to fend off the attack. Head injuries can be as simple as a bump on the head or as serious as a brain injury causing permanent disability or a fractured skull.
Death
Dog bites and attacks that result in death are rare in the U.S. Of the 4.7 million dog bites, 20 to 30 people die a year from a dog attack. When a victim dies in a dog attack, the surviving spouse, children, or parents of the victim are entitled to file a wrongful death action for the loss of such things as the future earnings of the victim.
Damages
If you or a loved one is the victim of a dog bite or dog attack you may be entitled to:
- Payment for past and future medical treatments, including mental health.
- Loss of past and future income.
- Emotional distress.
- Past and future pain and suffering.
- Other expenses incurred by the dog bite or dog attack.
Contact Us
You will find us to be zealous in pursuit of positive results and dedicated to giving clients the personal attention they deserve. If you are looking for the best Greeneville or Kingsport attorneys, look no further than the Cave Law Firm. Based in Greeneville and Kingsport, The Cave Law Firm, PLLC, represents clients throughout the Tri-Cities and Eastern Tennessee.