A dog attack is scary and just about always unexpected. If it happened to you, it may be your dog or a friend’s dog that bit you. People are also bitten by neighborhood dogs or dogs that have escaped the leash. In all cases, medical care is necessary to prevent infection and hopefully minimize any scarring that occurs.
Call 9-1-1 if you think the injury is life threatening. If you think it is serious but not life threatening, then you may want to ask someone to drive you to urgent care. You’ll have to trust your instincts in the moment and judge the severity of the injury.
If the skin was broken, wash the area with warm soap and water. Once it is fully cleansed, you can assess whether it is actively bleeding, in which case you may want to apply a clean cloth to slow the bleeding. Use an antibacterial topical cream if you have it and apply a clean bandage.
Determine the dog’s vaccine history, if possible. You’ll want to find out if the dog is up-to-date on rabies shots and other scheduled inoculations.
Monitor the wound. Once you’ve treated the wound yourself or sought medical care (depending on the severity), check the wound regularly and look for signs that the injury is worsening:
- Increased swelling or swelling that doesn’t go away
- Increased redness
- Warmth
- Tenderness and/or pain
- Fever
Call your doctor or seek emergency care if the wound seems infected.
Your first priority is your health and well-being. Once you’ve received the appropriate care, you should contact our law firm to find out if you may have a claim to pursue compensation for your injury. Dog bite wounds are expensive to treat, in addition to being traumatic, painful and sometimes disfiguring. You deserve compensation for all of those things and more.
Attorney Laurie Robbins advocates passionately on behalf of personal injury victims. Discuss the details of your case with Ms. Robbins to determine what your options are for pursuing maximum compensation. Contact our law firm in Atlanta today.