Prevalence and Severity of Dog Bite Injuries
There are an estimated 77 million dogs in the U.S. While the vast majority of dogs do not cause harm to humans, dog bite injuries do occur. At Colburn Law, We have a history of recovering compensation for those who have sustained dog bite injuries in Washington. Here, we want to discuss how often these dog bites occur as well as the most common injuries these individuals sustain as a result of these incidents.
What the Data Says About Dog Bites
We should preface this section by saying that information related to dog bite injury statistics is relatively sparse. Most of the data come from the 1990s or early 2000s, but we want to specifically look at an article from The Journalist’s Resource that provides more up-to-date data. Studies say that around 4.4 million people are bitten by a dog each year in the U.S., resulting in an estimated 885,000 injuries that require medical treatment.
- Approximately half of all these injuries occur in children.
- Around 31,000 individuals required reconstructive surgery due to dog bites in 2006.
- Hospital costs for dog bite injuries reach an estimated $100 million annually.
The study acknowledges that many individuals associate dog bite injuries with certain breeds of dogs, such as rottweilers, pit bulls, Doberman pinschers, German shepherds, and other large dog breeds. However, many studies and agencies say that this is a flawed assessment. The CDC does not identify specific breeds that are more likely to bite or injure individuals. However, information from DogsBite.org indicated that pit bulls are inflicting more severe injuries that require operative interventions than other dog breeds.
Most Common Dog Bite Injuries
Dogs have very powerful jaws that can inflict significant injuries on the human body. Some of the most common injuries that individuals sustain as a result of a dog bite or attack include the following:
- Punctured or broken skin
- Facial injuries (lips, cheeks, eyes, ears)
- Broken bones, particularly in the fingers or hands
- Significant blood loss
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Severed muscles, ligaments, and tendons
- Severed arteries or veins
In addition to these visible traumatic injuries, dog bite injury victims are also likely to sustain significant emotional and psychological trauma as a result of the incident. Though not immediately visible, these emotional and psychological traumas are very real, and they can impact a person for a long time after the incident occurs, sometimes even years.
Additionally, dog bite injuries can keep individuals from working for extended periods of time, leading to significant lost wages. This is important to keep in mind when working to recover compensation for injuries.
Call a Dog Bite Attorney Today
If you or somebody you care about has sustained an injury due to a bite or attack from another person’s dog, we encourage you to contact an attorney immediately. At Colburn Law, our team has a track record of success recovering significant settlements and jury verdicts on behalf of injury victims throughout Washington. We understand dog bite laws in this state, and our goal is to recover compensation for your medical bills, lost income, out-of-pocket expenses, and pain and suffering damages. We will conduct a full investigation into the incident and pursue compensation from any liable party.