Nationwide, The Rate of Dog Bite Injuries Is On The Rise

Nationwide, the rate of dog bite injuries is on the rise. The cost of treating these injuries is rising even faster. In 2002, the average dog bite claim was $16,600. In 2005, the cost rose to $21,200. Dog bite claims in 2005 accounted for nearly 15 percent of liability claims paid under homeowners insurance policies. These bites cost the property/casualty insurance industry $317.2 million in 2005 and $352.4 million in 2006, a 10.8% percent increase.  Wounds inflicted by dogs can be overwhelming, especially to children. The small height of a child almost always results in facial wounds. Repairing these wounds usually requires reconstructive surgery. Techniques such as grafting and microsurgical repair need multiple operations over time. Scar diminishment treatments, such as, dermabrasion (sanding of the skin) and pressure scar modification, also require multiple procedures. According to the CDC, most dog bites consist of puncture (40%), laceration (25%) and contusion (6%) wounds. Fractures, amputations and infections also result. Repairing bone damage of crushing and fracture injury often requires multiple operations and physical therapy. Nerve damage may also be a factor. When nerve damage occurs, the victim may suffer permanent loss of feeling in parts of a limb and in worst-case scenarios, complete loss of use of a limb. Nearly all dog bite victims suffer psychological damage, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Even with treatment, fear of another attack may never fade. Each time a victim walks down a sidewalk, strolls through a park or visits a dog owner’s home, the trauma returns. Man’s best friend — to the irony and horror of a dog bite victim — is fully integrated into our society. Stories abound, particularity about senior citizens, who simply never leave their home again after a dog attack.

Please click on the link below to read the complete Dogbites.org article:

http://www.dogsbite.org/victim-realities.htm

The Citron Law Firm, P.A. (www.citronlegal.com) is a civil trial practice law firm that specializes in professional liability and injury cases, commercial and real estate litigation and family law matters.  The Citron Law Firm is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at 707 S.E. Third Avenue, Sixth Floor – (954) 712-1686.

The Scope of Physical Deformity Caused by Dog Bite Injuries

Dog bites result in approximately 44,000 facial injuries in US hospitals each year. This represents between 0.5% and 1.5% of all emergency room visits. Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States seeks medical attention for a dog bite. Male patients slightly outnumber females in most studies. Unfortunately children comprise 60% of the dog bite victims. Severe injuries occur almost exclusively in children less than 10 years of age. The face is the most frequent target (77% of all injures). Mail carriers are an exception where 97% involve the lower extremities. We see an unusual number of dreadful injuries each spring. Severely injured patients stay an average of 4.2 days in the hospital. Dog bites cause an average of 18 deaths a year.

Almost $165 million is spent treating dog bites in the United States for the estimated 800,000 dog bite related injuries requiring treatment each year. 70% of dog bites occur on the owner’s property. These wounds potentially result in disfiguring scars. The central target area for the face includes the lips, nose, and cheeks. Dog bites are becoming more common with a 37% increase in medically treated cases between 1986 to 1994 (dog population rose less than 2%). The vast majority of bites are by pet dogs and happen when people are engaged in socially acceptable behavior in appropriate places. They generally (61%) occur close to dog’s home or home of the bitten person. Typically (77%) injuries are by friendly dogs known to the bitten person. In one study of an urban emergency room of children less than 4 years old, 47% were bitten by their dog and 90% were bitten at home.

While any dog can bite, the top biting breeds include:

• Pit Bulls
• Rotweilers
• German Shepherds
• Huskies
• Doberman Pinschers
• Chow Chows

Please click on the link below to read the complete Plasticsurgery4u.com article:

http://www.plasticsurgery4u.com/procedure_folder/dog_bite.html

The Citron Law Firm, P.A. (www.citronlegal.com) is a civil trial practice law firm that specializes in professional liability and injury cases, commercial and real estate litigation and family law matters.  The Citron Law Firm is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at 707 S.E. Third Avenue, Sixth Floor – (954) 712-1686.