My Child Was Bitten By A Dog – What Do I Do?

Posted by the Charleston, SC Dog Bite Injury Lawyers at Anderson & Schuster, Attorneys at Law, LLC.  Our Charleston SC dog bite lawyers are here to help you or a loved one that has been injured in an attack involving a dog or other animal in Charleston, North Charleston, Mt. Pleasant, Summerville and across South Carolina.  Contact our office today and find out what we can do for you.

As mentioned on our website, there are an estimated 4.7 million dog bites in the U.S. each year.  Of those attacks, about 50%  involve children and nearly 800,000 of the victims of dog attacks require medical care.  With what seems to unfortunately be such a common occurrence, we thought a reminder of a few steps to take if you or a child had been attacked by a dog might be helpful.

If You Or a Child Have Been Attacked By A Dog

1. The most important thing is to ensure that the victim is safe.  If you or your child has been involved in a serious attack, seek immediate medical attention.  If you or your child's skin has been broken by the animal it is important to seek medical care even if the attack might not otherwise seem serious as dogs and other animals can carry bacteria in their mouths that may cause a wound to become infected.
2. Take pictures of the location of the attack and any wounds caused by the dog or other animal.
3. Try to obtain the name or address of the owner of the animal if you do not already know this information.
4. Report the bite to the local police or animal control.
5. In South Carolina, it is also important to report an attack or bite to the South Carolina Department of Health & Environmental Control (DHEC).
6. It is important to remember the psychological effects a dog bite can have on a child.  This emotional damage can be quite serious and may last forever.  If your child has experienced a dog bite and begins to exhibit signs of anxiety or fear, it may be worth having them evaluated by a medical professional.
7. If the attack is serious and you consider making a claim against the dog owner or their homeowner's insurance carrier, please seriously consider speaking with an attorney.

This is certainly not an exhaustive list, but we hope it helps in thinking about what to do following a dog bite injury.  The injuries from dog bites can be serious and we hope the you take any injuries seriously as well.

Charleston Dog Bite Attorneys

If you or a loved one is a victim of a dog bite or attack, our Charleston Dog Attack Lawyers may be able to help. If you have been injured by a dog bite in Charleston, North Charleston, Mount Pleasant, Summerville, Goose Creek,Hanahan, James Island or the surrounding areas, give our dog bite attorneys a call today to discuss your dog bite case free of charge.