The Centers for Disease Control reports that 4.5 million Americans each year are attacked by a dog. One out of five of these individuals are seriously bitten and require medical care. While we hope that you never end up the victim of a dog bite, it can be helpful to understand how to respond if you are attacked by a dog. In addition to following the steps outlined below, you should also make sure to contact a dog bite law firm in Miami for help in obtaining compensation for your injuries.
Clean the Wound
What to do if You are Bitten by a Dog – Speak with Miami Dog Bite Lawyers
Your health and safety are paramount. If you have been severely injured by a dog bite, get proper medical attention immediately. If you did not incur a large or deep wound, you might not require medical care. Instead, you should wash the area and then use hydrogen peroxide to sterilize it. Antibiotic ointment should then routinely be applied several times a day until the wound heals.
If you receive a puncture wound as a result of the attack, firmly place a towel to the area to stop the bleeding. If the bleeding does not stop within several minutes, you should contact medical services to make sure that you receive the care you need.
Ask to See the Animal’s Vaccination Records
If you are aware of who owns the dog, obtain the animal’s vaccination records as soon as possible. While rabies is not particularly common, it is important to make sure that the dog that bit you is up to date on it’s vaccinations. If you do not know the animal’s owner or the owner lacks the dog’s vaccination records, you should immediately speak with your doctor.
Contact Animal Control
What to do if You are Bitten by a Dog – Speak with a Miami Dog Bite Attorney
It is critical to contact animal control if you were attacked by a dog that was stray or unknown. You should never attempt to restrain a dog by yourself that you do not know. While it is important to take care of your health, you also should take steps to make sure that no one else is attacked by the same dog.
Know When to Get Medical Treatment
It is important to know when you should consider speaking with a medical professional if you have been attacked by a dog. Some of the signs that you should receive medical care include if your last tetanus shot was over five years ago, the bite is deep, the bite will not stop bleeding, you have a disease that weakens your immune system, the attacked area looks red or swollen, or you develop a fever.
Speak with a Miami Dog Bite Lawyer
If you or a loved one was attacked by a dog, do not hesitate to speak with a personal injury attorney in Miami. At Flagler Personal Injury Group, we have helped numerous victims of dog attacks obtain the compensation they deserve. Contact us today to schedule an initial free consultation. We know what steps to take to make sure that the dog’s owner is held liable for the attack as well as what can be done to maximize your chances of receiving compensation.
We handle a variety of cases, so call us now if you have any questions.
View more contact information here: Miami Dog Bite Lawyer.
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