Common Personal Injuries Resulting From Dog Bites
When a dog bites a person, there are many different potential threats of personal injury that can result. Read on for information on some common types of personal injury that result from dog bites and what you can do to pursue the compensation you deserve after being injured due to someone else’s negligence.
Severe Bleeding
When a person reaches into a dog’s personal space, the dog may feel threatened and become prone to biting in self-defense. This is especially true for dogs that are actively feeding, meeting a stranger, or simply have an aggressive or territorial temperament.
If a dog bites a person in the arm, there is a chance that the strong force of the bite and sharp teeth can puncture the brachial artery. This major blood vessel starts just below the shoulder and runs down through the elbow, stopping where the forearm begins. Because the brachial artery is close to the skin, it is at risk of being punctured by a dog bite.
Infections
Infections occur when germs enter the body, increase in number, and elicit a reaction from the body. Germs are found everywhere including the air, soil, water, and inside our own bodies. Some types of germs are helpful to us, while others can cause harm. Many different kinds of germs actually live within our body and help us stay healthy instead of causing harm. Only a small percentage of germs are known to be harmful to us and cause infections.
In the case of dog bites, transmission occurs when the germs in and around a dog’s mouth penetrate the skin and enter the bloodstream of the susceptible person. Dog bites are a special type of personal injury that often require extra medical attention due to the risk of infection and other diseases such as rabies.
Broken Bones
Dogs can bite with an immense amount of force. Bite force is measured in pounds per square inch, which tells us how much force is exerted on one square inch of space. While humans have an average bite force of 120-140 pounds per square inch (psi), the average dog’s bite force ranges from 230 to 250 psi.
Common areas for humans to incur personal injury from dog bites include the hands and face. When you consider the small bones located in both of these areas and the strong bite force that a dog’s jaws can produce, it becomes clear that broken bones are the type of personal injury that dog bite victims are at risk of encountering.
Nerve, Tissue, and Muscle Damage
If a dog’s bite severs a nerve or other vital tissue, it can result in permanent sensory or mobility loss in that general region of the body. This is why medical experts strongly advise that anyone who is bitten by a dog seek medical attention immediately, regardless of how bad they assume the bite to be. Often, dog bite injuries are worse than they initially appear due to the impact they can have on vital underlying regions of the body.
Professional Legal Counsel in New Jersey
For years, the Cherry Hill personal injury attorneys at Ferrara & Gable have been helping dog bite victims in New Jersey fight for compensation for their injuries. Contact Ferrara & Gable today to discuss your case.
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