People can be surprisingly dismissive of dog bite attacks even though they can cause severe injuries to people of all ages. Some of the worst attacks tend to involve vulnerable older adults or young children, but adult professionals attacked while delivering packages, etc. can also suffer life-altering injuries as a result of an attack.
The breed of the dog in question and the underlying health conditions of the person whom the animal attacks are obviously factors that can influence how costly the aftermath of an attack can become. There are certain factors that greatly increase the likelihood of a dog bite causing sizable financial challenges for the person attacked and their immediate family. Why do dog bites often progress from seemingly minor injuries to very expensive ones?
The minor but noteworthy risk of infection
Dogs have long, tapered teeth, which makes them very useful for ripping and tearing. It also means that when they make a single bite, they create a puncture wound. It is very difficult to properly sanitize dog bite wounds, and experts estimate that 15 to 20% of them result in significant infections. People bitten by dogs may require trauma care at the hospital to reduce their risk of infection and might end up hospitalized if an infection becomes serious.
Disfiguring injuries
Dogs often bite people on the hands and face, which can leave visible scars that others will forever notice. When the person attacked is not yet fully grown, seemingly minor scars could become incredibly disfiguring as they continue to mature. The cost of treatment intended to reduce scars can be quite high, especially when the patient is a child.
Psychological trauma
Dog bite attacks can leave people terrified of all canines for the rest of their lives. They may shrink away in terror when a tiny toy poodle or a grinning golden retriever approaches them at the park. They may have trouble going to places that remind them of the incident, like other people’s homes or dog parks. Therefore, they may require extensive therapy to overcome the trauma that the attack may have caused and any fears that resulted from the incident.
Oftentimes, the only way of covering the expenses created by dog bite injuries involves making a legal claim against the animal’s owner of their homeowner’s/renter’s insurance policy. Many dog owners have homeowner’s and renter’s insurance policies that will provide coverage for dog bite incidents. Understanding the potentially major costs generated by dog bite attacks may help people feel more comfortable pursuing a claim to cover the cost of their injuries.