Dog Bite Injuries

    ATLANTA, GA, June 03, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- While your neighbor's new dog or the dog you saw in the park may look cute, dogs should, in general, be treated in the same way you'd treat any other animal: with caution. In one moment, a dog may seem docile and gentle, but in the next, it could be aggressive and agitated. Over 800,000 people get bitten each year by a dog and have to seek medical treatment. Understanding that dogs have unpredictable behavior patterns and the fact that same are just plain old mean, there are some precautions you can take around dogs to help keep you and your children safe from dog bites.

Staying Safe
• Don't pet strange dogs without the owner's consent first
• Don't disturb sleeping, eating or nursing dogs
• Dogs sniff people to get a sense of them; if you are playing with a dog and it starts to sniff your hand, let it, it is a docile gesture on your part.
• Do not stare directly into a dogs eyes as that can be seen as a threat
• Never leave a baby or child alone with a dog

Children and Dog Bites
Generally speaking, children tend to get bitten by dogs more than adults. Two reasons are that children are more trusting and they are not as strong and cannot fight off a dog like a full-grown adult. In the March 2009 issue of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, doctors found that of 84 children in the study, 1/3 had experience dog bites on their cheeks and another 21% had bites on their lips. The final 8% had bites on their noses and ears. While bites are painful, and traumatic, some can result in permanent disfigurement or, in some extreme cases, death.

What to Do if You Have Been Bitten

If you, or your child, is bitten by a dog there are some methods of recourse to take.
• Get a rabies shot.
• Call the police to file a report, try to give as detailed information about the dog as you can.
• If you have been wounded, seek medical treatment immediately.

If you or someone you know has been bitten by a dog and wishes to take legal action, there are many lawyers who can help. If you live in or around Atlanta, Georgia visit the website of dog bite Robbins & Associates, P.C. as they have over 30 years of case experience and can give you the advice and help you need.

Source: Robbins & Associates, P.C.
Website: http://www.robbinslaw.com

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