Some dog bite victims are fortunate enough to walk away from their traumatic event with only minor wounds that have no lasting impact. Many, however, are not so lucky and could end up with permanent and disfiguring scars. While no amount of money can compensate a person for the trauma of an animal attack, recovering damages from the animal’s owner can go a long way towards helping dog bite victims move on with their lives. To learn more about the types of compensation to which you could be entitled after suffering a dog bite injury, please reach out to one of our dedicated Miami dog bite and animal attack lawyers today.
Scar Formation After a Dog Bite
After being cut, damaged, or burned, the human body attempts to repair the wounded skin by growing new tissue, a process that is known as scarring. While the collagen fibers may close previously wounded areas, they can also come with their own problems. Some scars, for instance, actually spread beyond the wounded area and can even restrict a person’s movement. Other scars, however, are painful to the touch or may itch, while some have a raised or discolored appearance. Some scar tissue can even build up inside of the body, a problem that is especially common for those whose dog bites required surgical intervention.
Although treatment can help reduce one’s chances of suffering from disfiguring scars after a dog bite, the treatment itself often makes scarring worse. Stitching a wound closed, for instance, while necessary to stop the infection and help a wound heal, can cause significant scarring. In other cases, the mark of the dog’s teeth remains on the skin, even after the wound has healed, acting as a permanent reminder of the victim’s trauma.
Recovering Compensation
Dog bite scars usually have jagged edges, appear in varying colors, are non-uniform in-depth, and are irregularly shaped. Unfortunately, this makes dog bite scars much more noticeable than other types, especially when they occur on the face. This means that even when a scar has no physical repercussions (i.e. restricted movement or pain), the mere sight of the old wound could be traumatic enough to affect the mental well-being of the victim. The psychological effect that these reminders can take on dog bite victims can be severe, including everything from depression to anxiety. Fortunately, dog bite victims can be compensated not only for their bite-related medical bills but also for the pain and suffering they endured as a result of the attack if their scarring is permanent and significant.
Available 24 Hours a Day, 7 Days a Week to Advise You
If you or a loved one were bitten by a dog and suffered significant scarring as a result, you could be entitled to compensation. To learn more about your legal options, please call 305-371-2692 and set up a meeting with the dedicated Miami dog bite and animal attack lawyers at Dolan Dobrinsky Rosenblum, LLP today. You can also reach a member of our legal team via online message.