Atlanta Dog Bite Attorneys

Dog Bite Cases in Georgia

Property owners can be held responsible for dog bites and attacks. Although dogs are thought to be man’s best friend, some dogs are ferocious and threaten innocent people in the community. When dogs aren’t fenced off or tied up, they can get out and attack a pedestrian, bicyclist, neighbor, child, or delivery person. When a dog attack occurs, a victim may suffer from:

• Physical injuries – Dog attacks can cause massive trauma to humans due to the dog’s teeth and claws. When dog bites occur, victims are left with serious injuries that often require surgery. Most dog bites produce scars that will last a lifetime, and some animal attacks have even led to disabilities.
• Emotional injuries – Even after a dog bite physically heals, a victim may still suffer from graphic memories. It can take a lifetime to heal from the emotional damage that was caused by a dog attack. This is because a victim may forever be distressed in the presence of other dogs.
• Financial damages – When a victim suffers a dog bite, he or she may incur expensive medical bills for the emergency room visit, tests, surgery, hospital bills, medication costs, physical therapy, lost wages, and more. Victims of Georgia dog bites need not bear this financial burden alone. The dog owner’s insurance will likely cover the financial damages and this should be pursued.

If dog owners allow their pets to be outside their homes and yards roaming freely and someone suffers a dog bite as a result, that dog owner may be held liable and in violation of the Georgia leash laws. Even if a dog escaped and attacked someone, the dog owner could still be held accountable for bodily injury or death.

Call (980) 246-2656 or contact us online to learn more about your options after a dog attack.

Identifying Dangerous Breeds of Dogs

Become familiar with the dogs that are considered more aggressive. These breeds can include:

• Akitas
• Bullmastiffs
• Doberman Pinschers
• Pit Bulls
• Rottweilers
• Siberian Huskies

While some of these dogs are well-behaved, remember that good behavior starts with dog owners. If a dog owner is teaching these types of dogs to be aggressive, or if they are abusing their dogs, then the dogs may be more prone to bite. Because you may be unaware of their environment, it is best to use caution around these types of dogs.

Signs of an Aggressive Dog

By understanding a dog’s body language, you may be able to determine when a dog is aggressive and ready to bite. Watch for these signs:

• The hair on the back of the dog;s neck and spine is standing up.
• The dog’s ears may be standing up straight or pinned against its head.
• The dog may look tense.
• It is growling. 
• The dog’s nose and/or lips may be pulled back.
• Its teeth are showing.

If a dog bit you, you deserve compensation for your injuries, pain and suffering, scars, lost wages, and more.

Common Injuries Associated with Dog Bites

While some people may think of a dog bite as an injury in and of itself, it is actually an incident that can cause a number of different and distinct injuries. Some of the more common include the following:

• Broken bones
• Bruising
• Loss of fingers or toes
• Muscle damage
• Scarring
• Infections
• Brain injuries

These injuries have the potential to keep victims from working for an extended period of time as well as require intensive medical treatment. Often, the first step in recovering for these and other losses is discussing your case with an attorney who is familiar with litigating dog bite cases in Georgia.

Who is Most at Risk?

The groups most at risk include children, adult men, and people who keep dogs in their home.

• Children – the rates of dog bites is the greatest for children aged from 5 to 9 years old. In addition, children are more likely to require medical attention for dog bites than adults.
• Males – on average, men are more likely to be bitten than women
• People with dogs in the household – Among all age groups, having a dog in the home is directly correlated with an increase in dog bites. For adults with two or more dogs in the home, the risk of sustaining a dog bite increases five-fold.

Do not wait to get advice if you were harmed by an animal and are considering taking legal action. Call (980) 246-2656 or contact us online to get started.