We are prone to various types of injuries as humans. They may be from domestic accidents, workplaces, auto crashes, etc. However, Maryland dog bite attorneys will tell you that not many personal injuries are as devastating as a dog bite. Instead, they are usually due to the dog owner’s inability to properly control or restrain their pets.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), more than 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs each year in the United States.  Half of that number are children. In another report, dog bites were the 13th leading cause of nonfatal emergency visits in the US in 2018. With such frightening statistics, everyone must exercise due caution to avoid being a dog bite victim.

What types of injuries are you most likely to sustain in Maryland from a dog bite? This article provides the best answer to that question. In addition, if you need to know the common legal mistakes made by dog bite injury victims, this article is for you too.

Five Common Maryland Dog Bite Injuries and Diseases

These are the most common dog bite injuries in Maryland:

• Puncture Wounds

Puncture wounds refer to deep, forceful wounds that result from a sharp and pointed object like a tooth or nail. This type of injury is highly prone to infection, even though they typically don’t result in severe bleeding. That’s especially if they’re from a dog bite.

• Broken Bones

A dog bite can crush your bones if the attack is so forceful that your bones can’t withstand it. You may also break your bone in a slip and fall accident while fleeing from an attacking dog. Fractures need emergency care, that’s especially if it’s an open fracture or occurs in the femur, spine, skull, etc.

• Rabies

Rabies is a vaccine-preventable disease caused by a violent animal bite, most likely a dog.

Rabies incubates for some time (about three weeks to 3 months) and begins with fever, burning sensation, muscle weakness, etc. It then attacks the central nervous system causing either furious rabies or paralytic rabies that may cause coma or death.

• Nerve Damage

Nerve damage is one of the most common bite injuries in Maryland. The worst type of nerve damage from a dog attack is neurotmesis, a complete nerve severance. Nerve damage leads to devastating consequences like paralysis and excruciating pain. It may also cause excessive sweating, challenges with digestion, muscle weakness, etc.

What Are the Top 20 Most Dangerous Dogs in America?

There are numerous breeds of dogs in America. These are 20 of the most dangerous ones:

1. Pitbull
2. German shepherd
3. The rottweiler
4. The bull terrier
5. Chow chow
6. The husky
7. Caucasian ovcharka
8. Gull Dong
9. The American bulldog
10. Akita
11. The Great Dane
12. Boxer
13. Wolf hybrid
14. Malamute
15. The bullmastiff
16. Labrador
17. Tosa Inu
18. Cocker spaniel
19. The saint bernard
20. Doberman pinschers

Common Mistakes Dog Bite Injury Victims Make

The following are the most common mistakes dog bite victims make:

• Not visiting a doctor or delaying medical attention. Besides limiting your risk of health complications, visiting a doctor can help your compensation claims.
• Many dog bite victims fail to report the accident to relevant authorities in time. Such action will limit your chances of recovering damages.
• Failure to consult an attorney. It’s almost impossible to win a dog bite injury claim or lawsuit without legal assistance.
• Neglecting to gather evidence. Take pictures and videos of your injuries as soon as possible. Also, document your healing process. Without pictorial evidence, you may not be able to prove your injuries and their severity.
• Forgetting to collect contact details. You can’t file a personal injury claim or lawsuit without knowing the whereabouts of the at-fault dog owner. So, be sure to take the contact information of the responsible party after a dog attack. If you can’t do it yourself, have someone do it for you.

Contact Our Legal Team at Pinder Plotkin LLC Today!

Sustaining a dog bite injury can be scary, painful, and money-draining. Depending on the type and severity of the injury, you may need to undergo surgery. However, you deserve all the help you can get, and one way to reduce your pain is via an injury claim.

The truth is that personal injury claims processes are complicated and may put you through more stress than you expect. So, it’s essential to speak with our Maryland dog injury lawyers to handle your case while you focus on recovery. We’ll get you the compensation you think you deserve—and more. Contact us immediately.