In 2017, 39 Americans were killed by dogs and each year, more than 350,000 dog bite victims are seen in emergency rooms, and approximately 750,000 victims receive medical attention. Data that the CDC collected in the USA between 2001 and 2003 indicated there were 4.5 million dog bite victims per year, but that figure appears to be rising.(https://dogbitelaw.com/dog-bite-statistics/dog-bite-statistics) In 2015, more than 28,000 reconstructive surgery procedures were performed because of dog bites. (American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 2015 Plastic Surgery Statistics, p. 9, http://www.dogsbite.org/pdf/2015-plastic-surgery-statistics-report.pdf.)

Take A Stand

Many of the attacks involve children and often the worst injuries are those suffered by small children, since their height and size make them especially vulnerable to a dog attack. The first thing anyone should do who suffers a dog bite is seek immediate medical attention. Dog bites can lead to severe infection, permanent scarring and excessive doctor visits. If the injured is a child, the fact that they are still growing can complicate scarring and require different treatment to make sure the long term effects are reduced. If the injury is severe enough, a dog attack can result in high medical bills and ongoing care. Often these attacks are made by dogs whose owner knew that their dog was aggressive and failed to take the proper precautions to protect their neighbors and other members of their community from their dog. They failed to properly secure the dog, train or socialize it and then created a situation when the dog could and did get out and maul someone. In these cases, it is necessary to take legal action against the negligent dog owner. This is important both for you and to protect others who may come into contact with the dog in the future. If no one takes a stand, then the problem can and, most likely, will continue.

Find Justice

Attorney Misty Borland Phiffer and her team at Borland Phiffer Law represents dog bite victims. We have the skills and experience necessary to deal with common defenses like allegations of trespassing or that your injuries are your own fault because you allegedly provoked the animal. We invest the time necessary to prove the dog is a known aggressor and that in your case the dog and the dog’s careless owner were clearly the ones at fault. We fully evaluate your case and make sure that a full measure of justice is received by our clients.

Please call if you or a loved one need help with a dog bite case. We are available to help you 24/7 with a free case consultation. We can help to explain your options and see if this is a case that we feel warrants taking and provide you with specific guidance whether we take the case or not.