A dog bite or dog attack can often cause both personal and financial suffering, and the chances of you or a family member experiencing a dog attack is often higher than you may think. The Virginia dog bite lawyers work with those who have suffered as a result of a dog attack and fight for their rightful compensation.
Dog Bite Statistics
The National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), based in Atlanta, Georgia estimates that instances of dog bites or attacks affect about 2% of the U.S. population, equaling approximately 4.7 million citizens yearly. This means that you or a member of your family has about a one in 50 chance of being bitten or attacked by a dog each year.
Around 800,000 people seek medical care every year as a result of a dog bite or attack, according to the CDC. Children are especially at risk and make up half of that statistic, with dog bites being among the top five reasons why children make emergency room visits. Children at the highest risk of experiencing a dog attack are between the ages of five and nine.
Dog bites kill around 16 people in the U.S. every year.
Most Dangerous Dog Breeds
According to a study conducted by Merritt Clifton, editor of Animal People, Presa Canarios, Pit Bulls, Rottweilers and their mixes make up 74% of the attacks on the U.S. population in general, and 68% of the attacks on children.
Mr. Clifton states, “Pit Bulls and Rottweilers are dogs who not only must be handled with special precautions, but also must be regulated with special requirements appropriate to
the risk they may pose to the public and other animals, if they are to be kept at all.”
In almost 70% of the cases included in the study, the dog attack was the first known “dangerous” or aggressive behavior by the dog.
How To Protect Yourself And Your Children
Courtesy of the CDC, the following tips should help to keep you and your children safe around any dog you may encounter.
- Never approach an unknown or unfamiliar dog
- Don’t run away from a dog and scream
- If approached by an unknown dog, do not move
- If knocked down by a dog, roll into ball and do not move
- Never allow children to play with a dog unsupervised
- Don’t stare into a dog’s eyes
- If a dog is caring for puppies, eating, or sleeping, do not disturb it.
- Let the dog see you and smell you before petting it
The Virginia dog attack personal injury lawyers are prepared to take on dog bite cases and fight for the fair compensation that you deserve. Download our free book, An Insider’s Guide To Dog Bite Claims In Virginia today. You can reach us at 703-906-4229, or email us for a free case consultation.
The above article is a guest blog post by the personal injury attorneys at The Parrish Law Firm.