What Do You Do When Your Dog Bites You?
The first thing you do after a dog bite is see a doctor. As outlined below, dog bite injuries are very serious and usually occur in stages. These conditions are usually degenerative. Any delay greatly complicates the medical treatment process. An unexpected trip to the emergency room usually means a long wait and an examination by a general practice doctor who doesn’t focus on injury-related conditions. But this visit is definitely better than nothing.
The next thing you do after a dog bite is see an Oceanside personal injury lawyer. Attorneys connect victims with doctors who focus on dog bite injuries and, in many cases, charge nothing upfront for their professional services. Furthermore, just like only a doctor can determine how badly you’re hurt, only an Oceanside personal injury lawyer can determine how much compensation you may be entitled to.
Initial Knockdown
Typically, large Mastiff breed dogs, like rottweilers and German shepherds, attack small victims, like small children. Therefore, the knockdown usually causes severe head injuries.
Contrary to popular myth, the brain doesn’t fit snugly inside the skull, like a hand in a glove. Physically, the brain is about the same size as a soda can. So, when victims suddenly fall, their brains slam against the insides of their skulls. The repeated, violent impact usually causes brain bleeding and swelling.
However, even though this injury is severe, many head injury victims don’t “feel” hurt. The brain usually conceals its own injuries. For this reason, athletes with concussions often ask their coaches to put them right back in the game. They honestly “feel fine.” So, for athletes’ own good, most sports have concussion protocols. The head injury protocol for dog bite victims is seeing a doctor straightaway, followed by an Oceanside personal injury lawyer shortly thereafter.
Bite Injuries
A large dog’s teeth and jaws are deceptively powerful. Therefore, bite wounds crush and tear muscles and skin. Their teeth then penetrate through the chest wall, often causing injuries like a collapsed lung or damage to intestinal organs. Even a bite that does not break the skin crushes or bruises the underlying soft tissues.
Just like the brain conceals its own injuries, it also conceals traumatic memories. So, when a doctor asks a victim what happened, the victim usually glosses over the details. Therefore, these victims need more thorough examinations, including a full battery of diagnostic tests.
Furthermore, soft tissue injuries don’t show up on X-rays or most other diagnostic tests. So, doctors often err on the side of caution and treat such injuries regardless of the victim’s recollection or a test’s outcome.
After-Effects
The severe trauma often causes Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. PTSD is a specific kind of brain injury caused by a stress-induced chemical imbalance.
PTSD symptoms, such as depression, hypervigilance (unnatural fear of all dogs), and flashbacks, mirror the symptoms of NSR (normal stress response), a temporary condition that goes away on its own. But PTSD doesn’t go away on its own. In fact, like other dog bite injuries, it’s degenerative, as mentioned above.
The nature of PTSD brain injuries underscores the need for ongoing medical treatment in these cases. The ongoing treatment increases medical bills, highlighting the need for an Oceanside personal injury lawyer to obtain compensation for these injuries.
Rely on a Dedicated San Diego County Lawyer
Injury victims are entitled to substantial compensation. For a confidential consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer in Oceanside, contact the Pursley Law Firm. Virtual, home, and hospital visits are available.
Source:
vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/bite-wounds-in-dogs
