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Did you suffer a dog bite in Louisiana that occurred in a public area or a private residence where you were invited? Dog bites carry a high risk of infection and other complications resulting in expenses and impacts on your quality of life. Let an experienced Louisiana dog bite lawyer from Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys help you obtain compensation for the expenses and impacts caused by your injury. Gordon McKernan’s commitment to fighting aggressively for the injured has resulted in more than $3 Billion in recoveries for our clients. Contact the Louisiana personal injury lawyers for your free consultation.
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How Common Are Dog Bites?
A study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) noted that approximately 4.5 million dog bites occur in the U.S. each year. Of these bites, around 800,000 will result in the need for medical treatment.
About half of dog bite victims are children between five and nine years old, and the majority of dog bites involve dogs who were not spayed or neutered. About one-quarter of all dog bites involve a chained animal. The U.S. insurance industry pays out about $1,136 million each year in dog bite claims on their insureds’ homeowner policies.
Why Do Dogs Bite?
One of the reasons that dog bites are so common is that there are so many reasons that a dog can bite.
Some of the most common reasons a dog may bite is if
- They feel scared or threatened.
- They are reacting to a stressful situation.
- They are protecting puppies or their human owner.
- They are not feeling well, or they were startled.
- They nip and bite while playing.
Injuries Suffered in Louisiana Dog Bites
Dogs generally bite the legs, head, or neck, and cause significant skin and soft tissue injuries.
Some of the more common wounds involve
- Bites to the face can damage the eyes, ears, or mouth.
- Bites to the neck can result in serious injuries to vital structures such as the windpipe (trachea), esophagus, and various major blood vessels and nerves.
- Bites to the legs often cause damage to the jointed areas of the knees and ankles.
- Bites to any part of the body can result in nerve and muscle damages as well as deep lacerations that may require sutures and place an individual at risk for infection.
Complications From Louisiana Dog Bites
Dog bites are painful and traumatizing, but around one in every five bites will cause a serious or even fatal infection due to the high amount of bacteria that dogs carry in their mouths. A bite can infect the wound and, if left untreated, can enter the bloodstream.
Signs that your dog bite wound is infected include
- New swelling, redness, or oozing around the wound.
- Loss of sensation around the wound.
- Fever and swollen lymph nodes.
- Red streaks on the skin are emanating from the wound.
- Night sweats.
- Fatigue.
- Loss of use of an affected limb.
Around half of all dog bite infections carry the Pasteurella bacteria, which generally causes a local infection with swelling, pain, and the drainage of pus from the wound. Occasionally, this type of infection can be more serious, resulting in swollen and painful joints and difficulty moving.
In addition to a variety of infections, dog bites carry a risk of these two often-deadly complications:
- Rabies: While only one to three cases of rabies are reported in the U.S. annually, this type of infection is almost always a source of concern after a dog bite as it is often fatal if not promptly treated.
- Tetanus: Tetanus, often referred to as lockjaw, is an illness caused by bacteria commonly found in soil, dust, or manure that makes its way into the body through open wounds. The illness results in a locked jaw and other symptoms that can result in an individual who cannot eat without help and has difficulty breathing. Often, patients will receive a tetanus shot after a dog bite.
Obtaining Compensation for Your Louisiana Dog Bite Injury
Dog bites often are considered premises liability cases. This means that the dog owner’s animal does not pose an unreasonable risk for visitors to the home or those on the public streets or other areas. The law allows dog bite victims to pursue compensation for the expenses and lifestyle impacts through a dog bite injury lawsuit.
Many states have either a one-bite rule or a strict liability standard for dog bite cases. The one-bite rule holds that the dog’s owner is responsible for injuries caused by the dog only if he or she knew the dog was aggressive—essentially meaning the dog can bite someone one-time liability-free. Still, the owner is responsible for subsequent bites. Strict liability states that the dog’s owner is liable for any injuries caused by the dog, regardless of whether he or she knew that the dog was vicious, as long as the victim was not provoking the dog at the time of the attack.
To obtain a successful outcome for your dog bite claim in Louisiana, you must prove that the dog owner knew that his or her dog could become aggressive and failed to protect you from the dog by penning or muzzling the dog (or by placing prominent signs warning of a vicious dog). An experienced dog bite attorney knows the laws pertaining to dog bite liability in Louisiana and the dog bite injury claims process, improving your ability to obtain fair compensation for your injuries.
Statute of Limitation Changes in Louisiana
In 2024, Louisiana law extended the statute of limitations for personal injury claims occurring on or after July 1, 2024, from one year to two years. Any injuries that occurred before July 1, 2024, will still have a 1-year statute of limitation. Learn more about Louisiana’s New Statute of Limitations here.
- 1 year for injuries sustained before July 1, 2024.
- 2 years for injuries suffered after July 1, 2024.
The statute of limitations is a legal deadline that sets a time frame for filing a lawsuit. In Louisiana, this is known as the “prescriptive period,” which determines how long you have to take legal action against the responsible party after an injury occurs.
Experienced Dog Bite Lawyers
Let an experienced Louisiana dog bite lawyer from Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys talk to you about your legal options today. Contact us online or call us at 888.501.7888.
Louisiana Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Near Me
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Office Locations
Denham Springs Office
163 Del Orleans Ave., Denham Springs, LA 70726
Gonzales Office
220 S. Burnside Ave. Gonzales, LA 70737
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3900 Veterans Memorial Blvd. STE 300 Metairie, LA 70002
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4361 Main St. Zachary, LA 70791
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