Can I Recover Damages After My Child’s Dog Bite?

When your child is bitten or attacked by a dog, it is understandably a very emotional experience for you both. But beyond this initial shock, your child may continue to suffer from their incurred bodily injuries. Of course, you may find it completely unacceptable for your child to have been put in this position to begin with. So with that, please follow along to find out how to recover damages on your child’s behalf after their run-in with a dog, and how a proficient Passaic County dog bite lawyer at the Law Offices of August R. Soltis can help you earn what your child is entitled to.

What injuries are common when a dog bites a child?

Unfortunately, children may be more vulnerable to serious dog bite injuries than adults. For one, their height may be similar to the dog’s stature, making it more likely to be bitten on the face, in the neck, or on the upper body. After needing stitches, it is devastating for a child to be left with permanent scarring on these visible sites. What’s worse is if they require intensive reconstructive surgeries, which may not entirely dismiss the possibility of physical disfigurement.

Secondly, a child may not have the physical strength or mental capacity to know how to fight off a dog that is biting or attacking them. With that, the puncture wounds they incur may be much deeper, causing serious damage to the muscles, nerves, and tissues beneath their skin. This is associated with a higher risk of infection. In severe cases, bacteria or rabies may result in tissue damage that requires amputation or may even be fatal. 

Lastly, even if a child cannot mentally comprehend the experience they went through at the time, their body may hold on to this trauma. This is to say that they may later develop mental health issues like anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, or a debilitating fear of animals. Further, this may manifest into insomnia, troubles with the way they live their life socially, and much more.

Am I allowed to recover damages after my child’s dog bite injury?

While your child may not realize it yet, as their parent, you may understand how much their dog bite accident and subsequent injuries are going to affect their enjoyment and quality of life going forward. With this, you may want to serve as their legal advocate and file a personal injury claim on their behalf against the dog owner or other legally liable party. This may not reverse their damages, but it may at least allow you to collect financial compensation for the following:

• Your child’s current and future medical expenses. 
• Your child’s physical discomfort and emotional distress.
• Your child’s scarring or disfigurement, which affects their confidence.
• Your child’s future lost earning capacity, due to their physical limitations.
• Your child’s psychological counseling, which is needed to process their trauma. 
• Your child’s property that was damaged during the attack (i.e., prescription glasses).

The bodily injuries and financial damages your child is facing may just underscore the importance of obtaining strong legal representation. For this, look no further than a talented Passaic County personal injury attorney from the Law Offices of August R. Soltis. Our team looks forward to collaborating with you.