Minor dog bite incidents may only cause simple injuries. More serious incidents can have more significant consequences. Larger, more aggressive dogs can inflict more serious damage. The outcome of the incident can be particularly severe when the person attacked by the animal is young, old or medically fragile.
Even healthy adults can sometimes sustain long-term or permanent medical issues after a dog bite incident. What types of long-term consequences may follow a dog’s aggression toward a human?
1. Disfiguring and limiting scars
When dogs attack people, their bites can cause significant scarring. Bites to the face and neck can cause disfiguring scars that affect a person’s self-esteem and earnings potential. Bites to the hands and other highly-active body parts can cause scars that limit function and range of motion. Dog bite scars can cause lifetime challenges.
2. Nerve damage
In some cases, the physical damage caused by a dog bite may include nerve damage. People may develop chronic pain symptoms or functional challenges because of damaged nerves. Dog bite nerve damage can affect professional capabilities and day-to-day life.
3. Broken bones
When dog bite attacks cause people to fall, the force of impact can break bones. In some cases, particularly strong dogs could break bones through the force of their bites. Fractures can cause long-term reductions in strength and range of motion. They can also leave people unable to work for weeks, which can have lingering financial consequences.
Estimating the long-term impact of a dog bite attack can be challenging. Thankfully, a personal injury attorney can help those affected by a dog bite incident review their options for compensation.