While anybody in South Jersey can suffer serious injury from an attacking dog, children are the most vulnerable. The average-sized adult stands a better chance of fighting off a large dog than a young boy or girl whom the dog might outweigh.
According to the CDC, most of the approximately 800,000 dog attacks that happen in the U.S. each year happen to children. About a quarter of child dog bite victims are seriously hurt enough to need to go to the emergency room or visit their doctor. This is a bigger health problem for American children than measles, mumps and whooping cough put together. Tragically, dogs kill many children every year. Many more victims survive but are seriously injured.
Injuries children can receive from a violent dog
Common injuries include:
- Crush injuries to bone, muscle and soft tissue
- Nerve damage
- Scars and disfigurements
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
A child victim may need surgery to correct life-threatening injuries or fix disfiguring facial scars. Meanwhile, the trauma from the attack could affect the child for years. Therapy could be necessary to deal with their PTSD.
The most common place for dog bites is in the victim’s own home, but many attacks happen on friends’ property. Then there are attacks from dogs owned by strangers. Wherever the incident occurred, you cannot hold the dog liable in court. But New Jersey law allows you to pursue compensation from the dog’s owner. If your child was injured by a dog because of their owner’s negligence, your little one deserves the best care possible — and you should not have to foot the bill yourself.