Many people are eager to acknowledge and approach a dog in a public environment. They may cross the street to pet a dog on the other side of the road or may approach someone walking in a park with a dog to ask about the animal.
Other times, encounters with dogs are far less pleasant. A dog who escapes their yard or pulls away from their owner in a park could become aggressive toward people that they encounter. Those visiting private property to make deliveries could also be at risk of a dog becoming aggressive toward them. The same is true of anyone visiting an animal’s owners.
Some dog bite incidents cause minor injuries that people recover from quickly. Other times, dog bite incidents have long-lasting consequences. The following are some of the more concerning long-term consequences of a dog bite attack.
Disfiguring scars
When dogs lunge at people, they may knock them to the ground. They could then bite that person on the face or neck. Visible dog bite scars do not always respond well to medical care. The person attacked may forever have scars that change their appearance. Scars can affect self-esteem and mental health. They can also affect earning potential and interpersonal relationships. In some cases, they can also be painful because they limit movement.
Nerve damage
The bigger a dog is and the more times they bite, the greater the risk of the attacked individual sustaining nerve damage. Nerve damage can lead to either a loss of sensation or uncontrollable and unpredictable physical sensations. Some people with nerve damage experience reduced functional capabilities in affected body parts. Others may have sporadic pain and discomfort near the injury site. In both cases, the nerve damage caused by the dog bite attack can affect their functional capabilities and their overall quality of life.
Psychological trauma
Getting attacked by a dog can lead to people feeling very frightened of similar animals in the future. If the incident is particularly severe, the person who survived the attack might develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). If the victim is a child, they might develop a fear of dogs or outdoor spaces because of the attack. The counseling necessary to address the consequences of a dog bite incident can quickly become quite expensive.
Holding an animal’s owner accountable for the aftermath of a dog bite attack is a reasonable response to a truly tough situation. Those attacked by dogs and the parents of dog bite victims may need help looking into their options and taking action to seek compensation, and that’s okay.