The animals we consider to be “man’s best friend” bite more than 4.7 million people each year. Dog bites can be very serious. Approximately 800,000 Americans every year seek medical attention after being bitten. Half of the victims are children. Annually, 386,000 victims require emergency room treatment and about 12 people die from dog bites. Have you or someone you know been injured due to a dog bite attack? If so, you may be able to sue the dog’s owner and/or keeper and receive compensation for your injuries. Attorney Wein and Attorney Palermo at Wein & Palermo will provide attentive, hands-on assistance to your matter.

Injuries resulting from dog bites can include:

• Puncture wounds
• Lacerations
• Abrasions
• Crush-type injuries
• Tissue loss
• Nerve damage
• Fractured bones
• Infections
• Scarring

In addition to the physical injuries a dog bite can cause, inevitably, the victim may also suffer emotional damage, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and a crippling fear of dogs. Bitten individuals may also suffer social insecurities due to disfiguring scarring. With our experienced Hartford dog bite attorneys on your side, compensation may be awarded for emotional pain and suffering.

To help protect your rights, certain steps should be taken after an animal attack:

1. Identify the dog. If it is a stray, you may need to go through rabies treatments.
2. If the dog’s owner is around, write down his or her name and phone number, and ask for the dog’s license information.
3. Get contact information from witnesses, if available.
4. Take pictures of the wound.
5. Make sure to photograph all bruising and the condition of your clothing after the attack.

Taking these steps and supplying your attorney with this information can help strengthen your case. Keep in mind, though, that Connecticut has laws governing the amount of time you have to file your claim. Connecticut’s statute of limitations for most personal injury cases is two years. After this time, you may not be able to file a lawsuit for your injuries; therefore, don’t hesitate to contact our experienced Hartford personal injury attorneys today