Suffering personal injury after being bitten by a dog can be an extremely traumatic experience. There is the possibility of severe damage, emotional distress, deadly infection, and expensive medical bills. Kind-hearted individuals often wonder what they can do after being bitten by a dog.
Your first question after being bitten by a dog is most likely, “Should I seek compensation?” This question should be answered quickly by evaluating your injuries. Doctors measure dog bite injuries on a level of 1-6, with level 1 being the least severe and level 6 being the most severe.
Degrees of Injury
Level 1
Typically, a level 1 dog bite is not physical but a pre-bite where the dog snarls or bites at the air without physically contacting the victim.
Level 2
Level 2 is considered a near bite, where the dog makes contact with the victim, tooth contact occurs, but the skin is not punctured.
Level 3
1-3 puncture wounds constitute a level 3 injury resulting after being bitten by a dog, with each puncture wound only reaching around ¼ the length of the dog’s tooth—usually, those who suffer from level 3 and above qualify to file for a lawsuit.
Level 4
A level 4 injury is severe; this level consists of a single bite where punctures to the skin are more profound than the canine’s teeth length; this level of damage can kill a child.
Level 5
A level 5 injury is even more severe, consisting of multiple puncture wounds more profound than the canine’s teeth, multiple bites, and even repeat attacks. This level can cause severe personal injury and may result in long-term damage or impairment.
Level 6
Level 6 dog bites are most severe; these injuries result in the victim’s death, and in some cases, the canine even consumes the victim’s flesh.
Financial burden
Suffering personal injury after being bitten by a dog can be an extremely traumatic experience. There is the possibility of severe personal injury, emotional distress, the chance for deadly infection, disease, and expensive medical bills. If you’re an injured party and are left wondering what you can do after being bitten by a dog, please get in touch with our qualified dog bite attorneys from Eason and Tambornini in Sacramento to schedule your free consultation.