Mobile Dog Bites Lawyer
Dog Bites and Animal Attacks
All too often, dogs with dangerous or vicious propensities are left unattended, off-leash, or not properly enclosed. Such vicious animals, most frequently pit bulls, attack and cause disfiguring injuries to unsuspecting citizens, especially small children.
An Alabama personal injury attorney at McAleer Law can guide you though the complex laws that surround such injury cases.
Most of us have heard about a child who kneeled next to a tethered dog and proceeded to pet the animal or to feed it and as the child tried to pull away some of the food, the dog suddenly bites the child'.
It is estimated that over one million injuries from dog bites occur in the United States each year. The wounds are often large and prone to infection if treatment is not timely. The face, scalp and hands are the most common sites of bite injury.
The scalp is the covering of the cranium. It is much more complex than is generally appreciated by the lay person. The five layers of the scalp form an acronym, S-C-A-L-P. The layers are:
- Skin
- Connective Tissue
- Aponeurosis (the flat tendon between the two halves of the scalp muscles)
- Loose Connective Tissue
- Periosteum (also referred to as Pericranium)
The approximation (i.e., bringing together ) of the wound edges is critical in these cases and is often left up to the plastic surgeons. The red border of the lip is of special interest, since misalignment of the tissue at this point is especially noticeable. Any drooping of the tissue poses serious functional and esthetic problems for the injured individual. Permanent scarring and possibly paralysis are possible in cases of facial dog bites. The injuries are often, from a psychological perspective even greater than the sum of their parts.
Even a small change in one's face will alter a person's life. The psychological impact of such an injury can be tremendous. The psychological trauma and heartbreak endured by an injured and disfigured child and her family will be felt for many years.
If you or your child has been attacked or bitten by a dog, contact a Mobile Dog Bite Attack Attorney at McAleer Law for guidance. Call now -- 251-341-0116.