St. Paul Dog Bite and Animal Attack Attorneys
Dog may be “man’s” best friend – but not every dog is every human’s best friend. Unfortunately, some dogs can be aggressive, and when they are, you don’t want to be anywhere near them. Dogs injure over 4 million people every year in the U.S., and around 9,500 of these victims have to be hospitalized. In rare cases, a dog attack can even result in death. If you’re injured by a dog bite in St. Paul or across Minnesota, contact the dog bite attorneys at Sand Law for a free case evaluation.
In Minnesota, the rate of dog attack fatality is especially low. Between 1979 and 2005, our dog attack fatality rate was the fourth lowest in the U.S. But deaths from dog bites can still happen, and even when a dog attack doesn’t result in death, it can cause serious injury, disability, and trauma. In other cases, dog bites can transmit rabies or other infections. If a dog bite becomes infected, it can result in meningitis, septic shock, or other serious health conditions.
An animal attack or serious dog bite can be a traumatizing event for the victim and family members. Unfortunately, young children are the most frequent victims. The size and height of a child often places his or her head and face in the danger zone. Many adults also suffer severe injuries when attacked by neighbors’ pets, dogs and other animals roaming at large.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that in addition to young children, adults — especially the elderly — are vulnerable to disfigurement, scarring, nerve damage, infections and wrongful death in animal attacks. Animal owner negligence can also cause car accidents that call for thorough investigation and decisive legal action.
Dog Bite Statistics for St. Paul, Minnesota, and the U.S.
Here are some more dog bite statistics:
- A dog bite occurs about every 75 seconds in the U.S.
- About 4.5 million dog bites occur in the U.S. every year.
- Nearly 1 in 5 dog bites become infected.
- Every day, more than 1,000 people need emergency medical care for dog-bite injuries in the U.S.
- Over 28,000 people went through reconstructive surgery in 2015 as a result of dog bites.
- The cost of a dog bite-related hospital visit averages around $18,200 – which is 50% higher than the cost of the average injury-related hospital visit.
- Victims of dog attacks lose a total of between $1 and $2 billion every year in the U.S.
- Adults who have two or more dogs in the house are five times likelier to be bitten.
- In attacks from unfamiliar dogs, the pit bull breed is responsible for 60% of all injuries.
- Pit bull attacks generally result in higher fatality rates and hospital costs than attacks by other dog breeds.
Common Injuries Caused by Dog Bites
When you think of a dog bite injury, you may only think about lacerations and puncture wounds, but there are many more types of injuries that can occur. These injuries often come together. For example, you may experience a puncture wound, nerve damage, and broken bones all at the same time.
Puncture Wounds
The most common injury caused by a dog bite is puncture wounds. When a dog’s teeth puncture the skin, they leave holes behind. Puncture wounds tend to be deep and can cause infection.
Broken Bones
Broken bones occur when a dog’s bite is strong, causing bones to fracture and break in multiple places. These breaks can be expensive, as they often require surgery in order to put the bone back together properly before it can heal. In the case of multiple broken bones or a bone broken in multiple places in the legs, physical therapy may be required.
Injuries To The Face
Injuries to the face can also occur, such as fractures and lacerations. Facial injuries are often hard on the victim’s mental health, causing more pain and suffering, especially if they’re left with scarring or disfigurement.
Scars
Scars are very common after dog bite injury, especially if the laceration or puncture wound is deep. While scars are often nothing to worry about unless they’re large and noticeable, they may result in higher compensation for pain and suffering or mental anguish.
Brain Injuries
In the case that a dog attack knocks the victim over, traumatic brain injury can occur. Traumatic brain injury or TBI can be incredibly expensive and life-changing. It can cause brain death, vegetative state, and death in serious cases.
Nerve Damage
If the dog bite is deep enough, you can experience nerve damage. Nerve damage can be very painful and long-lasting. Even after your wounds heal, you may experience loss of function or chronic pain.
Emotional Effects
On top of all potential physical injuries, emotional effects are also very common. Stress, depression, and PTSD are all common side effects of dog bite injuries. These effects may be heightened when facial deformity, long-term disability, or other life-altering injuries occur.
Common Ways to Prevent a St. Paul Dog Attack
While you can’t always prevent a dog attack, there are steps you can take to be safer around man’s best friend:
- Give dogs their space. Most people need space when they’re eating or sleeping, and dogs are no different. If you see a dog eating or sleeping, or a dog caring for its puppies, you might want to leave it alone.
- Avoid unfamiliar dogs. It’s best to leave tied-up or fenced-in dogs alone, since they tend to be protective of their property. If you encounter an unfamiliar dog, steer clear and avoid eye contact.
- Don’t run. Dogs love playing chase, so if you meet a dog you don’t know, don’t run – just walk steadily past. If you think a dog may be aggressive, it’s probably best to hold still and remain calm. Avoid looking directly at the dog, and back away slowly when you feel it’s safe to do so.
- If a dog starts to attack, try to put an object in between the two of you, like a bicycle. Or try to get the dog to sink its teeth into your jacket or purse instead of you.
- If you find yourself down, curl into a ball and put your hands over your ears. Don’t scream, just try to hold still and remain quiet.
If you are bitten by a dog, you could end up needing emergency medical attention or plastic surgery. You might need to take time off from work, and your injury might be debilitating or embarrassing, affecting your career and even your personal life.
Luckily, there’s help for dog bite victims. If you or a loved one has sustained a serious dog bite, you may be able to receive financial compensation for things like pain and suffering, hospital bills, and lost wages. Our office advocates for dog bite victims throughout Minnesota. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Hear from a recent client who suffered a dog bite and hired Sand Law
You Should Not Have To Pay For The Negligence Of St. Paul Pet Owners
At Sand Law, our attorneys and legal team take dog bites and animal attacks seriously. The emotional pain an attack victim experiences often compounds the severe physical injury he or she has suffered. Victims frequently struggle with a loss of their sense of safety. Our goal is to seek justice to help animal attack victims gain a sense of closure for the trauma they have experienced.
Medical bills, including future expenses that may arise from the need for future care, reconstructive surgery and rehabilitation, are frequently points of contention in personal injury cases. We do the hard work to bring in the right expert medical witnesses to present the facts to maximize compensation for our clients.
Minnesota law holds dog owners accountable for the actions of the pet — even if the dog has never shown signs of aggression before. If you or a loved one has suffered significant dog bite injury or physical harm in an attack involving any type of pet, we are ready, willing and able to help you obtain the fair and full compensation you are entitled to under the law. We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning that there is no fee unless we obtain compensation on your behalf.
Damages you can Claim in a Dog Bite Injury
We can help you claim compensation for both economic and non-economic damages related to your claim. Economic damages are more straightforward, covering any monetary losses that you may have experienced in relation to your injury. Economic damages cover losses like:
- Doctor’s visits
- Surgery costs
- Ambulance rides
- Physical therapy
- Hospital stays
- Future medical costs
- Past and future lost wages
Non-economic damages are less straightforward, as they cover losses that don’t have a monetary value associated with them. Non-economic damages are calculated by looking at how much one’s life has changed before and after the accident.
For example, if you lived an active lifestyle before the accident, but now you have a disability that prevents you from being active, you’ll receive higher non-economic compensation than someone who has an injury they’ll recover from.
Non-economic damages cover:
- Pain and suffering or mental anguish
- Loss of earning capacity
- Loss of consortium (in a wrongful death case)
- Permanent disfigurement or disability
How much is my dog bite claim worth?
There are many factors that come into play when determining how much your claim is worth. However, Sand Law is dedicated to helping you get the compensation that you deserve for your injuries. We pride ourselves on receiving high settlements for our clients.
Factors that will affect your claim’s value include:
- The severity of your injuries
- Your total combined damages
- The defendant’s available insurance
- The effect the accident has had on your life
- Whether or not you share any fault for the accident
All of these factors (and many more) will determine the value of your claim. Insurance companies will often try to lowball you, offering to pay out much less than your claim is worth. This is why it’s vital to get a St. Paul dog bite attorney who knows how to negotiate. That way, you can get a settlement that’s worth what your claim is worth or more.
Sand Law has a strong track record of securing compensation for clients injured by a dog bite. Our overall average dog bite settlement is over $90,000. In 2021 alone, we’ve worked for our clients to get an average settlement of $150,000.
The national dog bite claim average is $43,653, according to a study by Insurance Information Institute data. The Minnesota average for dog bite injury payouts is lower at only $38,362.
When comparing our settlement amounts to national and Minnesota dog bite payouts, it’s clear that Sand Law is the right choice for your dog bite injury claim.
Turn To Experienced Dog Bite Injury Attorneys in St. Paul and Across Minnesota
To arrange a no-pressure consultation with a dedicated dog bite attorney, send us an email or call 651-291-7263. With offices in St. Paul, Minneapolis, Woodbury, and White Bear Lake, we serve all of Minnesota. We look forward to talking to you during our consultation so we can give your practice advice about your Minnesota dog or animal bite injury case. Contact us today.