Debunking The Myth of Animal Related Injuries And How A Personal Injury Attorney Can Help

There is no getting away from it; we are a nation of animal lovers! In fact, a CA personal injury attorney explains that, according to the American Pet Products Association's annual survey, over 70 million homes in the US contain at least one or more animals. These are broken down as follows, 88 million cats, 74 million dogs, 25 million small animals including rabbits, guinea pigs, gerbils etc, 14 million horses and 13 million reptiles. These figures are not inclusive of any exotic animals kept privately including lions, tigers, monkeys and chimpanzees. It is no wonder then with all these animals that personal injury caused by animals is indeed commonplace.

Dogs

Out of these, dog bites are by far the most common, with an average 4.7 million reported cases each year. Dogs can be unpredictable and because of this a dog that may appear submissive to its owners can be aggressive to others. Problems include lack of or bad training, poor breeding practices, provocation, fear and stranger anxiety to name but a few. Unfortunately children can be at high risk because they spend time playing with the animal. They are generally less experienced at reading the signs of dog behavior and might not be able to pre-empt a dog attack. Bite wounds are the most common form of injury, and the more severe cases may need several bouts of corrective surgery. Infection is also a problem, because a bite from an un-vaccinated animal could lead to a risk of rabies. If you have been affected by a dog bite through no fault of your own, then an experienced team of California personal injury lawyers can help.

Cats

Over one million cat bites are also reported in the US every year and thousands more go unreported. Although a cat bite or scratch may seem harmless enough, in actual fact, cats can carry more diseases than dogs. People are particularly at risk from cat bite/scratch when they have underlying problems such as kidney or liver failure, diabetes and degenerative joint disease. Then this is when systemic complications can occur. Children under the age of 10 and people over 50 are also more likely to develop problems from cat wounds as their immune systems aren't as strong as other age groups. Bites or scratches normally occur when a cat is scared, in pain or defensive.

Horses

Like all animals, horses deserve respect. Some of the most common horse related injuries are when a horse kicks a person. This can occur when horses feel cornered. A kick to the head can cause traumatic head injuries and may need extensive rehabilitation. Also falling off horses or being thrown from a horse can also result in injury. Horses can travel at speeds of up to 40 mph so broken bones and spinal injuries are commonplace. Bites from horses are less common but can still occur nonetheless. If you have been involved in a horse related incident that resulted in injury then contact an experienced team of personal injury attorneys California who can explain your rights.

Snakes and reptiles

Although keeping pet snakes and reptiles is becoming more commonplace in the US, injuries to owners are relatively rare. There was however a recent case of a man from Nebraska, who was showing his pet Boa to a family friend when it started to wrap itself round the owners neck and ultimately strangled him. There are around five types of constricting snake that become large enough to cause danger to humans, and out of these the Burmese and the Reticulated pythons are commonly found in the pet industry. These can reach lengths of 30 and 20 feet respectively and as a general rule of thumb, anything over 10 feet in length can be considered dangerous to pet owners.

Myths about reporting animal related injuries

Many of us own a pet and it can be a very rewarding and fulfilling experience. However it is a fact that injuries caused to humans by animals are generally inflicted by animals that are known to their victims. This is why a lot of injuries go unreported because of the simple fact that victims may not want to 'rock the boat' when it comes to a lawsuit. A CA personal injury lawyer who specializes in animal related injuries explains that contrary to popular belief, an animal very rarely gets destroyed after having injured a human. If people are worried about falling out with their friends and neighbors because of a lawsuit then it is worth noting that a skilled attorney will handle such a case delicately and if a victim is worried about the owner being out of pocket, then be advised that generally compensation paid to the victim doesn't come straight out of the pet owner's pocket, but instead may be paid through their pet insurance policy.

If you have any queries, questions, or indeed concerns regarding making a claim for an animal related injury, then an experienced California personal injury attorney is on hand to explain your rights.