Why Are Children At A Greater Risk For Dog Bites Than Adults?
According to the CDC, in the United States of America, dogs bite over 4.5 million people every year. Anyone can be bitten by a dog. However, research shows that children are the most common victims of dog bites. Also, children are at a greater risk of suffering severe injuries in dog attacks than adults. In this article, we discuss some of the main reasons children are at a greater risk for dog bites than adults, why children are at a greater risk of suffering more severe dog bite injuries than adults, and who can be held liable after a child sustains a dog bite injury in South Carolina.
Reasons Children Are at a Greater Risk for Dog Bites Than Adults
Some of the main reasons children are at a higher risk for dog bites than adults include;
- Size: Because children are small and physically closer to dogs than adults, they are at a greater risk of being attacked and bitten by dogs.
- Inability to understand a dog’s body language: Children cannot understand cues for aggression. Children cannot understand when a dog is distressed or a dog’s temperament.
- Inability to fight back: Adults can at times fight back when they get attacked by a dog. On the other hand, children may not be able to fight back against an attacking dog.
Why Are Children at a Greater Risk of Suffering More Severe Dog Bite Injuries Than Adults?
A child’s size and inability to fight back or escape puts them at a higher risk of suffering more severe dog bite injuries than adults. Because of size, when a dog attacks a child, it attacks the head, face, and neck. A child’s head, face, and neck are usually at eye level for dogs. Usually, injuries that occur to the face, head, and neck, are quite serious and require complicated medical treatment.
Unfortunately, when a child suffers a severe dog bite injury, it can result in substantial medical expenses. A severe dog bite injury can also affect a child emotionally. If your child was bitten by a dog in South Carolina, it is crucial that you reach out to a dog bite attorney. An attorney can help you file a dog bite injury claim and recover compensation.
Who Can Be Held Liable After a Child Suffers a Dog Bite Injury in South Carolina?
In South Carolina, a dog owner is liable for the damages suffered by a person attacked by the dog in a public place or lawfully in a private place. And since South Carolina is a strict liability state, a dog owner is liable for a dog bite injury and the resulting damages even if they did not know their dog was capable of biting. A dog owner is liable for a dog bite injury and the resulting damages even if they didn’t do anything wrong.
Contact the Gus Anastopoulo Law Firm
If your child suffered a dog bite injury in South Carolina, the Charleston dog bite lawyer at Gus Anastopoulo Law Firm may be able to help you recover compensation on their behalf. Call us at 843-310-5555 to schedule a consultation.
Source:
avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/dog-bite-prevention#:~:text=More%20than%204.5%20million%20people,of%20those%20bitten%20are%20children
