You may have known your neighbor’s dog since they were a pup. You watched their dog grow up like they were your own child. You would never consider their dog aggressive or harmful to you or anyone you know – but that doesn’t mean they still can’t bite.
Your neighbor’s dog could mistake you for someone else and unexpectedly bite you. Their dog may get easily excited and accidentally sink their teeth into you thinking you were playing. Some dogs can develop mental issues that cause a previously calm dog to turn into an aggressive biter.
Whichever the case, you may be unexpectedly bitten. Here’s what you should know:
Seek immediate treatment for injuries
The very first thing you want to do after being bitten is to treat your dog-related injuries. You’ll need to clean the wound before bandaging it to reduce the chances of it contracting an infection. Afterward, you may need to seek professional medical help for antibiotics and stitches. You may also need a scan for broken bones.
Ask the owner of the dog if their pet had their shots updated. A dog without updated shots could cause your injuries to test positive for rabies or tetanus.
Dog owners are responsible for attacks
You may build up a ton of medical bills, lost time at work (with lost income) and suffer lasting medical problems because of a dog attack. It is the dog owner’s responsibility to prevent them from injuring others. If your neighbor’s dog bit you, they should be liable for the injuries you’ve sustained.
You may need to seek experienced legal help to ensure you are compensated for your losses.
