Understanding the Frequency of Dog Bites in North Carolina
Although a substantial amount of people in the country have invited pets into their home, treating them as if they were another member of the family, it still remains that dog bites account for an astounding number of injuries each and every year. It is a sad realization that a loving pet could potentially harm its owner, a visitor, or even a child, but according to statistics, it’s a more frequent occurrence than many would like to think.
More than 75 million dogs live in the United States alone, so it is really not surprising that the injuries they subsequently cause result in over $1 billion in medical bills and lost wages for the victims that they attack each year.
In fact, dog bite injuries remain the fifth most common reason for children to visit the emergency room—concurrently meaning that approximately 368,000 people make trips to the ER every single year to treat a dog-related injury (Center for Disease Control.)
This is a serious problem that has affected the lives of countless individuals across the country—many of them being children—so it is important for all victims to understand their rights after an unprovoked attack. In the state of North Carolina, dog bite laws do not necessary cater to the needs of the victim, but recovering compensation is not an impossible task.
Some states uphold “strict liability laws,” meaning that a pet owner is solely responsible for their actions of their pet. Unfortunately, it is a little more difficult for victims in North Carolina to successfully pursue a personal injury case, as lawmakers have made it so that the victim must meet certain requirements. Even so, it is important for all pet owners to be held accountable for providing compensation if their negligent behavior has contributed to another’s injuries.
In order to do so, it may be necessary to enlist the help of an experienced dog bite lawyer. As such, you should not hesitate to contact Whitley Law Firm today if you believe that you are entitled to damages after being bitten by someone else’s dangerous pet.