When a dog bites a toddler, it can be a stressful situation for everyone involved. There is always a risk of a dog biting someone and a toddler can be especially vulnerable. It is important to remember that any dog can bite and even with friendly or family dogs, an adult should be present when there is a child. Toddlers may love playing with dogs but it is important to keep children safe.
When a dog bite happens, get medical aid for the victim. In New Jersey, parents or guardians can recover compensation from the dog owner for the toddler to help with the child’s recovery.
Find out what to do when a dog bites a toddler and the steps to take below.
A recent study in the United States has found that the youngest age group can be at high risk for a dog biting a toddler. Toddlers can be unpredictable for dogs and are eager to explore. They have not yet learned to recognize signals of distress from dogs to respond appropriately and to leave a dog alone if it is feeling stressed.
Family dogs are also exploring their relationship with the toddler. A dog may be curious about this newer member of the family. Toddlers may be learning to crawl or walk which may make a dog nervous even if the dog has known this newest family member since infancy.
Reuters reported on a recent study analyzing dog bite cases in children. Of those cases, it was found that 30% of cases were of a dog biting a toddler two years and under.
Taking steps to prevent dog bites from happening is the best course of action. 84% of cases occurred in the home. It is important to remember that any dog can bite at any time. A dog and a child should be closely supervised and never be left alone together. A recent study that looked at dogs that had bitten children, found that two-thirds of the dogs did not have a history of dog bites. Past behavior or signs of aggression are not necessarily a good indicator of whether or not a dog will bite.
Separate the dog and the toddler. Assess if the child requires medical attention and take care of any injuries or go to the nearest emergency department. Follow the medical professional’s advice for care.
A parent or guardian is required to report the dog bite to the local municipal authority within 12 hours of learning of the dog attack.
If this is a family pet, talk to your veterinarian about next steps to take with the dog.
Talk to a dog bite lawyer about recovering compensation for your child after the dog attack. Your child could have injuries to deal with for months or even years to come. Compensation, typically from an insurance company, can help to get the best care for your child.
When a dog bites a toddler, it is often to the head and face. Dog bites to children and toddlers are often more severe than for adults and result in a visit to an emergency room. If a toddler has suffered injuries to the head and face, it may be important to ask a plastic surgeon to look at the injuries to see if there will be any long-term scarring.
David J. Cowhey is familiar with cases when a dog bites a toddler. He can provide an informed approach for parents facing this situation for the first time. His experience handling cases when a dog has bitten a small child means he can provide specialized guidance in these types of situations.
If you or your child has been bitten by a dog in New Jersey, familiar to you or not, contact David J. Cowhey at 609-513-0627. He is available 24/7 for a free legal consultation on your case.
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Dave was awesome helping me through the nightmare world of insurance claims after my daughter was attacked by a neighbors dog. Dave is very friendly, always available and extremally knowledgeable and connected to this process. I highly recommend you call him about your case,
David Cowhey, Esq. did a great job for my daughter, who had been bit by a dog and left with a scar on her leg. He is an extremely competent and responsive attorney. The whole process was very easy and he negotiated a great settlement! We are very happy. Highly recommend his professional services!!
My experience with David Cowhey was amazing, he is a very knowledgeable and helpful lawyer. I got bit by a dog and it left a very noticeable scar on my leg and David was great to have on my side. He’s very easy to work with, would definitely recommend if you’re going through the same thing!
Dave is so professional. My daughter was 6 when she was attacked by a friend of the family dog. I contacted Dave’s office and spoke with his secretary. She was so friendly and asked questions that made me feel comfortable. I was amazed by how fast the service was and everything was easy to understand. Dave made sure my daughter was compensated for her injuries and along with pain & suffering. There couldn’t be a more perfect choice but that’s because God helped me choose this great lawyer! He did an excellent job!!! She is 7 now and We are now able to move on better because of the help of Dave. Pick this lawyer!! I PROMISE YOU WONT REGRET ANYTHING AT ALL‼️ Thank you Dave!
My entire experience with Dave and his team was 5 stars. They specialize in one thing, and this experience taught me why you want an attorney who specializes. Dave's knowledge, experience, and confidence is what made things go smoothly and quickly. Professional and quick responses always. If someone was bitten by a dog I recommend this guy, he will get you what you deserve.
My wife got bit by a dog last spring; she immediately received medical care and we made a police report- all within 2 hours. Shortly thereafter, we decided to choose Attorney David to represent her. He walked us through the process. It is much more comfortable knowing that his practice only involves dog bites. He knows his stuff! We have just received notice that a fair settlement has been reached. If you have been bitten by a dog, my wife and I would highly recommend David Cowhey for an attorney. Thank you to David and his professional staff!
My 8 year old son was bitten by a neighborhood dog, leaving permanent scars on his abdomen. I immediately contacted David Cowhey. He explained the process very clearly and made it very easy for us to come to a fair settlement for my son. He was a perfect advocate for us, and he is very compassionate for the victim. We are very pleased with the hard work David has done for our son.
Lawyer Dave Cowhey (& his office) helped my wife, son and me immensely over the past 15 months. He is tremendously professional, responsive and proactive, as well as being, a great attorney. Thanks to Dave, we are now able to put our 'incident' behind us. I highly recommend his services - he will work hard and long for you to get you the settlement you deserve.
My experience with Dave and his law firm was wonderful. While I was nervous to start the process of something that I knew nothing about, he was extremely helpful and explained everything clearly and concisely. He answered all of my questions - day or night, weekday or weekend, and made sure I was comfortable at each step. I would highly recommend Dave and his firm!
I absolutely loved my entire time of working with with Dave. He always kept my best interest in mind and made sure that I was taking care of. He was amazing at communicating all steps in the process with me, and never hesitated to answer any of my questions. Would highly recommend!
Dave was extremely responsive and guided me thru the process with compassion. His specialization in dog bites really helped facilitate the process. He knows all the insurance issues and, despite the backlog of cases due to Covid, was able to settle my claim for more than we anticipated as well as earlier. I would definitely recommend Dave as I felt comfortable that I was getting the best advice every step of the way!
Dave did extremely well by me and my family. He was nothing short of professional and assisted us through the entire process. I called him the day of the dog bite, and I followed his instructions to the "T". Him, and his staff, were knowledgeable on every step of the process. From medical advise, to advise on setting up our structured settlement for our child. If you need help right away, don't wait.... call him asap!!!
Dave was amazing, he handled my case with care , answered every question , email and helped me to understand the steps we needed to take. I had never dealt with a lawsuit before so of course I was nervous and thought I was going to get ripped off but nope. He was very professional and attentive. Hope I never need him again but should I ever need a lawyer for a dog bite i'm calling him first!
Dave Cowhey was amazing during our case which was very personal in the sense that involved family members. He was candid and professional and always gave us his honest opinion to all our questions and concerns. He's a family man and understands how upsetting the situations are at hand. I wish he was a lawyer for everything honestly, he was fantastic! Highly recommended Dave and his team.
My one year old dog and I were viciously attacked by a pit bull. I didn’t want to file a law suit initially until I realized the severity of the injuries both mentally and physically. Most lawyers are all about the money not for the justice and compassion of the victim. I am blessed to have found David. He was our hero who understood our situation was efficient knowledgeable and above all sincerely compassionate
Dave was hands on and always available. Steered me through the entire process and helped cover my medical costs and compensation for my scar and injury. Went over and Beyond and made me feel at ease and confident in a positive outcome. Would recommend to all.
Honest, fast, responsive and professional. Great experience working with Mr. Cowhey and I highly recommend to handle any dog bite case.
We contacted Dave when our 5 year old son was attacked by our neighbor's dog, resulting in deep wounds (and now scars) on his face and arm. Dave was extremely knowledgeable/helpful from the start, explaining how everything would work, and he was always available via phone/text if we had questions come up throughout the process. He always gave us all of the options/routes we could take and let us decide what was the best move for our family. He advocated for the best outcome for our son and always kept us in the loop. We were able to settle in a friendly hearing with the homeowner-insurance company, which was simple and straightforward, thanks to all of Dave's hard work behind-the-scenes. We definitely could not have navigated this process ourselves and we are very thankful for the help of Dave and his team!
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