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January 21, 2022 - Blog, Dogs and Children

How to Help a Child After a Dog Bite

When a child suffers a dog bite, parents and adults in their lives can help them to recover. Dog bites and dog attacks can happen in a split second, but recovery can take much longer. Children can carry the emotional, and sometimes physical, scars for a long period of time.

The best protection for children is to prevent a dog bite from happening. Parents can teach children about what signs to watch for when a dog is showing signs of stress. Furthermore, never leave a child alone with a dog, even a reliable family pet. Any dog is capable of attacking. 

If a dog has attacked a child, separate them immediately and get medical attention for the child. 

First Seek Medical Attention

Dog bite injuries aren’t always easily apparent. Strains, bone injuries, or injuries to the head may not be easy to detect. A medical professional will be able to set the best course of action for the injuries and prevent infections. 

If there is a possibility of scarring, especially to the face, parents may want to insist the child see a plastic surgeon or other specialists. 

If the child has not received all required tetanus vaccinations, the doctor may give your child a tetanus vaccination. Deep wounds inflicted from a dog can put the child at risk for tetanus. Additionally, although rare, a rabies vaccine may also be administered. 

Enlist a Therapist

Most children will suffer psychological trauma after a dog attack. A mental health professional, such as a counselor or psychiatrist, will help the child to recover. Many child dog bite victims will experience PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and may have trouble sleeping, increased anxiety, irritability, behavior problems, become withdrawn or not participate in events they used to enjoy, and experience other issues. These changes may not be present at all times but it is best to start the child working with a therapist as soon as possible.

The Child Did Nothing Wrong

Reassure the child they did nothing wrong. The attack wasn’t their fault and they aren’t “bad” or to blame for what happened. Let them know that animals sometimes behave that way. Let them talk about their feelings of the attack as often as they want to. 

Take it slow

Expect that a child will be fearful after a dog attack. Reintroduce the child to dogs slowly. You may even begin with photos or videos. Once the child is comfortable, you may move on to stuffed toys and then puppies. Patience and intentional steps will help the child to develop their confidence around dogs again.

Try a Training Class

Especially if it was a family pet that attacked the child and as a family you’ve decided to keep the dog, try a dog training class. Often children are encouraged to attend as well making it a joint experience. Both dog and child will learn respectful behaviors and how to interact with each other for safe play.

Speak to a Dog Bite Attorney

To help your child with the expenses of a recovery, a dog bite lawyer can help you get compensation. Most claims in the United States involve an insurance company wishing to pay the least amount possible. A dog bite lawsuit can help a family to get the compensation they deserve for their child.

It is often a long recovery period for child victims of dog bites and compensation can help with medical bills, emotional trauma, plastic surgery, pain and suffering, future medical bills, and more. An attorney experienced with dog bite laws involving children will provide a high level of expertise to your dog bite claim. 

Dog Bite Attorney to Help a Child After a Dog Bite

David J. Cowhey is experienced in dog bite cases involving children of all ages. He is able to provide a unique level of experience for dog bite claims involving children.

Speak with him today about your dog bite claim and he will let you know his thoughts on your dog bite case. He provides a free consultation to discuss your legal options. You can contact him 24/7 at 609-513-0627 and he provides dog bite legal services throughout New Jersey.

 

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

I’ve been bitten by a dog

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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,

John L.

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!!

J S

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!

Michaela S.

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!

Nieja M,

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.

Morgan K.

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!

David D.

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.

Stephanie D.

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.

Seth K G

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!

Ariella L.

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!

Amanda G.

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!

Kristen J.

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!!!

William W.

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!

Neyia W.

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.

Courtney R.

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

Karol M.

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.

COACH B

Honest, fast, responsive and professional. Great experience working with Mr. Cowhey and I highly recommend to handle any dog bite case.

Lilian P.

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!

Elisa H.

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Talk to The New Jersey Dog Bite Lawyer, New Jersey's most experienced and successful dog bite attorney.

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