The severity of dog bites and the impact the dog attack has on the rest of your life can be determined within minutes How you react after the bite and the actions you take could prevent further injuries, pain, and loss of mobility in future. While you might feel fine in the hours after a dog bite, it’s always recommended you speak with a medical professional to analyze the bite wound and determine the extent of the damage.
You may choose not to undergo medical evaluation and treatment, but this can lead to significant health consequences and may also impact your ability to make a later claim for compensation in a Pennsylvania dog bite lawsuit.
Dog Bite Infection: How Long After the Bite Does an Infection Occur?
CDC data suggests that most people who become ill due to an infected dog bite will begin to show symptoms 1-to-3 days after the bite incident. But you’re at risk up to 14 days after the bite. One of the most common types of infection after a dog bite is Capnocytophaga, which usually presents with the following symptoms:
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Fever
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Redness around the bite wound
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Stomach pain
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Headache
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Confusion
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Muscle and joint pain
To help prevent infection, wash the bite wound immediately with soap and water and then call your local medical professional for an examination.
What If a Dog Bites But Doesn’t Break the Skin?
While dog bites that don’t break the skin are at limited risk of infection, you may not know immediately if it broke the skin. The latest research shows even a slight scratch can be an infection risk. Only a small amount of contact is required. Even if there is no blood and no wound from the dog bite, you should speak with a medical professional before confirming the extent of the damage. Read about the Dunbar Bite Scale to learn more about the various dog bite levels and the potential effects.
What Are My Compensation Options After an Infected Dog Bite?
Under Pennsylvania law, you have the right to sue the dog’s owner or the party responsible for the dog at the time of the bite. You can sue to recover income you lost while recovering from infection. You can also recover the cost of any antibiotics and medical examinations required for infection treatment. There are also more damaging consequences of dog bite infections. If you have a dog bite wound that becomes infected and that infection spreads, the resulting health impact could be significant.
Infected dog bites can lead to:
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Kidney failure
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Heart attacks
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Gangrene
It’s why so many dog bite victims now turn to experienced lawyers to help prove their claims in complex dog bite infection cases.
Get Compensation for Dog Bite Infection Cases with Jeffrey Penneys
As one of the most experienced dog bite lawyers serving clients across Pennsylvania, Jeffrey Penneys works with clients to analyze their bite claims and ensure they get fair compensation for the impact of the bite on their day-to-day lives. From helping families handle child dog bite compensation claims to supporting postal workers with on-the-job bite cases, Jeffrey Penneys has a comprehensive background in Pennsylvania dog bite law.
Start your dog bite infection case backed by over 25 years in dog bite litigation. Contact The Law Offices of Jeffrey Penneys today for a free, no-obligation consultation.