When man’s best friend isn’t so friendly, people can get hurt. A dog attack can be a terrifying experience, often leaving emotional and physical scars.
In Rhode Island, the law provides for strict liability on the part of the owner or other person harboring the animal in most cases. An exception would be where the dog is in an enclosed area on the property. Strict liability means that you will not have to prove actual negligence on the part of the owner or keeper, only that you got bitten and suffered damages. Furthermore, if you can prove that the dog had previously displayed vicious tendencies, you may claim double the amount of your damages.
Dog Bite Injury Statistics
These are some figures that illustrate the prevalence of dog bite injuries in the United States:
General Dog Bite Statistics
- Annual ED Visits: An average of 337,103 emergency department (ED) visits each year are due to dog bites.
- Average Age of Victims: 28.9 years
Gender Distribution of Reported Dog Bite Victims
- Males: 52.6 percent
- Females: 47.4 percent
Location of Bites on the Body
- Upper extremity: 47.3 percent
- Head or neck: 26.8 percent
- Lower extremity: 21.5 percent
- Trunk: 4.4 percent
Additional Insights
- Age and Bite Location: Younger patients more often get bitten on the head or neck, while older patients tend to get bitten on their upper extremities.
- Time and Place: Most dog bites occur during the summer and on weekends. And 80.2 percent of dog bite incidents happen at home.
- Hospital Admission: 1.7 percent of dog bite victims require hospital admission.
- Incidence Rate: The average annual incidence is 1.1 per 1,000 people, with males having a slightly higher rate (1.18 per 1,000) than females (1.02 per 1,000).
- Economic Impact: Dog bites result in estimated costs of at least $400 million per year.
- Ranking in Nonfatal ED Visits: Dog bites recently ranked the 13th leading cause of nonfatal emergency department visits in the U.S.
What to Do When You’ve Been Bitten
If you or someone in your family has been attacked and injured by a dog, to protect your legal rights, there are several steps you should follow:
- Call Animal Services and have an officer dispatched.
- Inform the dog’s owner of the bite.
- Determine if the animal has had appropriate vaccinations.
- Otherwise, Animal Control will order a 10-day quarantine to ensure it does not have rabies or another serious disease.
- Get immediate medical attention.
- Contact an experienced Rhode Island dog bite lawyer.
Dog Bite Damages
A dog owner or keeper or the owner of a property where a dog lives may be liable for injuries you’ve sustained in an attack. Physical injuries are often painful and disfiguring, sometimes requiring reconstructive surgery.
Psychological damages can be equally debilitating, negatively affecting your quality of life. They include phobias, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). To learn what rights you have to recover money from the owner of a dog that has bitten you, contact a personal injury attorney in Providence.
Free Dog Attack Consultation
The lawyers of the Law Offices of Ronald J. Resmini, Accident & Injury Lawyers, Ltd. have many years of experience handling dog bite and other personal injury and wrongful death claims. We can give you clear, straightforward, and honest answers to all of your questions about the legal process required to obtain compensation for your damages.
Call (401) 751-8855 today for your free consultation and to protect your right to recover compensation for your injuries. We cover all the costs of preparing your case for negotiations or when necessary, a jury trial. You owe us nothing until we win money for you.
