Dog Bite on the Hand: When a Small Wound Is a Serious Injury
Key Takeaways The hand is where adults get bitten. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, most animal bites land on the fingers of the dominant hand, the one you use for almost everything. A small wound can hide a serious injury. Numbness in part of a finger, a finger you cannot fully bend […]
Dog Bite on the Face: What Happens Next, Medically and Legally
Key Takeaways Go to an emergency department, not urgent care. A facial bite can involve the eyelid, the tear duct, the lip border, a facial nerve or a salivary duct, and those structures are assessed by a specialist, not closed at a walk-in clinic. Facial bites are usually stitched closed, unlike bites elsewhere. Most dog […]
What to Do If a Dog Attacks You: A Step-by-Step Guide
Key Takeaways Do not run. Running triggers a chase response. Stand still, turn side-on, keep your arms folded in, and avoid staring at the dog. If the dog commits, give it something that is not you – a bag, a jacket, a water bottle. If you are knocked down, curl up, keep your face down […]
Bitten by an Unvaccinated Dog? What to Do and Your Rights
Key Takeaways If you were bitten by an unvaccinated dog, get to an emergency room the same day. Doctors will start rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) if the dog’s rabies status cannot be quickly confirmed, and PEP is highly effective when started promptly. Rabies is nearly always fatal once symptoms appear, but human rabies deaths from […]
Dog Bite Levels Explained: All 6 Levels of the Dunbar Scale
Key Takeaways There are six dog bite levels, defined by Dr. Ian Dunbar’s Dog Bite Scale. They run from Level 1 (threatening behavior, no contact) to Level 6 (the victim dies). The scale measures the dog, not your injury. Its own subtitle calls it an assessment of “biting problems,” and every note in it is […]
Will a Dog Bite Scar? What to Expect and What It’s Worth
Key Takeaways Most dog bites that break the skin leave some mark. Dog teeth tear and crush tissue instead of cutting it cleanly, and torn skin scars more than a surgical incision does. A scar is not finished when the wound closes. The remodeling phase starts around week 3 and runs up to 12 months, […]
Dog Bite Infection: Signs, Symptoms, and When to Get Help
Key Takeaways Most dog bite infections show up fast. The median time from bite to first symptom is 24 hours, and half of infections appear between 12 and 48 hours. The classic warning signs are spreading redness, swelling, warmth, worsening pain, pus draining from the wound, blisters around the bite, and fever. Pasteurella is the […]
Does Insurance Cover a Dog Bite? Homeowners and Renters
Key Takeaways Yes. Both homeowners and renters policies cover dog bites under the personal liability section, and coverage usually follows the dog whether the bite happened at home, on a walk, or at a park. Typical liability limits run $100,000 to $300,000. Past that, the dog owner pays personally. The average dog-related injury claim was […]
How to File a Dog Bite Claim: A Step-by-Step Guide
Key Takeaways Filing a dog bite claim almost never starts in a courthouse. It starts with a notice letter to the dog owner’s homeowners or renters insurance company. A lawsuit is what happens later, and only if that insurer refuses to pay fairly. Insurers paid $1.86 billion on 28,450 dog-related injury claims in 2025, averaging […]
Dog Bite Compensation: What Damages You Can Recover
Key Takeaways Six categories of damages are on the table after a dog bite: medical bills (past and future), lost wages and lost earning capacity, pain and suffering, emotional distress, scarring and disfigurement, and property damage. Most cases include several. The average paid dog-related injury claim in 2025 was $65,450, on 28,450 claims totaling $1.86 […]