Missouri Dog Bite Attorney Discusses Recent Dog Bite Study
When children are young, it can be difficult to teach them the how dangerous a dog can be. As a Missouri Dog Bite Attorney based in St. Louis, I was not surprised to find out that younger children are more like to be bitten by a dog than any other age group. Not all dogs are dangerous but not all dogs are friendly and parents need to teach their children this at a young age to protect them. According to the Los Angeles times, a study found that younger children are most vulnerable to a dog bite when they are left by themselves. Even the family dog could pose a threat, so it is important that parents monitor the interaction between their children and their pet.
The University of Colorado studied 537 children between the ages of infant and 18 who had been treated at the Denver Children's Hospital for dog bites. The study took place between 2003 and 2008 where 68% of the dog bite cases were in children under the age of five. It came as a surprise to the researchers that most of the children were bitten by a dog that they knew with over 50% being family pets and the rest belonged to relatives, friends, or neighbors.
When we hear that a child has been attacked by a dog, we all immediately think of a dangerous breed. According to the study, the most common dog bite came from a mix of canine breeds. German Shepherds, Labs, and Rottweiler were second in line for number of dog bites based on breed. Pit Bull dogs have been given a bad name, but the study did not cover the breed because they are not allowed in Denver. In most cases the dog attack occurred when the children were playing too hard, scared the pet, or made the dog feel threatened.
Although we may feel like our dogs are harmless, it is important to remember that they will instinctively attack if they feel like they are in danger. In order to protect your children from a dog attack from a familiar pet, parents need to teach them how to play and treat the dog. You may not be able to protect your child from every dog attack, but you can protect them from the dogs they know and love. If you or your child is bitten due to an animal owner's negligence, please contact an experienced personal injury attorney soon after. The law only allows five years for a dog bite victim to file a personal injury claim so do not put it off for too long. Call 888.956.2487 for a free consultation to discuss your right as a dog bite victim.
Joshua P. Myers is the owner and President of Myers Injury Law, LLC and a founding partner of Schultz & Myers, LLC. Based in St. Louis, Missouri, his St. Louis personal injury law firm routinely handles personal injury claims for dog bites that result in personal injury or death in Missouri and Illinois. If you have been hurt or lost a loved one due to the negligence of a dog owner, please contact a personal injury attorney to learn your rights. It is always free to discuss your case and there are never any attorney's fees until we recover on your behalf.
The University of Colorado studied 537 children between the ages of infant and 18 who had been treated at the Denver Children's Hospital for dog bites. The study took place between 2003 and 2008 where 68% of the dog bite cases were in children under the age of five. It came as a surprise to the researchers that most of the children were bitten by a dog that they knew with over 50% being family pets and the rest belonged to relatives, friends, or neighbors.
When we hear that a child has been attacked by a dog, we all immediately think of a dangerous breed. According to the study, the most common dog bite came from a mix of canine breeds. German Shepherds, Labs, and Rottweiler were second in line for number of dog bites based on breed. Pit Bull dogs have been given a bad name, but the study did not cover the breed because they are not allowed in Denver. In most cases the dog attack occurred when the children were playing too hard, scared the pet, or made the dog feel threatened.
Although we may feel like our dogs are harmless, it is important to remember that they will instinctively attack if they feel like they are in danger. In order to protect your children from a dog attack from a familiar pet, parents need to teach them how to play and treat the dog. You may not be able to protect your child from every dog attack, but you can protect them from the dogs they know and love. If you or your child is bitten due to an animal owner's negligence, please contact an experienced personal injury attorney soon after. The law only allows five years for a dog bite victim to file a personal injury claim so do not put it off for too long. Call 888.956.2487 for a free consultation to discuss your right as a dog bite victim.
Joshua P. Myers is the owner and President of Myers Injury Law, LLC and a founding partner of Schultz & Myers, LLC. Based in St. Louis, Missouri, his St. Louis personal injury law firm routinely handles personal injury claims for dog bites that result in personal injury or death in Missouri and Illinois. If you have been hurt or lost a loved one due to the negligence of a dog owner, please contact a personal injury attorney to learn your rights. It is always free to discuss your case and there are never any attorney's fees until we recover on your behalf.
