Nerve Damage From Dog Bites In Washington DC

The serious nature of a dog bite should not be underestimated. Even seemingly peaceful dogs can lash out under certain circumstances, biting and causing serious nerve damage and other injuries. Dog bite victims can receive legal representation and advice from Washington, D.C. dog bite lawyer Roger Gelb. Attorney Gelb is familiar with local statutes concerning the obligations of dog owners, and he works to advocate for victims throughout Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. While working on your case, Mr. Gelb provides direct client communication and is personally involved in all client matters. Our office is proud to have helped thousands of clients, and has recovered a total of over one hundred million dollars in compensation from defendants over the years.

Dog Bite Attacks and Setting Forth a Strong Negligence Claim

Negligence is a legal theory that can be used to hold a dog owner accountable for injuries that occur due to their carelessness or inability to control their animal. If you or someone close to you has been bitten by a dog, filing a negligence claim may help you to secure monetary compensation for your injuries. These costs can extend to medical treatment related to the attack, lost income from work, damaged property, and emotional suffering.

A dog owner, or another individual responsible for the animal, may be found to have been negligent if their conduct failed to fulfill the required duty of care. The legal term “duty of care” is one that refers to the care that a reasonable person would exercise under similar circumstances. Generally this means avoiding causing foreseeable harm to others. It also typically requires abiding by relevant regulations and ordinances regarding controlling pets. When an injured individual can prove that a breached duty of care directly caused them harm, such as nerve damage from a dog bite, they may successfully hold the defendant liable.

A violation of a specific law intended to protect individuals such as the victim may lend iteself to a negligence per se claim. This type of legal claim can be used to hold defendants liable when their actions or failure to act have violated an ordinance or law enacted to protect a group of people that includes the victim. An example would be a law stating that no dogs are allowed on school property, with the dog owner’s violation leading to a child’s injuries. As in all negligence claims, the amount of damages that may be received depend on the facts of the case. A skilled dog bite lawyer can help you gather all of the necessary evidence to support your claim for damages.

Securing Compensation for Nerve Damage from Dog Bites

After enduring the trauma of a dog bite attack, victims may be left with enduring loss of sensation or impaired movement. Nerve damage and other injuries can affect an individual’s ability to work and to engage in activities. After proving negligence, dog bite victims are entitled to recover compensation for their monetary losses and their suffering from the attack.

Nerve damage from a dog bite can result in loss of sensation in some body parts, as well as the impaired use of limbs. The location and severity of the bite dictate whether the victim will suffer permanent damage. Three general types of nerve damage include neurapraxia, axonotmesis, and neurotmesis. Neurapraxia is typically not permanent, and results when a body part is crushed or injured. When nerves are completely crushed, and the individual cannot move their hand or arm, for example, they would be suffering from axonotmesis. This damage may heal, though it can take an extended period of time. Finally, permanent loss of nerves is neurotmesis.

The costs associated with surgery, ongoing medical care, and rehabilitation are among the types of compensation that may be recovered in a successful personal injury claim following a dog bite. When injuries prevent an individual from returning to work, the amount of wages from missed work may be secured. If vocational retraining is necessary, these costs may be included in a damages claim. Finally, when nerve damage, scarring, or the trauma from the dog bite attack lead to emotional harm, victims may be able to recover damages associated with a decreased quality of life.

Consult a Washington, D.C. Attorney Regarding Your Dog Bite Claim

Lawyer Roger Gelb and the team at Gelb & Gelb are prepared to help you understand the appropriate course of legal action in your case. To learn more about your legal rights, call our office at (202) 331-7227 or complete our online form. We offer legal representation to people throughout VA, MD, and Washington, D.C.