After suffering a dog bite, prioritize your health. That may mean going to the doctor as soon as possible to get any medical care you need. You may also benefit from turning to a North Charleston dog bite lawyer at Shelly Leeke Law Firm if someone else’s dog bit you and caused you to suffer physical, emotional, and financial injuries.
When to Go to the Doctor After a Dog Bite
If a dog bites you, it is critical to take action to protect your health, especially if it is a dog that you do not know or do not know the medical and health history of at the time of the incident. Treating your wounds and getting the medical guidance you need, especially for deep wounds, is critical to protecting your health. There are several times when you should go to the doctor after a dog bite, including the following:
- You do not know the dog. If a dog bites you, leaving a smaller mark on your skin, it is wise to have a doctor look at the wound. You may not need to go to the emergency room, but seek out your family care provider or an urgent care center to have the area properly cleaned and checked.
- You have a deep puncture wound. Any type of wound that bleeds may require stitches or other forms of treatment, including medications, to minimize the risk of infection. If your skin is broken, seek out medical care.
- It is an open or jagged wound. In situations where the wound is open and jagged or parts of the skin and tissues are pulled away from it, seek help from an emergency room. A surgical procedure may be necessary to repair damaged tissues, muscles, nerves, and ligaments.
- There is a risk that the dog could have an infection. If the dog is a stray or has not been seen by a vet in some time, looks sickly, or otherwise concerns you about infections, seek out an emergency room. In situations where an infection is a risk, you may need to be hospitalized and provided IV antibiotics.
- Your health may change over the coming hours or days. If you develop a fever, become ill, or experience significant pain in the area, go to the emergency room. This could indicate that an infection is building.
When you have a dog bite of any type, if there is any question about your health or safety, take every precaution necessary by seeking out an appointment with your doctor or, if serious injuries occur, go to the emergency room. Doing so can help protect your life and minimize complications to your overall well-being. Dog bites can lead to serious injuries and illness if not properly treated, and you have the right to seek compensation under the South Carolina Code of Laws §47-3-110.
You May Want to Visit an ER for Documentation
In situations where another person’s dog bites you, it is critical to document everything about the incident. That may include calling the police or filing a police report, as well as going to the emergency room or urgent care center to document the injuries you sustain. Doing so helps to document what happened, the type of injuries you have, and the seriousness of those injuries.
When you have medical bills from doctor’s appointments or missed time at work due to the dog bite and your needed care, you may be able to claim those losses when you file a personal injury claim against the at-fault party, which is generally the dog’s owner. In short, you should go to the doctor if you need to and not risk your health due to the cost. The at-fault dog owner may be responsible for the financial losses you incur as a result of that bite, and our FAQs can help you learn more.
If you choose not to go to the doctor for any reason, take care of your wounds and document your injuries through photos. If you notice any changes over time, seek medical care to treat these changes. You may find it hard to pursue financial compensation against the at-fault party if you do not have verifiable financial losses, such as medical bills, which is why your attorney may tell you to get medical care when asking should I go to the doctor for a dog bite.
Document Your Mental Health, Too
While going to the doctor after a dog bite is important from a medical standpoint, many victims also face emotional trauma and mental anguish from these dog bites as well, and that warrants getting in to see a mental health care professional. If you have documented needs for doing so, you can also include the cost of mental health care in your claim. Seek out mental health support if:
- You are experiencing flashbacks from the dog bite.
- You are struggling to sleep or experiencing other types of trauma.
- You are unsure about your overall mental state after the accident.
- Your doctor recommends that you seek out mental health care or support.
- There are other factors that are contributing to your mental health and warrant seeking mental health care support.
Victims of dog bites can develop conditions such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and anxiety from the incident, and when that occurs, it may be critical to seek out support to help you mentally recover or at least get treatment for what you are facing. Focus on your total recovery after a dog bite accident so that you can begin to rebuild your health and well-being. Let our lawyers help guide you through the legal process.
Contact Our Dog Bite Accident Attorney for Clarification on Your Needs
In situations where you are hurt, you should go to the doctor after a dog bite and pursue all of the medical care and treatment recommended for you by your doctors. In doing so, you also will want to contact a dog bite accident attorney who can help you calculate the losses you have suffered so you can pursue recovery of those damages from the dog’s owner. The Shelly Leeke Law Firm is ready to help you through that legal process.
