The Three Steps You Should Take When A New Haven Dog Bite Injury Happens

The weather is warmer these days and there are so many dogs out for a walk with their owners on the streets of the Elm City.  For dog lovers this is a great sign of the season, but it can also be a time of great consternation for those that might encounter dogs that they are unfamiliar with and are put at risk of having an incident that leads to a New Haven dog bite injury.

When a dog sets out with her/his mind made up to bite someone there is very little you can do to stop it.  Dogs are animals after all and even though they are domesticated they often have a mind of their own which can lead to some really dangerous situations.  The good news is that, while you may not be able to stop the dog from attacking, there are some things you can do to limit the damage done by a dog attack during and after the attack that can hopefully limit the amount of damage that is done while the dog is in attack mode.

If you’re put in a situation where a dog appears threatening and dangerous to you or someone you are with you should slowly walk away from the animal and should certainly not approach the animal at all.  If the dog looks agitated in any way you should not attempt to calm or soothe the dog, especially if you do not know the dog or what the circumstances the dog is in.

That being said, despite your best efforts an agitated dog may approach you and put you in a situation where you might experience a dog bite injury.  If that is the case there are three things you can do immediately to reduce the risk associated with the situation.

Step #1: Keep your cool.  This can be the hardest part of the whole situation because your nerves are at an all time high when a dog is attacking you, but the more calm you can stay the more likely the situation is to subside and you can keep yourself from getting seriously injured.  If you are showing the animal that you are nervous and that you are tensing up, so will the dog and then the situation could worsen dramatically.

Step #2: As soon as you can, move away from the dog.  If a dog has a hold of your arm or leg you will want to stay calm and work to get loose.  Once you have gotten the dog to release her/his bite you will want to move away from the dog as quickly as possible.  In this situation you will not want to run and you do not want to turn your back on the dog, you will want to move away with an eye on the dog and find safe shelter.

Step #3: Call 911.  An emergency response may be necessary if the injury you have suffered from the animal is serious.  If this is the case you will want to call 911 as soon as you are able so you can get medical attention and the authorities can take the appropriate action to remove the animal from the situation.  If you, yourself, cannot get to a phone to dial 911 you may want to ask someone nearby to call for you so you can get help as quickly as possible.

If you experience a New Haven dog bite injury that is severe enough to need 911 called you may also need medical treatment yourself so you will want to seek that medical attention as soon as possible.  While medical attention is not always required due to a dog bite injury, you may want to get checked out regardless of how serious the injury is in case you develop symptoms later on that could be related to the incident.

Dog bite laws in the state of Connecticut are strict liability so if you do get injured in a dog bite incident you may need to speak with an attorney who has experience handling these types of cases.  Contact our office and one of our experienced attorneys will review your situation and work to protect your long-term interests.