Many families in Maryland have dogs or other pets that are treated like children, and while most people believe their dogs will not bite anyone, the fact is that some do. Dog and animal bites can cause severe physical wounds that leave scars for life along with emotional trauma. Significant medical expenses can also be incurred in a dog attack, and if the victims are children, they might never outgrow their fear for dogs.
Learning to recognize warning signs of aggression in animals might help to avoid being attacked. The most common cause for dogs to become aggressive is fear. If a dog feels threatened, it might respond in defense by attacking the source of its anxiety. Many dogs are possessive, and they will protect toys, food and other objects — even people — with all their might. They will typically growl to warn people not to come closer and attack if the warning is ignored.
Some dogs establish dominance — not only among other pets in a home — but they might also think they are in charge of people and might attack to restore dominance if they feel threatened. A dog that develops an illness might be aggressive because it has no way of communicating pain or discomfort. Then there is the danger of unanticipated attacks if dogs are teased or harassed until they reach a breaking point and respond by attacking the source of the pestering. The most logical step is for parents to teach children to respect animals and not be overanxious to touch them.
Victims of attacks in which they suffered dog and animal bites might have grounds to pursue financial relief through the Maryland civil justice system. An experienced personal injury attorney can assess the circumstances of the attack and determine the viability of a lawsuit. If grounds exist, the lawyer can advocate for the plaintiff and work to recover financial and emotional damages sustained.
