Children and adults tend to split up dog bite incidents fairly evenly, at least when looking at bites that put people in the hospital. Of the 800,000 annual bites that lead to hospital visits, about 400,000 are children and 400,000 are adults.
About 4 million people get bitten every year, according to some estimates. This takes into account those who suffer minor bites and do not need medical treatment.
A lot of people do not have to stay in the hospital after a bite. They go to the emergency room, get the treatment they need and head home to heal. However, very serious injuries require at least an overnight stay and may even require reconstructive surgery. This can increase the healing times by months, and the costs can be astronomical.
Most people who need reconstructive surgery are children. Adults are more likely to have minor injuries. Why is this? Size plays a huge role. A three-year-old child stands at the same height as many dogs. While that dog may bite an adult on the leg, it could bite a child on the face or neck.
Children also tend to be weaker, less agile and less able to defend themselves. An adult may push a dog away and take a bite on the arm while a child may get tackled by the dog and be exposed to serious injuries.
If your child suffers a dog bite, it can be a gut-wrenching experience. As you move through it together, make sure that you know all of the legal options you have to seek compensation.