Dog Bite Psychological Trauma
Dealing with the effects of a dog attack can be a challenge for anyone. Not only will you probably need to take time off from work so that you can focus on recovering from your physical wounds, but you more than likely will have suffered from the psychological trauma that often comes with an unnerving experience, such as that of a canine bite.
In Massachusetts, when you’re bitten by a dog, you will have the opportunity to file a civil lawsuit against the dog’s owner so that you can recover compensation that will cover your losses. Continue reading to learn more about the emotional and psychological impact of a dog bite and the types of damages that you can include when calculating the value of your claim.
Suffering from PTSD after a Dog Bite
Many victims of a dog bite can end up with serious physical injuries, including lacerations, broken bones, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain damage, and disfigurement after being attacked by a dog. While many of these injuries will heal with adequate treatment and care, there’s also often psychological trauma that survivors may be suffering from.
A great deal of these victims will experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can manifest symptoms such as insomnia, flashbacks, substance abuse, nightmares, depression, and anxiety, to name a few. PTSD can be brought on by the event itself or develop over time as the victim begins to deal with the aftermath of their physical injuries.
The impact of PTSD or any of the psychological influences associated with it can make living your life near impossible. Some survivors can’t even bring themselves to get out of bed everyday, their symptoms are so severe.
Don’t let your PTSD consume your life. Mental health counseling can greatly benefit you during this time and help you learn to cope with your symptoms. In addition, you can begin pursuing a civil lawsuit against the dog’s owner so that you can obtain the compensation you’ll need to pick up the pieces of your life.
Getting Your Damages Covered
Massachusetts follows a strict liability law regarding dog bites. The owner of the dog will almost always be held accountable for the actions of their pet, regardless of whether or not the dog had a predisposition for aggressive behavior or biting.
In fact, the dog’s owner can also face criminal charges for their negligence when their dog bites another person. The only time a dog owner won’t be culpable for your losses is if you were trespassing on their property or were provoking the dog to act aggressively.
Your Boston dog bite attorney will examine all of the ways your life has been impacted by your injuries to ensure you get the most out of your claim. Some of the different types of damages that we will consider when calculating what your claim is worth include:
- Medical expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Lost wages
- The effects of disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Emotional distress
- Loss of household services
- Loss of companionship and love
It’s important that we also include the expected future damages you might experience. With PTSD in particular, you could be looking at years of mental health counseling that the dog’s owner should be responsible for covering. Your dog bite attorney will work closely with your physician to make sure that these types of losses are taken into consideration.
Contact a Boston Dog Bite Lawyer
If you’ve been diagnosed with PTSD or are dealing with other psychological trauma stemming from a dog attack, work with an experienced Boston dog bite lawyer at Joel H. Schwartz, PC. You can schedule your free case review today by calling our office at 1-800-660-2270 or by filling out the quick contact form below.