Cat bites can cause serious injuries and infections. As with dog bites, the owner of the cat may be liable for your injury, and you may be eligible to receive damages in a personal injury lawsuit. If you are the victim of a cat bite, consult with a personal injury attorney in Riverside to determine if you could be eligible for compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Here is what you need to know.
Cat bites are serious.
Although cat bites may seem less significant on the surface than dog bites, they should still be taken seriously. Cats’ teeth are extremely sharp, which means that they can pierce deep layers of tissue, and the bacteria in their mouths can cause infections. The bacteria that you may be exposed to during a cat bite can lead to septicemia, or blood poisoning, which is a serious medical condition that usually requires hospitalization. If you are bitten by a cat, you should clean the wound and seek medical care as soon as possible. Without treatment, you could develop an infection within as few as 24 hours.
The cat’s owner may be responsible for your expenses.
After a cat bite, consult with a personal injury attorney to discuss your case and understand your options. If the cat owner was negligent in preventing the bite from occurring, he or she could be held responsible. Depending on where you live, the owner may be responsible regardless of the cat’s history of behavior, or you may need to demonstrate that the owner should have known that the cat was aggressive based on the animal’s actions in the past.
You should document the injury.
If you plan to contact a personal injury attorney, document the circumstances of the bite and the injury as soon as possible. Visit a doctor and get a copy of the medical records for your lawyer to review. The more proof and information you can provide your attorney, the easier it will be for him or her to make your case.