Animal Attacks and Rabies

Enduring an animal attack is an awful experience, but the danger does not end with the attack. Many animals carry diseases that can be transmitted to people after an attack, including rabies. These can be prevented, however, and the animal's owner can be brought to court. Pet owners who do not control their animals can face serious legal repercussions for their negligence.

If you have been bitten by an animal that may have carried rabies or another disease, seek medical attention immediately. As a first step, washing the wound thoroughly with soap and water and applying disinfectants can greatly reduce the risk of contracting a disease. Even if no symptoms develop immediately, you should get to a doctor as soon as possible. Symptoms of rabies typically appear two to eleven weeks after the bite, but they can sometimes take far longer.

Prior to the invention of the rabies vaccine in 1885, all rabies cases – human and animal – were fatal. With that vaccine, combined with modern medicine, no one who has been bitten by a rabid animal is doomed to suffer. But successfully preventing rabies requires quick action after a bite.

Even if the animal was not rabid, you are still entitled to take legal action against its owner for your injuries and suffering. Pet owners have a responsibility to keep their animals from causing harm.

Contact Us

If you have been bitten by an animal and believe its owner should be held accountable for your suffering, the compassionate Indianapolis social security lawyers of the Hankey Law Office can help you. To discuss your case with an experienced lawyer, contact the Hankey Law Office today at 317-634-8565.