When Nature Strikes – How to Handle Animal Attacks

October 11, 2012  |  Adriel B. Villarreal

On any given day, you can look out your window and see many different types of animals walking around or scurrying outside. From domestic animals to feral animals, they are every place you look. While animals are a part of nature, you still need to take precautions when you come into contact with one. Many will not harm you unless they are provoked, but humans have no control over how any animal will react at any time.
Every Animal Can Harm You
Most people know that free-roaming dogs are prone to attack but they are not the only animal that you are at risk of being attacked by. Many animals that you encounter everyday such as cats, squirrels, possums, raccoons, beavers and skunks can seriously injure you.
Whether you are visiting a friend’s home, out in a public area or even in your backyard, you can encounter an animal that is defensive and even aggressive. Oftentimes, they are more scared of you than you are of them but sometimes their fear can drive them to attack.
To reduce your risk of an animal attack, you should take the following precautions:

• Do careful when outdoors during the nighttime
  It can be hard to see animals in the dark, and nighttime is when many nocturnal animals such as raccoons and skunks come out. Since these animals don’t have much human contact, they can attack you if you get close.

• Stay away from baby animals
  While baby animals may look cute and safe, you can be sure that their mama is nearby. Mother animals are fiercely protective of their babies and can attack you just for being near them.

• Do not walk near any unrestrained animal
  Even if it looks like an innocent cat, steer clear of their path. Small animals, and even bigger ones, become scared when approached by a human and can attack out of fear.

Take the Proper Precautions
If you suffer from an animal attack, even if it is a simple scratch or bite, you need to visit the doctor as soon as possible. Of course, depending on what kind of animal injures you, you may be physically unable to go on your own and will require an ambulance to bring you to the hospital.
Animal attacks can carry the risk of infection, including rabies. You can often identify a rabid animal because they will act paranoid, hostile even when not provoked and could be foaming from the mouth. However, it is possible that you will not notice these symptoms in the animal that attacks you.
For this reason, even a seemingly superficial personal injury needs to be reported to the hospital and the authorities. The health department will have to search for the animal so it can be quarantined to find out if it is rabid. You will likely need precautionary treatment in case you have been bitten by a rabid animal.
Although it seems that more attacks are by feral animals, it is usually domestic animals that tend to attack. Usually this is because their owner has either let them purposefully roam free or failed to have them properly secured. There are even cases of people housing animals that are illegal to keep as pets.
If you are attacked because of any of these reasons, then the pet owner has acted in negligence and should be held accountable for the actions of their pets. Treatment of your injuries can be expensive and life altering.
Getting Legal Help
Animal attack attorneys know exactly what needs to be done to make sure you are compensated for your injuries. The personal injury lawyers at Barna, Guzy & Steffen, LTD. have more than 50 years combined experience helping residents in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the entire metro area of Minnesota.
During a free consultation, you will speak directly with an animal attack attorney, also known as a personal injury attorney, who will determine if you are eligible to initiate one of these types of lawsuits.
If you are, our firm will begin the process as determined by the law, to receive compensation. Since these accidents often are a result of owner neglect, these cases typically end in a settlement which covers medical expenses, loss of wages and pain and suffering. Call us now so you can have a better tomorrow.