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Dog Bites on Children
Arizona Dog Bite Lawyers for Injured Children
When Your Child Needs Someone in Their Corner
Seeing your child hurt by a dog is one of the most frightening things a parent can go through. Even if a bite seems small, it can lead to infections, permanent scars, or emotional trauma that lasts long after the physical wounds heal. While your only priority should be your child’s recovery, understanding your legal rights can help you get the resources needed for their medical care and long-term healing.
At Torgenson Law, we understand that a dog attack affects more than a child’s physical injuries. It can leave parents facing medical decisions, unexpected expenses, and concerns about their child’s future. Our team helps Arizona families pursue compensation while treating every case with the care, compassion, and personal attention it deserves.
Your Child’s Recovery Comes First
Why Dog Bite Injuries Can Be More Serious for Children
Children account for a large percentage of serious dog bite victims because they are smaller and have less ability to protect the areas dogs are most likely to reach. Bites to the face, head, and hands are especially common and may require stitches or ongoing medical treatment. Beyond the physical injuries, many children also experience anxiety or a lasting fear of dogs.
Because children are still growing, the long-term effects of a dog bite may not be immediately apparent. Scars can change as a child develops, and emotional trauma may require continued support. Seeking prompt medical care helps protect both your child’s health and any future legal claim.
Common Dog Bite Injuries in Children
Facial Scarring
Facial dog bites can leave permanent scars that may require reconstructive procedures as a child grows.
Hand & Leg Injuries
Bites to the hands can damage tendons, muscles, and joints, making everyday tasks more difficult.
Infection
Dog bites can introduce bacteria that require prompt medical treatment and close monitoring.
Nerve Damage
Bites to the face, hands, or arms can injure nerves, affecting sensation and movement.
Emotional Trauma
A dog attack can leave children with anxiety, nightmares, or a lasting fear of dogs that may require professional support.
Understanding the full extent of your child’s injuries is also important when pursuing a legal claim. A dog bite attorney can use medical records, expert opinions, and other evidence to help ensure your family’s claim reflects your child’s immediate needs and future challenges.
What to Do after a Dog Attacks Your Child
When a dog attacks your child, your first priority is medical care. Even a bite that looks small can involve infection, nerve damage, or deeper tissue injuries. If you can, identify the dog and owner, report the attack, take photos, and save medical records, bills, and witness information.
Try not to discuss fault or accept an insurance offer before you understand your child’s injuries and future care needs. A dog bite injury lawyer can help preserve evidence, explain your options, and protect your child’s claim while your family focuses on helping your child heal.
Compensation After a Child Dog Bite Injury
Arizona’s strict dog bite liability law may allow families to hold a dog owner financially responsible when their dog attacks a child. In many cases, the owner may be liable even if the dog had never bitten anyone before and even if the owner claims they tried to prevent the attack.
That legal protection can make a meaningful difference for families facing medical bills and long-term care. A dog attack attorney can explain how Arizona’s dog bite law applies to your family’s situation, identify available insurance coverage, and pursue the compensation your child deserves.
Damages May Include More Than Medical Bills
A child dog bite claim may include the losses your child has already experienced and the future harm they may face. Recoverable damages may involve medical bills, hospital treatment, property damage, pain and suffering, emotional distress, mental anguish, and, in some cases, punitive damages.
Protecting Your Child’s Future after a Dog Bite
A dog bite can leave a child with more than physical injuries. Parents may suddenly face emergency treatment, follow-up appointments, emotional trauma, and concerns about how scars or other injuries will affect their child’s future. While your focus should be on helping your child heal, taking the right legal steps early can also help preserve evidence and protect your family’s ability to seek compensation.
At Torgenson Law, It’s Personal. We understand how overwhelming these situations can be for families. Our Phoenix dog bite lawyers investigate the attack, communicate with insurance companies, and pursue the compensation your child may need for treatment, future care, and recovery. Throughout the process, we keep you informed so you can focus on what matters most: helping your child heal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. This is one of the biggest concerns parents have after a serious dog bite. Because children are still growing, scars can change over time, and some may require reconstructive surgery or future scar revision procedures.
Yes. Some dog bites reach much deeper than the surface. Injuries to the face, hands, or arms can damage nerves, leading to numbness, weakness, pain, or reduced movement. Early medical care can make an important difference.
If your child’s bite becomes more painful, swollen, warm, or begins draining pus, or if they develop a fever, don’t wait to have it checked. Dog bites can become infected quickly, and prompt treatment can help prevent more serious complications.
Yes. Healing isn’t always just physical. After a frightening attack, some children experience anxiety, nightmares, acute stress disorder, or a lasting fear of dogs. Emotional recovery is just as important as treating visible injuries.
Yes. Deep bites can damage tendons, muscles, and other soft tissues, particularly in the hands, arms, and legs. These injuries may require surgery and rehabilitation to restore strength and movement.
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Reviewed by John Torgenson, Managing Partner and Arizona personal injury attorney, practicing since 2004. View credentials.