What to Do if You Have Nerve Damage from a Dog Bite

 Posted on March 20, 2020 in Dog Bite Injuries

With sharp teeth and strong jaws, dogs can cause serious damage to soft tissue when they bite. Perhaps the most obvious injuries are scars that form as the body heals. However, another type of injury that can perhaps have more long-lasting consequences is nerve damage. 

At Mevorah & Giglio Law Offices, our team helps obtain compensation for dog bite victims. We know the right strategies to help our clients receive justifiable compensation. Please speak with one of our Illinois dog bite lawyers to learn more about how to obtain a settlement for nerve damage and other injuries.

Treating Nerve Damage

Many dog bites lead to one of three types of nerve damage:

• Neuropraxia, which is caused by damage to the myelin sheath surrounding a nerve.

• Axonotmesis, which is caused by damage to the myelin sheath and surrounding axons.

• Neurotmesis, which involves the complete severing of a nerve.

Nerve damage can result in tingling and weakness in the affected limb, and in some cases, it can also cause serious pain. When a nerve is damaged, the victim may not be able to move the limb as they used to, which can lead to disabilities that affect a person's ability to work and earn an income.

Treatment options will depend on the location and severity of the injury. Many people simply have to wait it out, using painkillers to help them get through the day. If the nerve is not completely severed, then the damage to the myelin sheath and any axons could heal on its own within a matter of months.

Other patients will need surgery. This is particularly true of neurotmesis. The goal of surgery is to reconnect the nerves so that signals can travel again. Surgery, even if effective, will not completely restore the function of the nerve, meaning a person may only partially recover.

Compensation for Nerve Damage 

In addition to paying expensive medical bills, many dog bite victims lose out on income because they must stay home during their recovery period. It can be difficult to perform even simple tasks after having suffered a nerve injury, since a person may not be able to grasp objects with any confidence, or they even be unable able to walk.

Because of the pain, many victims experience a great deal of discomfort. Nerve damage can disrupt sleep schedules and cause a person to withdraw socially. This type of pain and suffering also warrants compensation, as does any resulting emotional distress. When nerves in visible parts of the body are damaged, such as the face, a person can suffer from high levels of emotional distress due to the dramatic change in appearance.

Contact Our Illinois Dog Bite Lawyers Today

Our Aurora dog bite lawyers have helped many people injured in dog bite accidents, and we are prepared to fight to ensure you receive fair compensation. Many insurance companies minimize the pain and emotional distress a dog bite causes, but we will make it clear that your injuries deserve the maximum compensation available. Please contact one of our skilled Naperville dog bite injury lawyers at 630-552-6860 to schedule a free consultation.

Source:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/neurotmesis