Nearly 70 million canine companions live in the U.S. Unfortunately, this means a dog bites someone every 75 seconds – amounting to about 4.5 million bites per year – sending approximately 1,000 people to emergency rooms and urgent care centers every day. One out of five dog bites results in infection.
While most dog bite victims are children – particularly those aged 5 to 9 years old – men also are more likely to suffer a dog bite than women. Sadly, more than half of dog attacks happen in the home with a family pet, rather than a strange dog.
Some stereotypes are rooted in truth – in 2019, 5,803 postal employees were attacked by dogs on the job. If you are a letter carrier out of work due to a dog bite, you may be eligible for loss of income damages.
Burg Simpson’s dog bite injury attorneys are committed to helping dog bite victims. Contact us and be protected from the fallout of dangerous dog bites by calling us at (888) 895-2080 or filling out our FREE case evaluation form
Causes of Dog Bites
Dog bites can take place regardless of the animal’s environment or an owner’s behavior, although they can result from negligent owners. According to the National Canine Research Council, 81 percent of dog bites require no medical attention, but injuries can sometimes be serious or even fatal. Although some people may point to aggressive breeds of dogs, owners’ negligence or a lack of proper socialization and training are stronger indicators of a dog bite risk than a specific breed. In fact, dog bite fatalities were associated with more than 30 breeds and types of dogs, including popular family dogs, such as Labradors. Contact our dog bite injury attorneys today if you have been injured by a canine.
Dog bites can happen for a variety of reasons, such as the dog reacting to a stressful situation, feeling threatened, being startled, or a lack of proper training and socialization. Dogs that are not spayed or neutered may be more likely to react aggressively.
Strict Liability in Personal Injury
Most U.S. states hold dog owners financially responsible if their pet bites someone, even if the owner wasn’t negligent or didn’t know the dog could be dangerous. These laws are often referred to as strict liability statutes because the dog bite victim does not have to prove the owner knew their animal was dangerous. However, some states allow exceptions to this liability if the victim was trespassing or provoked the dog. Speak with our dog bite injury attorneys if you have any questions on these laws.
Contact a Dog Bite Lawyer at Burg Simpson
Every dog bite case has its own set of unique circumstances, so each one needs to be carefully reviewed. Was the victim on public or private property? Was their presence on that property lawful? Where was the animal? Where was the owner? Did the victim do anything to provoke the dog? Was the dog working? How serious is the injury?
While it may seem straightforward, changes in the law and the details of the circumstances surrounding the incident can make the event much more complicated than you think. If you or a loved one have been bitten by a dog, you need to talk to one of our dog bite injury attorneys.
To gain a better idea of the circumstances surrounding your claim, call us at (888) 895-2080 or fill out a FREE case evaluation form to get started.