Dog Bite Insurance Claims Up by 18 Percent in 2016

Insurance claims for dog bites and attacks grew by 18 percent last year. That’s the news from Bloomberg, who recently took a look at the troubling trend. The average dog bite claim cost insurers more than $30,000. That’s more than 70 percent more expensive than the average dog bite claim in 2003. Experts point to increasing medical costs and larger settlements as an explanation.

Just who is being attacked? In large part, children. Insurance experts estimate roughly half of all claims involve a child being bitten. Kids and dogs often misunderstand each other, which children missing key warning signs that a dog is angry or irritated. It pays to teach kids not to approach strange dogs without asking for permission first, but even then, accidents can happen.

Letter carriers were also at risk in 2016. The U.S. Postal Service said that the number of dog attacks increased by 200 incidents last year. The stereotype of the angry dog chasing the friendly neighborhood mail man is a funny one – until you realize how much of a problem the adversarial relationship can be. Nearly 7,000 postal workers were attacked in 2016. Los Angeles and Houston were the cities that saw the most incidents.

While the number of dog bite insurance claims is troubling, there are some things both pet owners and pedestrians can do to prevent this number from rising even higher. Dogs should always be on a leash in public, and owners should monitors their pet’s temperament. Pedestrians and members of the public should avoid petting dogs withou permission of the owner, and stay alert to warning signs that the dog might be growing upset.

Contact Our Virginia Dog Bite Lawyers for a Free Consultation

If you’ve been attacked by someone else’s dog, it is important that you collect as much evidence as possible. The Virginia dog bite lawyers at the Law Offices of Richard J. Serpe, PC understand the need for an immediate investigation because proof is essential in obtaining the highest possible settlement or verdict for your case. If you’d like to speak with our Virginia dog bite lawyers, contact us for a free consultation 877-544-5323.

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