The costs of dog bites in the United States have reached a new all-time high record and the average price of a claim has escalated by 12% from what it used to be. With the cost of medical treatment, settlements, and the compensation award, dog bites cost the personal injury industry over $478.9 million in 2011. This makes the average dog bite claim worth $29,396.
The medical costs have grown significantly for the victims of a dog bite injury. Although a dog bite happens in the blink of an eye, the damage is hard to repair. In many cases, a dog bite injury victims need to be rushed to the emergency room for treatment and sometimes kept there for hospitalization until it heals. Animal teeth are so sharp that many times the bite disfigures the victim, and cosmetic surgery is in order in order to restore the affected area. In many cases, children fall victim to dog bites, and commonly they are bitten in the neck, face, or upper region, and cosmetic surgery becomes necessary.
Insurance companies are complaining about the higher costs of dog bite injuries and the increased frequency of these claims. In 2011 alone, there were 14,292 dog bite claims throughout the United States. Studies show that dog bite cases make up 1/3 of all home insurance liability cases that insurance companies have to pay out for. Since the insurance companies first started tracking the costs of these claims back in 2003, the cost of a dog bite has grown by 50%.
The causes of a dog bite, however, have not changed much. The majority of dog bite incidents happen as a result of owner negligence, an underlying illness the dog has, or poor training. Here at the Mukerji Law Firm, our team of Houston Dog Bite Attorneys has extensive experience with dog bite injuries, and we can help you recover the full amount of compensation that you deserve. Contact us today or fill out our online free case evaluation to get started.
