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Homeowners insurers paid out $1.12 billion in liability claims related to dog bites and other dog-related injuries in 2023.
The average cost per claim nationally has risen 82.5% from 2014 to 2023, due to increased medical costs as well as the size of settlements, judgments and jury awards given to plaintiffs.
By Dog Bite Liability – Insurance Information Institute, 2024
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Incidents involving dog attacks on Postal Service employees rose to more than 5,800 cases last year. According to the most recent information available from the Insurance Information Institute, the average cost per insurance claim for a dog bite is $64,555. When a postal employee suffers an injury, the owner could be responsible for medical bills, lost wages, uniform replacement costs, and pain and suffering for the employee.
By state, California saw the greatest number of incidents in which dogs bit mail delivery personnel last year, with 727 cases, up from 675 in 2022. Texas ranked No. 2, with 411 incidents, followed by Ohio (359), Pennsylvania (334) and Illinois (316). New York, Florida, North Carolina, Michigan and Missouri round up the top 10 states.
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Update on 2021 Dog Bites in the US not 47 fatality’s but 81 2021-macro-level-forces-report-cdc-nonprofit-dbrf-data
2021 Macro-Level Forces Report: CDC Wonder Dog Bite Fatality Data Compared to Nonprofit
U.S. dog bite fatalities rose during the 2021 Covid year. Our nonprofit’s capture rate fell due to macro-level forces.
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In 2023 – US Homeowners insurers paid out $1.12 billion in liability claims related to dog bites and other dog-related injuries.
While some of these bites may be nothing more than minor nips, an estimated 800,000 people each year must seek medical attention after a bite. Hospital bills can be very expensive!
Dog Bite Fatality Victims Total: 58 dog bite fatalities in 2023
In 2020, San Antonio recorded a 126% increase in the number of severe dog bites that year. In 2023, this number reached a staggering 289%. Evidently, these figures highlight the impact of aggressive dogs on the safety of Texas residents. Read News Story by Jordan Elder, February 12th 2024
Training, education and behavior modification are the keys to occupational dog bite safety. Once your employees know the facts and see for themselves what a dog can really do, they can all be more confident that their behaviors around dogs will keep them safe.
- In 2022, 70% of U.S. households reported owning at least one pet. This equates to 90.5 million homes across the country. Out of those 90.5 million, 69 million own at least one dog, making dogs the most popular pet choice.
- 2022 Dog Bite Fatality Victims Total: 56 Fact: 28 of the 56 victims were because of dog pack attacks.
dog bite prevention
- According to the American Pet Products Association’s 2019-2020 Pet Owners Survey, About 78 million U.S. household’s own dogs.
- Approximately 4.5 million dog bites occur each year. Nearly 1 out of 5 bites become infected.
Dog attack victims suffer over 1 billion in monetary losses annually. JAMA reports this estimate to be as high as 2 billion. - Homeowner’s insurers paid out $854 million in liability claims related to dog bites and other dog related injuries in 2020.
- The average claim has risen 134 percent from 2003 to 2019, due to increased medical costs as well as the size of settlements, judgments and jury award given to plaintiffs. That would include injuries to the family pet.
- 2021 Dog Bite Fatality Victims Total: 47 – Fact: 27 of the 47 victims were because of dog pack attacks.
- 46 fatal dog attacks in 2020
dog bite safety
Dog Bite Data by State, 2019
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2019 Dog Bite Fatality Victims as of December 1st:
Total to Date: 48 – Fact: 27 of the 48 victims were because of pack attacks.
Most dangerous situations:
Leaving an infant or toddler alone with any breed of dog.
Approaching a chained dog.
Encountering a pack of loose dogs, familiar or unfamiliar to you.
Inserting yourself into a dogfight.
Approaching a vehicle with dogs are inside.
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Dog bite statistics Homeowners insurers paid out $675 million in liability claims related to dog bites and other dog-related injuries in 2018.
The average cost per claim nationally has risen more than 103 percent from 2003 to 2018, due to increased medical costs as well as the size of settlements, judgments and jury awards given to plaintiffs.
Approximately 4.5 million dog bites occur each year in the United States.
Nearly 1 out of 5 bites becomes infected. In 2018, nearly 27,000 people underwent reconstructive surgery as a result of being bitten by dogs. There was an 86% increase in dog bite-related hospitalization stays between 1993 and 2008 in the United States._
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According to the 2015-2016 APPA National Pet Owners Survey, 65% of U.S. households own a pet, which equates to 79.7 millions homes
Breakdown of pet ownership in the U.S. according to the 2015-2016 APPA National Pet Owners Survey
Number of U.S. Households that Own a Pet (millions)
Bird 6.1
Cat 42.9
Dog 54.4
Horse 2.5
Freshwater Fish 12.3
Saltwater Fish 1.3
Reptile 4.9
Small Animal 5.4
Total Number of Pets Owned in the U.S. (millions)
Bird 14.3
Cat 85.8
Dog 77.8
Horse 7.5
Freshwater Fish 95.5
Saltwater Fish 9.5
Reptile 9.3
Small Animal 12.4
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Compelling Facts and Statistics About Dog Bites
- On a typical 500-household route, a meter reader, cable installer, delivery people or postal carrier will encounter 300 dogs- most of them will be aggressive.
- Over four million dog bites annually are serious enough to require medical attention, and the severity of dog bites rises every year.
- Dog bites are one of the fastest-growing litigation opportunities today (over $1 billion in settlements paid each year).
- Not providing adequate dog bite safety puts workers in peril, and leaves your company vulnerable to million-dollar court judgments.
- Preventing one hospitalization and lost-time accident will pay for the cost of a ODBS training seminar.
- An average of 10 letter carriers suffers from dog-related injuries every delivery day.
Medical expenses, workers’ compensation, legal costs, delivery curtailment, carrier replacement, and other costs associated with dog bite accidents are estimated to exceed $25 million annually for the Postal Service. The cost in employee pain and suffering cannot be measured.
Any dog bite is serious. Puncture wounds easily become infected, leading to permanent scars. Because of the depth of the wound, it can cause nerve damage and long-term loss of feeling or function. Many communities have leash laws requiring owners to leash their dogs, but unfortunately, dog owners do not always take the precautions they should to protect others from their pets.
Dog bite attacks occur each year in the US that requires medical treatment. Field employees account for many of these dog bite victims. Each year, thousands are seriously injured by dog bites. Medical bills for treatment of these dog bites are astronomical. Regrettably, the emotional damage to the victims is even higher. When a dog bites once, odds are, the dog will bite again. Is your company prepared?
What is your company or organization doing to prepare people for the inevitable encounters they will have with potentially dangerous dogs? On-site training, educational resources, and safety products are available from Bulli Ray to help you keep your employees safe.
Dog Bite Safety Tips
- Dog bites can be very dangerous and even deadly.
- Safety tips that may help you avoid potential dog bites and their devastating consequences: Always put something between you & the dog. (Dog Bite Stick/baton or Umbrella is what Bulli Ray recommends)
- Female dogs in heat are more prone to dog bites than dogs that aren’t in heat.
- Do not startle a sleeping dog.
- Do not pet customer’s dogs or put your hand out for the dog to smell. (They smelled you a mile away)
- Do a site evaluation on each yard. (You can learn that by using Bulli Ray tools & services)
