Dog Bites

Sadly, man’s best friend can easily turn into man’s worst nightmare. According to the American Pet Products Manufactures Association, there are approximately 74.8 million dogs in the United States. While most of those dogs are lovable companions, others are aggressive and have been trained to attack. The victims are usually unsuspecting, innocent people.

The Center for Disease Control states that more than 4.7 million people are bitten by dogs every year. That is 2% of the population. Of those bites, 800,000 a year require medical attention.

Although people have long joked about the mailman getting chased by unruly dog, the stereotype is not untrue. Every year 2,851 letter carriers for the U.S. Post Office are bitten by dogs.

Letter carriers are not the only susceptible populations. A large number of children fall victim to violent dogs every year. Of children sent to the emergency room, dog bites is the fifth most common reason.

In 2007, dogs killed 33 people in the United States. The fatalities occurred in 17 different states. This is nearly double the numbers reported in the 1980s and 1990s. While it seems that the number of fatal dog attacks is rising, it is important to use caution when interpreting these statistics. Researchers now have more accurate and complete ways of collecting data than in the past.

Contact Us

If you or a loved one has been attacked by a dog, you may be entitled to claim damages. Contact the Wausau personal injury lawyers of Habush Habush & Rottier, S.C. to schedule a free initial consultation. Call us today at 800-242-2874.