08 Oct Dog Bite Claim Costs Up

According to a report by the Insurance Journal, the cost of dog bite claims has risen over 53 percent between 2003 and 2011. Legal settlements, jury awards and medical bills all play into this. If you have a dog, it's important that you make certain that you're responsible. If you're bitten by a dog on somebody's property, or your own, you may want to contact an attorney about the matter, since the medical and other expenses associated with these injuries can be very high.

Coverage

If you're a dog owner, you can get insurance to protect you in the event of a lawsuit. Some policies will have umbrella coverage that will cover somebody if your dog bites them on your property. You may want to look into other types of coverage, as well, to make certain that you don't end up looking at a lawsuit because your dog got out of control.

If you are bitten, talking to an attorney is highly advisable.

Dog Bites

Dog bites can be very serious injuries. Even dogs that aren't vicious can sometimes end up biting someone out of reflex. For instance, if a dog is startled or if it mistakenly believe that you are a threat, it could attack. Even an attack on your leg could result in many stitches and an expensive emergency room visit. Of course, there's no reason that you should have to pay when somebody else's dog gets out of control and causes you an injury.

Be Safe

When you're around dogs, remember to be safe. There are some very simple safety rules that you can follow that can help you avoid the majority of dog bite incidents. When you're meeting a dog, don't look it directly in the eye. Dogs consider this a challenge. Hold your hand, palm out, and gently lower it down without sticking it in the dog's face and let the dog sniff you. The dog considers wherever it lives to be its territory and you are in interloper, so you have to pass muster before it's going to tolerate you.

Animal and pet liability on your property is a very serious thing to consider. Even though you may warn people about the dog, put up fences and take other measures, you really can't account for what people do sometimes, even if it is enormously ill-advised. If you find yourself on either side of a dog bite problem, be sure you contact an attorney to talk about your rights and what you could do about it.