California is #1 in many things, like discovering Hollywood stars and developing new technology in Silicon Valley. Unfortunately, our state is also #1 in dog bites.
The United States Postal Service’s annual study on state dog bite injuries puts California at the top of the list. More than 5,800 USPS workers are the victims of dog bites every year, with about 780 of these bites taking place in California.
And among 47 U.S. cities, Los Angeles took the #3 spot with more than 20,000 people injured by dogs in LA County every year. Other California cities with high rates of bites include San Francisco and Sacramento.
Numerous high-profile dog attacks have brought renewed attention to the issue of postal workers as dog bite victims. You may have seen some of the cases described below in the news lately.
Postal Workers Ask for the Public’s Help
In one case, Sacramento postal worker Carol Mondine felt a dog clamp down on her arm as she walked her daily mail delivery route. She used pepper spray and techniques from her postal service training to finally get the dog to release her, but she had deep lacerations to her arm.
In another dog attack, a mail carrier knocked on a homeowner’s door to discuss a package and a young child answered. Suddenly a dog burst through the door and knocked the mail carrier to the ground, leaving him with severe wounds on his face, ear, and arm.
Due to the rise in horrific attacks like these, the USPS has asked for the public’s help to prevent postal worker dog bites. They offer dog bite prevention tips including:
- Keep your dog confined/leashed whenever someone approaches your home.
- Find out when your mail is usually delivered and restrain your dog at this time.
- Never allow a child to be “in charge” of keeping a dog restrained.
- Don’t assume your dog won’t bite because it’s usually friendly.
- Check your doors and gates for firmly-securing latches.
- Remember that a screen door won’t stop a determined dog.
- Keep dogs away from mail slots and mailboxes.
The Devastating Damage From Dog Bites
Dog bites are traumatic and costly for victims. Some people never fully recover from the incident, becoming fearful of dogs for the rest of their lives and even avoiding social situations where dogs could be near.
A bite victim can have disabling flashbacks and may develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) many months after the attack. If you were bitten on the job, you may have an extremely difficult time going back to work where you were bitten. Now you face an abrupt end to a beloved career.
In this situation, how do you get your life back? It’s difficult to handle reduced income on top of medical bills and emotional trauma. This is where a personal injury attorney can help you pursue legal options to compensate you for your many losses.
Taking Action After a California Dog Bite
If you’re ever attacked by a dog, you should know that California is a strict liability state for dog bite injuries. The owner is frequently held responsible for a dog bite, even if they weren’t present when it happened.
Strict liability means it doesn’t matter whether the dog has ever shown aggression or bitten someone before. The owner can still be held liable as long as the victim wasn’t doing something to taunt or provoke the dog.
Here at Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers, we’ve helped numerous clients fight back against the devastating impact of a dog attack. If you ever need our help with a dog bite injury in California, we’re here to listen to your story and help you stand up for your rights!
We Handle Your Personal Injury Claim so You Can Focus on Your Life
After an injury, contact the attorneys at Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers. We handle many areas of the law, including dog bite injuries. We believe you should be able to focus on recovering while we handle the legal details.
We truly care about the people of California. Contact us today for a free online case evaluation.
