California Injury Blog
The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) released the top 10 cities where mail carriers are most often the victims of dog attacks. Once again, Los Angeles has earned the dubious distinction of leading the pack when it comes to the most dog attacks on mail carriers. San Francisco was number four on the list while San Antonio and Seattle tied for second place and Chicago came in third.
According to the U.S. Postal Service, in Los Angeles, dogs attacked 69 postal employees in 2012. Nationwide 5,879 postal employees were attacked. Officials point out that in situations where loose dogs roam neighborhoods, mail delivery to the owner’s neighbors could be curtailed as well. They also say that letter carriers would like it known when they must come to a customer’s door, they would appreciate the dogs being confined elsewhere. Postal workers have reported about incidents where the sight of a postal carrier was so infuriating to the dogs that they would jump right through screen and glass doors.
Dog Bite Prevention Week
In United States, 4.7 million people each year are bitten by dogs, more than half of whom are children, the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states. The USPS, the medical community, CDC and the insurance industry are all working together this week (May 19-25), which has been designated as National Dog Bite Prevention Week, to create awareness about preventing dog bites.
Liability Issues in California Dog Bite Cases
Under California law, dog owners can be held financially responsible for the injuries caused by their pets. California has a strict liability statute, which holds dog owners liable in dog bite cases. Injured victims can seek compensation for damages including medical expenses, lost wages, cost of hospitalization, rehabilitation, permanent injuries and scars and pain and suffering. Injured victims would also be well advised to contact an experienced Los Angeles dog bite attorney who will stay on top of the official investigation and ensure that the negligent parties are held liable. In the case of mail carriers, they can seek workers’ compensation in addition to filing a personal injury claim against dog owners.