Dog bites are not exactly uncommon. In the United States, 78 million dogs have owners. But of all the cities in the nation, LA tops the list with the highest number of postal worker dog bites. Postal workers are most vulnerable to dog bites due to the inherent nature of their job.
This tidbit of info was released by the US Postal Service as part of the National Dog Bite Prevention Week. In 2016, there were 6,755 total dog attacks on postal workers, and that’s 206 higher than the figures for 2015. Experts attribute the increase of dog attacks on postal workers to the increasing popularity of Internet shopping and daily package delivery. LA leads the list of postal worker dog bites at 80 cases in 2016. Houston ranks second on the list with 62 attacks, followed closely by Cleveland with 60.
Postal Workers and Dog Bites
The Postal Service continues its efforts to increase awareness of the dog attack problem faced by postal workers, so that such attacks can be reduced in the future. The agency has even released an app that warns carriers about potentially dangerous dogs. In 2016 alone, 2% of all postal carriers were bitten. The Postal Service revealed that the medical expenses and workers’ compensation for these dog bites accounted for millions of dollars of the federal agency’s funding. That’s not counting the many incidents of dogs chasing after postal carriers that didn’t result in injury, though these certainly caused a lot of anxiety.
The same risks are also faced by commercial delivery workers. According to UPS, there were approximately 900 dog bites suffered by a number of their 66,000 delivery carriers. Such attacks may have also happened to FedEx, though that company does not gather statistics on these incidents.
What Can You Do in this situation?
If you’re a dog owner, you should make sure that your dogs are secured in an enclosure or a separate room, before you open your door to a delivery or postal worker. This is especially true if you’re expecting mail or a delivery while you’re not at home. Dogs may be more likely to attack strangers if you’re not around. If you are bitten by a dog in San Diego, make sure to call a experienced dog bite lawyer for help immediately.
However, if you’re a postal worker or a delivery carrier, you may also have additional legal options that can result in additional compensation besides your workers’ compensation. If you work in this capacity and you’re bitten by a dog in the course of your duties, you may want to consult a personal injury lawyer about your case. With an experienced lawyer to help you, you may be able to file suit against the dog owner. You may receive damages to cover your medical expenses, lost wages, and emotional distress.