Dog Bite Statistics: Putting Animal Attacks in Perspective
Each year in the United States, about 4.7 million people, or about 2% of the U.S. population, suffer a dog bite injury. Each person in the U.S. has a 1 in 50 chance each year of being bitten by a dog, usually by a dog belonging to a friend or family member in a place the person has visited before, such as the dog's home. In nearly two-thirds of cases, the dog bite is the dog's first outward display of aggressive behavior. Dogs that are nervous, scared, or feel threatened are more likely to bite than naturally aggressive dogs that possess these similar qualities of unease. This is why it is important for dog owners to be familiar with dog bite statistics in Missouri and on a national level.
One out of every six dog bites each year, or 800,000 bites, are serious enough to require medical attention. Nearly 368,000 people seek emergency room care each year for a dog bite – that's more than one thousand people a day, on average. Dog bites are the second most common reason children need to visit the emergency room.
While dog bites are not usually fatal, they did claim the lives of 304 people from 1979 to 1996. For every fatal dog bite treated by a physician, 230,000 bites occur that are never presented to a doctor for treatment.
Dog bites are also expensive. Dog bite claims cost U.S. insurance companies over $1 billion each year. The average insurance payment on a dog bite claim is $16,600, which may or may not cover all the necessary medical treatment, including treatment for mental or emotional trauma, and other expenses incurred by the dog bite.
If you or a loved one has been bitten by a dog in Missouri, you need to make sure your legal rights are protected. The experienced St. Louis dog bite injury attorneys at Page Law will review the details of your case and can advise you of all your legal options. They'll also stand by you and help you hold negligent parties accountable for their actions. Call Page Law today at 314-322-8515 today for a free and comprehensive case evaluation.
