Dogs in Los Angeles are responsible for thousands of dog bites every year. In fact, California has the highest number of dog bite claims in the U.S.
Fact: Los Angeles is the leading city in the nation in dogs biting postal workers. Some estimate that up to 100 mail carriers get bit by dogs in Los Angeles alone.
That’s a lot of mail not getting delivered in time because of uncontrollable and vicious dogs. You’ve seen this scenario numerous times either in real life or movies: a dog chasing a postal worker who has to run away (and the postman is usually on a bike or bicycle).
In Los Angeles, where walking a dog without a leash is punishable by law, getting bit by a dog may result in monetary compensation for the injured party and punitive damages for the owner of the dog for violating California leash laws.
The failure to prevent a dog bite is usually covered by insurance companies, who don’t wait long to offer you an initial settlement that is proven to be unfair.
Here at the Law Offices of Howard Kornberg, our Los Angeles dog bite attorneys have helped victims of dog bites recover at least twice the amount that insurance companies offered them after a dog attack.
Why do dogs hate postal workers so much?
Fact: in 2016, postal workers were attacked by dogs 6,755 times.
While any Los Angeles resident can get bit by a dog regardless of his or her profession, postal workers are at a higher risk of dog bites for numerous reasons:
- They usually ride bikes or bicycles, which can be provocative for certain dogs;
- Postal workers return to the same area every day, which many dogs, as protectors of their territory and owner, may find suspicious;
- Postmen are coming in close proximity to the dog’s home, the territory it feels the need to protect;
- Mail carriers carry things, which make many dogs fearful and put postmen at risk of a dog bite;
- In many cases, dogs can get aggressive at the mere sight of a uniform (uniforms are associated with strangers arriving on their property).
How to get financial compensation for a dog bite?
In Los Angeles and elsewhere in California, walking a dog without a leash is illegal. Meaning: if you get bit by a dog walking without a leash in a public place, the likelihood of obtaining compensation skyrockets, our dog bite lawyers say.
Mail carriers provide a vital service to the American people, but the common occurrence of dog bites across the country makes many men and women fearful to do their job.
Postal workers and other Los Angeles residents who become victims of dog attacks are equally entitled to financial compensation for their injuries and damages sustained in a dog bite.
Since it’s not unheard of when dog owners refuse to admit their fault or even put the blame on the victim for seemingly provoking the dog, the importance of being legally represented cannot be underestimated in dog bite cases in Los Angeles.
In fact, under California laws, you can hold dog owners responsible for a dog bite even if the owner can prove that his/her dog has no prior history of biting or aggressive behavior.
If you’ve become a victim of a dog bite in Los Angeles, don’t let insurance companies feed you with unfair and unacceptable initial settlements. Instead, let our dog bite attorneys in Los Angeles investigate your case and evaluate the full value of your damages to maximize your compensation.
Call Law Offices of Howard Kornberg at 310-997-0904 or complete this contact form to get a free initial consultation.