Being bitten by any animal is a horrible experience that no one should ever have to go through. When the animal that bites you is one that most think of as family pets, the difficulty seems to be increased. Sadly, for Florida residents, the incidence of dog bites in the state is high enough that the state has made it to the Top 15 list for dog bite claims in 2013 for State Farm.
The number of claims in the state have it ranked at number 12. Florida had 93 claims last year, while the leading state had 449 claims. The total amount paid out in Florida would have it ranked higher if the list was based on the amount paid. If that was how the list was ranked, out of the Top 15 states, Florida would be ranked fifth. For those 93 claims, $5.5 million was paid out.
It is estimated that 4.5 million Americans were bitten in the country last year, according to the Associated Press. Of those 5,581 were workers for the United States Postal Service and over 2 million were children.
It is important to note that any dog can bite. While many people have certain misconceptions about “biting breeds,” those are only misconceptions. While proper education about socialization and interaction for dogs won’t help people already bitten by these animals, it might help to reduce the number of dog bite incidents going forward.
No dog bite is ever acceptable. Medical bills and other expenses often seem to weigh heavy on the victim’s mind as they try to recover from the dog bite. Seeking compensation for injuries and related expenses might help someone who has been bitten by a dog to minimize the financial burden of the attack.
Source: CBS 12 News, “Florida Listed In Top States For Dog Bite Claims” No author given, May. 18, 2014
