Michigan Lawyer Discusses Dog Bite Prevention Week (May 18-24)
National Dog Bite Prevention Week begins May 18th, 2014! Every year during the third week of May we take time to focus on educating people about how to prevent dog bites from occurring. In the United States, there are an estimated 70 million household dogs, and every year millions of people are bitten. The majority of people bitten are children, and the majority of these bites are also preventable.
Of the millions of people who are bitten by dogs every year, 1 in 5 require medical attention for the bite. Roughly 31,000 people undergo reconstructive surgery as a result of a dog bite. Additionally, males are much more likely to be bitten than females. In 2011, dog bite claims accounted for one third of all homeowners’ liability insurance claims, costing almost $479 million.
The average dog bite claim payment in 2011 was $29,396, which is an increase of 53.4% from 2003. Take time to educate yourself and others during National Dog Bite Prevention Week and together we can start preventing these injuries from occurring.
