Claims resulting from dog bites on personal property accounted for a major portion of homeowner insurance liability claims in the US in 2009.  According to the US Insurance Information Institute, dog bite claims cost American home insurers 6.4% more than in 2008.  The average claim exceeded $24,000 for the third year in a row.  In 2009, dog bite claims cost insurers $412 million, compared to $387 million just one year before.  There was also an increase in the number of insurance claims for dog bites in 2009, compared to 2008.  The number increased by 4.8% over the previous year to a total of 16,586 claims. 

According to the Institute, dog bite claims now account for more than one third of all homeowner insurance liberty claims.  In fact, dog bite claims account for one in three homeowner’s insurance liability claims.

One of the reasons for this increase is that many states in the US have now passed strict liability statutes for dog bites.  California, for instance, has a strict liability statute.  That means that any dog owner can be held responsible for injuries or deaths caused by his animal, even if it was the animal’s very first such bite, or if the owner had never known of the animal’s propensity to bite.  Approximately one-third of all states in the country have such strict liability statutes.  All the other states have a “one bite free” principle, whereby a dog owner can get away with a first dog bite attack involving his animal, by showing that he was unaware of his dog’s propensity to bite. 

Some insurance companies are trying to push back against the spike in dog bite claims, by requiring that homeowners sign a liability waiver clause in their insurance.  Other insurers are insisting that they will provide coverage only if the dog is sent to behavior classes.

Los Angeles dog bite lawyers feel that insurer concern may be overblown.   The fact is that the number of dog bite claims every year is less than 1% of the total number of dog bite attacks in the US annually.

Pit-bull lovers will tell you that their favorite breed is one of the most maligned breeds of dogs out there. However, it's not entirely without reason that pulls are considered some of the most dangerous dogs. These dogs, along with a few more in the list below, comprise a majority of the dog bite attacks that take place in the US annually.

According to dog bite experts and dog bite attorneys in Los Angeles, the most dangerous breeds of dogs in the US are

Pit Bulls

These are probably one of the most common breeds that Los Angeles dog bite lawyers come across. These are very aggressive breeds, and it's the reason why they are some of the most sought after dogs for dog fights. Pit bulls don't nip or bite. They lock their jaws onto the flesh of the person or animal, and don't let go.

Rottweilers

These dogs have strong territorial instincts which is why they're so aggressive. Owners love them because they're strong guard dogs. Unfortunately, it’s these very qualities that often involve them in dog bite attacks.

German Shepherds

These are the favored dogs of local law enforcement agencies, and can be very aggressive when provoked.  

Huskies

These are highly intelligent animals. According to a study, between 1979 and 1997, Huskies were involved in more than 15% of all dog bite-related fatalities in the US.

Alaskan Malamutes

These are highly energetic animals, and should only be reared by owners who can devote the time needed to exercise these dogs often. When they become bored, they become fidgety and restless.

Doberman

These are often used as guard dogs because of their aggressiveness and intelligence. They can be very aggressive when provoked.

Chow Chow

These are relatively small animals, but can be aggressive. In the case of these animals, it's usually poor breeding that leads to the aggressive behavior.

Presa Canario

These dogs were originally bred to guard cattle. They can be intimidating animals, because they have a complete lack of fear and are very powerful.

Boxer

Boxers are not typically regarded as an aggressive breed. However, poor training can lead to the development of aggressive tendencies.

Dalmatian

Everybody’s favorite dog from the 101 Dalmatians movies can actually be quite aggressive. These dogs can be very energetic, and need plenty of exercise.

Dog bites are some of the most common causes of injuries in children. Every year, about 1.4 million dog bites are recorded in the United States, and an overwhelming majority of these involve little children. Many of these bites end with serious and mutilating injuries.

Treatment of a dog bite will always include first aid and cleaning. Soon after the bite has occurred, wash the area with warm water. If there is any bleeding, stop it by placing pressure around the wound. Besides, your child might require a tetanus shot, and the doctor may also prescribe antibiotics. An antibiotic program of between 3 to 7 days is considered ideal. If your child has had less than three doses of tetanus shots, here she might need a shot after a dog bite.  An additional shot may be necessary if it has been more than five years since the last tetanus shot, or if the bite was serious.

In case of a stray dog or a dog whose owner is not available, it can be hard to verify if the dog has been vaccinated. Your pediatrician may therefore recommend a rabies immunoglobulin vaccine. In such cases, your child may need a vaccine within 48 hours of the bite. If you're not sure whether your child needs a rabies shot, it's best to contact your pediatrician. You can also ask your local animal control office.  However, the chances of a rabies-infected dog biting your child, are rare. Rabies has been largely eradicated from the US, and most rabies cases now only involve wild animals like raccoons.

A dog bite attorney in Los Angeles would advise you to focus harder on preventing dog bites. Teach your child about the right way to behave around dogs. Teach your child never to tease, pull or even pet a strange dog.

The death of a California letter carrier earlier this month, after a serious injury sustained during a dog bite in May, has once again highlighted the special dangers that postal workers face from vicious dogs.

Eddie Lin had been going about his normal mail delivery duties on May 23rd, when he happened to catch the attention of a Rottweiler in a house. What happened next was the stuff of every letter carrier's nightmare. The animal managed to make its way out of the house, and chased Lin down the road. It finally lunged at the letter carrier, knocking him to the ground. Lin hit his head on the ground, and suffered serious brain injuries. He was found by a passerby a little while later. He was rushed to the hospital, where he remained in intensive care until he died on June 3rd. It's not known yet if the Rottweiler managed to bite Lynn.

Oceanside police are investigating the incident, and the US Postal Inspection Service has already started its investigations into the attack. The Rottweiler has since been euthanized. Police have not determined if they are going to bring criminal charges against the owner of the dog.

The attack came just at the end of National Dog Bite Prevention Week, a nationwide effort supported by dog bite attorneys in Los Angeles, and aimed at bringing attention to the approximately 1.4 million dog bites that occur in the US every year. Postal workers, because of the nature of their duties, are at a much higher risk of suffering a dog bite than the general population. According to the Postal Service, last year more than 2,800 mail carriers suffered dog bite incidents. Letter carriers in California seem to be especially prone to dog bite attacks. Most of these attacks occurred in the Orange County and Los Angeles county areas.

There is much that property owners can do to prevent their dogs from attacking postal workers. Have warning signs posted outside the gate, informing visitors of a dog on the premises. Make sure your dog is totally secured when the mail carrier comes in to deliver the mail. Make sure your dog is restrained, and unable to escape your property.

Sometimes a good deed just won't go unpunished.

A man went to check on an alarm he heard two doors down from his home, and was attacked by a police dog which bit through his little finger. A nerve was injured in the bite.

Kevin Oglesby says he heard an alarm go off and went to check on his neighbor's property before going back to check out his own, as well.

Once in his own backyard, he says he was alerted to what he called a "presence," and turned around. He was rushed by a german shepherd, and held still in the hope this would prevent the situation from getting worse. He said from seeing television, he knew not to try to run or resist.

Oglesby said that the dog jumped over the fence with its handler trying to catch up. The dog's leash was not in the handler's hand. Oglesby further said the handler was telling the dog to release, over and over, and did physically pull the dog off Oglesby.

"I just stood there watching and watched it sinking its teeth in and out," Oglesby said. "I may be only a little fella but I've got quite a high threshold of pain."

Surgeons at a nearby hospital were able to fix the injured man's severed nerve.

Oglesby contacted the Weekend Herald after reading about a police dog attacking a lawnmowing contractor who was trying to help officers track the 14-year-old driver of a stolen car in Avondale on Thursday.

According to the dog's handler, the shepherd was following its training. It had noticed Oglesby's scent at the crime scene and followed like it had been trained to do. The dog has been stood down until it can be evaluated as to whether it is fit for duty.

Oglesby said he felt no ill will and accepted the handler's apology.

Ten-year-old William Wyatt Kunert of Cheyenne, Wyo., didn't hesitate when a dog attacked him and his 2-year-old brother, Jordan Martinez.

The brothers were on their own front porch when a neighbor's pit bull managed to jump over the fence around its yard and charged the boys. The fence in question was 4 feet high, but the animal still managed to get over it.

Kunert, who has been attacked by dogs in the past, got Jordan into the house and tried to slam the door against the pit bull. But the dog got there too fast for that, and clamped onto Kunert's leg for long, painful minutes. The bite left severe injuries that required multiple surgeries to repair.

According to William's mother, the dog would probably have killed Jordan if it had gotten a hold of him instead of the older boy, given the severity of William's injuries.

Kunert said he knew the dog was going to bite him if he got Jordan out of the way, but he did it anyway, even though he has scars on his face from an equally painful bite in the past.

Kunert's brave actions have been rewarded, however. The American Medical Response Team gave the young hero their Everyday Heroes award in honor of his courage.

A representative of the AMRT said that courage is more about acting despite fear than about not having it, and said that Kunert's actions are an example of everything Emergency Responders stand for. Officials praised his actions, calling him a "hero among heroes" at the ceremony. Kunert is the first recipient of the new award, making the occasion all the more special to him and his family.

For his part, Kunert has recovered well from his injuries. He is able to play normally, without any serious, lasting damage from the attack.

Also See: Personal Injury Attorney

Police in Ridgefield, Conn., are continuing their investigation into a dog attack that left a town resident and his puppy injured last week.

According to Police Captain Clifford Scharf, numerous leads have been followed up since German shepherds attacked resident Guy Marchison and his golden retriever puppy, Star. The attack occurred on Tuesday, April 20. Star was only 14 weeks old at the time.

Marchison claims that the dogs rushed Star, and he picked her up to keep her away from the attack. The shepherds persisted in the attack, causing injuries to both Marchison and his puppy as he tried to shield her from their assault. The dogs' apparent owner whistled and they broke off the attack, followed him into his vehicle, whereupon he drove away. They were seen leaving in a Hummer, either gold or orange-colored.

Ridgefield police initially asked the press not to report on the vehicle's description, fearing that letting the information out could disrupt the investigation, but another news outlet leaked the information later.

According to Captain Scharf, “Once we identify someone we will apply for a warrant and that takes time."

Mr. Marchison was taken to Danbury Hospital for bites to his face and hands. He suffered eight puncture wounds, and was placed on medication in case of rabies. The puppy was taken to the emergency animal hospital. She suffered a serious wound to the chest and will require surgery, but seems to be in good spirits on the whole.

The attack is unusual, as many dog bite cases involve animals near their homes, with an owner clearly present and approachable. Captain Scharf has stated that the owner of the dogs is likely to face criminal charges in the matter, although whether these would be relating to negligence in allowing his dogs to attack someone or relate to fleeing from the scene remains unstated.

The captain did confess that he would hate to be the owner of a Hummer matching the description put out, however.

In Ohio, two unrestrained dogs attacked an unnamed woman as she was walking her own small dog. The attacking dogs, a pit bull and an American bulldog, were apparently after the woman's pet and rushed across the street when they saw the two passing by. The woman lifted her dog up in her arms to protect it and received numerous injuries as the two bulldogs tried to get at the smaller animal.

A man who was in the house that the two dogs had originated from ran across the street and defended the woman and her pet, kicking and pushing at the dogs in an effort to get them off her. Putting himself between the two parties, the man also suffered injuries as the dogs became more excited and began biting him as well. Both the woman and the man required medical attention. The woman's pet was unharmed.

The owner of the two dogs has been identified as Tessa Campbell, age 36. She claims that children in the house let the dogs out, but the authorities have still charged her with leaving animals at large. Campbell claims that the dogs have been vaccinated for rabies but could not recall the veterinarian's name. The county health board will be notified in regard to the incident, and the two dogs are currently being held in quarantine pending further investigation.

It is unclear whether the animals were let loose purposefully or simply by accident, but bulldogs and pit bulls have very powerful jaws and are very strong for their size in proportion to other dogs. Due to their strength, animals of these breeds require a higher degree of supervision for fear of the injuries these dogs can cause. Yet all manner of animals and pets, much like the aggressors in this case, frequently get loose and rarely does it end in an attack. Luckily, no one in this case was seriously injured, and it becomes another such event added to a long list in the debate over pet owners' rights versus community safety standards.

In Semmes, Alabama, a three-year-old toddler was bitten more than 50 times by her neighbor’s three dogs. While full details are not clear yet, it is known that all three dogs attacked the child so aggressively that they hauled her off the ground and left her in need of over 160 stitches. The dog bite victim, Madisyn Shelton cannot sit up, but her doctors say there is no sign of infection, and she seems to be on the road to recovery.

The attack has, understandably, outraged Madisyn's family and shocked the community. The family has acquired the services of an attorney to represent them in this matter. They are considering filing a civil suit against the dogs' owner, one James White.

The attack was so violent that city officials are pursuing a statewide act that has not yet been used. In short, the act allows people to request that violent dogs be declared dangerous, allowing the state to seize them to be euthanized. As for James White, a warrant has been issued for his arrest, and he has not yet turned himself in.

Cases such as this illustrate the difficulties inherent in pet ownership within a community. Some owners feel their pets should have the freedom to roam and exercise, which can clash with a level of community safety that parents of small children naturally desire. The case also brings up questions about the proper role of the state in property ownership as well as an owner’s liability for a pet’s actions. There is no evidence that White's dogs had any prior history of attacking anyone. Yet the fact remains that they severely harmed this little girl with no apparent provocation and remain potentially dangerous to neighbors or other children that live nearby.

Madisyn continues to recover at a children's hospital, and her family has established a charity fund for anyone who wishes to help with the costs of her recovery.