Dog Bite Claims in California
A recent study revealed California has the largest number of dog bite claims in the U.S. according to the Insurance Information Institute.
The number of dog-bite claims nationwide decreased by 4.7 in 2014, however, the average cost per claim increased by 15% from last year. The average cost per claim nationally from 2003 to 2014 has increased by more than 45%. The increase in costs per claim over the years is attributed to higher medical costs, larger settlements, and awards to victims.
Despite the decrease in dog bite claims nationwide, the study noted that California continued to have the largest number of claims at 1,867 with an average claim cost of $33,649 and a total value of $62.80 million in claims paid out in 2014.
In 2013, California was also ranked number one with 1,919 number of dog injury claims at an average cost of $33,709 and a total value of $64.7M paid out.
State Farm Insurance is one of the largest homeowners insurers in the nation and ranked California number 1 for dog bite claims. State Farm’s top 10 states for dog injury claims in 2014 were reported as follows:
1. California – 445 claims, $16.18 million
2. Illinois – 315 claims, $10.88 million
3. New York – 148 claims, $8.09 million
4. New Jersey – 107 claims, $6.39 million
5. Ohio – 239 claims, $5.28 million
6. Michigan – 133 claims, $5.06 million
7. Florida – 99 claims, $4.35 million
8. Pennsylvania – 172 claims, $4,34 million
9. Georgia – 116 claims, $3.82 million
10 Minnesota – 105 claims, $3.69 million
The Attorneys at the Edward A Smith Law Offices have been helping victims who have suffered from dog bite injuries for over 30 years. We advise the following steps if you are attacked by a dog:
– Seek immediate medical attention, even if the injuries appear to be minor
– Contact animal control as soon as possible and file a report
– Get the name and addresses of the dog owner and any witnesses
– Take photographs of any bite or wound
– Contact an experienced dog bite attorney to find out your rights
The dog bite attorneys at the Law Office of Edward A Smith can be contacted at (916) 921-6400, www.autoaccident.com for a free consultation. If you are out of the area contact us toll-free at 1-800-404-5400. For reviews, you can find us on Yelp and Avvo.