Amazon, Ebay, and other major online retailers have provided a much-needed influx of business for American delivery companies, including the US Postal Service that was on the verge of collapsing. While online shopping has made getting nearly anything delivered straight to your door amazingly convenient, it has also led to a sharp rise in dog bite attacks against workers. The US Postal Service states that in just the year 2015 alone, reports of dog bites increased 14% to over 6,500 instances. This is a worrying trend for companies because the Insurance Information Institute estimates that the cost of a dog bite claim rose 16% in the year 2015.
This has prompted several companies to take matters into their own hands when it comes to preventing these injuries. The US Postal Service has created an app called “TripHazard” that is now available on all of their handheld devices. The app allows workers to log hazards all along their route and notify any other workers, including potentially dangerous dogs.
Why do Dogs Attack?
According to postal worker Michael Micali of New Jersey, “Dogs view mailmen as trespassers invading their space.” Indeed while many dogs can be friendly and welcoming of new humans, some still possess territorial instincts and can view a postal worker as a threat to both themselves and their owners, resulting in an attack. “A dog will only go for the first thing in front of it. When I deliver to a house where ‘bad Fido’ lives, I pay extra attention to the surroundings, especially when I don’t hear barking coming from inside the house,” Micali added.
Dog Bites & Premises Liability
Property owners are required by law to afford a certain guarantee of safety to all visitors to their premises. Postal and delivery workers are considered “licensees,” meaning they are not expressly invited onto property, but their presence is still assumed.
If you have been injured by a dog bite, as a postal worker or in any other situation, you could potentially be eligible to receive substantial compensation. At Christian & Christian, we have over 95 years of combined legal practice experience putting the law to work for those who have been injured through no fault of their own, including those who suffer from dog bite injuries. We have recovered millions of dollars for our clients, and have received a wide array of industry honors and accolades.
Call Christian & Christian today at 864.408.8890 and let us review your case for free today!