Minnesota Ranks 8th Nationally in Dog Bite Claims

According to numbers compiled by State Farm Insurance , Minnesota ranks 8th in national dog bite claims. It had 139 claims, which cost the company about $3.4 million in 2010.

Nationwide, State Farm paid more than $90 million as a result of the nearly 3,500 dog bite claims in 2010. The Insurance Information Institute (III) estimates that in 2009, insurers across the country paid more than $412 million in dog bite claims.

As a result State Farm is promoting National Dog Bite Prevention Week, sponsored by the American Veterinary Medical Association during the week of May 15 – 21.

Joining the AVMA and the USPS to spread the word that dog attacks are preventable are: the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) www.aap.org; the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) www.plasticsurgery.org; the American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons (ASMS) www.maxface.org; the American Society of Reconstructive Microsurgery (ASRM) www.microsurg.org; Prevent The Bite, www.preventthebite.org; and the Insurance Information Institute, www.iii.org. To learn more about preventing dog bites, visit www.avma.org to view the AVMA brochure, community guidelines, podcast and video, and to learn more about The Blue Dog Parent Guide and CD, a scientifically validated educational program for preschoolers.

I have written in the past about avoiding dog bites:

Don’t Get Bitten, Mike Bryant | June 05, 2009 9:53 AM

State Farm has addition suggestions:

1. NEVER leave a baby or small child alone with a dog.
2. Be on the lookout for potentially dangerous situations.
3. Start teaching young children — including toddlers — to be careful around pets.
4. Children must be taught NOT to approach strange dogs.
5. Always ask permission from a dog’s owner before petting any dog.

See your doctor if you have been seriously injured by a dog or other animal. If you are attacked by a dog, these cases require a law firm with the experience and the ability to make sure that all angles are covered. Further, it can involve insurance issues to make sure the maximum recovery is obtained. Please keep in mind that there may be time limits within which you must commence suit