July 24, 2019
In 2014, Florida had an average dog bite insurance claim of nearly $40,000. Unfortunately, the interactions between humans and canines do not always go well. Even though many dogs are fairly harmless, there are certain breeds that are more likely to bite.
Which dog should you be more cautious around? For the most part, the canines topping the list of the most dangerous breeds have not changed much over the years. Here are the top three. The first up is the Pitbull. According to Forbes, this breed is responsible for 66% of all dog bite fatalities over the past 13 years. Pitbulls have been responsible for over 280 deaths. Next, are Rottweilers that have 45 fatal attacks reported followed by German Shepherds with 20 attacks. Even if a dog bite is not fatal, they still result in serious physical (and financial) damages for the victims.
There are nearly five million dog bites that occur in the U.S. annually. Over 500 Florida residents require hospitalization every year related to dog bites. Across the nation, at least 800,000 dog bite victims receive emergency medical treatment. The primary victims are children and the elderly. Children make up 50 to 72% of dog bite incidents and the elderly comprise approximately 20% of the cases.
There are usually excessive medical costs associated with treating dog bites. For instance, the average hospital stay for a dog bite is just over $18,000. These types of medical expenses often result in higher settlements. According to the Florida Bar, the high healthcare costs associated with dog bites will likely result in more plaintiffs filing expensive dog bite insurance claims.