Here is the scenario: You were injured at work and your employer doesn’t want you to make a claim.
A study just released puts Utah in the top three when it comes to the average cost of a dog bite insurance claim. According to KSL News, Utah beat out places like New York and New Jersey in terms of the money paid out for these claims. While New York and New Jersey saw settlements that averaged $59,000 and $55,000 per claim, respectively, Utah, which is the third-place position, settlements in the range of $45,760.
We have heard about some pretty severe injuries from dog bites lately. One that comes quickly to mind was where a 4-year-old Layton boy had his arm bitten off by a next-door neighbor’s dog that had dug under the fence.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, young children are more susceptible than adults to dog bites. To prevent or minimize such bites, authorities recommend that young children never be allowed to play with a dog unsupervised. Parents should additionally teach their children what to do to prevent or minimize dog bites, including:
- Asking if it’s okay to pet someone else’s dog before you let them;
- Freezing or standing motionless when they’re approached by an unfamiliar dog;
- If a dog knocks you over, curl into a tight ball and tuck your head in with your hands over your ears and neck;
- Letting your parents or guardian know if a strange dog or evenly a family dog is acting strangely.
Legally speaking, those that are injured by a dog (doesn’t necessarily need to be a dog bite) probably have a legal claim that could be made against the dog’s owner for the injuries that stem from the dog bite(s). Some of these injuries could include diseases like rabies, infections, MRSA, tetanus and others. The coverage for this kind of claim comes under the dog owner’s homeowner’s policy. If the dog owner is a renter, and if they have renter’s insurance, there may additionally be coverage that can be available.
See “Seven Things You Must Do After a Dog Bites You in Utah” for more information.
Ron Kramer is an attorney practicing personal injury law in West Jordan and throughout Utah.
