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WHERE YOU INJURED?
TO US, IT'S PERSONAL

As the client, you come first, and we’ll work diligently to make sure you’re compensated for your personal injury. Understanding what constitutes a personal injury is an important first step in your claim.
Dog bites

DOG BITES & ANIMAL ATTACKS

Animal bite accidents make up one of the most common types of personal injury claims in the United States. Every year, millions of bite accidents and animal attacks occur, mostly due to interactions with animals that people keep as pets. Some of these involve very minor injuries, while others may result in serious or even fatal consequences.

Animal Bite Accident Statistics
Below are a few statistics and facts on animal bite accidents provided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in 2019.

Dog Bite Statistics:
  • Dog bites are by far the most common type of animal bites in the U.S. with around 4.5 million dog bites occurring each year.
  • An estimated 800,000 dog bites are serious enough to require medical care.
  • About 2/3 of all dog bites occur near or on the property of the victim; in most dog bite cases, the victim knew the dog that bit them.
  • On average, there are about 38 fatal dog bite cases per year.
  • Around 92% of fatal dog bite cases involve male dogs; of these cases, 94% of the male dogs were not neutered.
  • Chained dogs are more likely to bite by a factor of 2.8 times more than unchained dogs and account for 25% of fatal dog attacks.
  • Slightly over 71% of all dog bites occur to the arms, legs, feet, and hands. However, 65% of dog bites among children are to the neck and head
  • Pit bulls are responsible for the most human deaths each year, followed by Rottweilers and Huskies. However, many dog bite cases don’t get reported.
  • Half of all dog attacks involve children younger than 12 years of age
  • 70% of all dog attack fatalities involve children who are less than 10 years old
Most people associate animal bites with dog bites, but cat bites are also a very common phenomenon. Some cat bite statistics are as follows:
  • There are an estimated  400,000 cat bites each year.
  • An estimated 66,000 hospital emergency visits each year are due to cat bites.
  • In 2009, there were 81 rabies cases from dogs, but 300 rabies cases from cats, meaning that cats were three times more likely to be rabid than dogs that year.

Statistics and facts for other types of animals:
  • Three children have been killed by pet wolves in the past 30 years.
  • Reptile pets can also be fatal; some injuries involve strangulation instead of bites as they are caused by reptiles such as boa constrictors and pythons.

If an animal causes property damage or physical injuries, the animal’s owner is generally held liable. The owner’s liability may be held to may depend upon the type of animal kept, the type of injury, and the state the injury occurs in. For instance, owners of domestic animals, such as cats and dogs, might only be subject to liability based on negligence. However, owners of exotic or wild animals are usually held strictly liable for injury you would expect from such an animal. MBO Law Group has the experience to get you what you deserve for animal attacks. Let our attorneys provide you with the quality representation necessary for your case.