Dog bite in South Florida
In South Florida, one in every third person has a dog or two or three as pets living in their household. In cities across Broward County you can see an owner with his or her dog out and about, on the beaches of Fort Lauderdale, in parks in Sunrise and Plantation, even the Doggie parks in Davie, owners are walking their dogs whether it’s for exercise or just to get the dogs out of the house for some fresh air.
Recent studies by the Insurance Information Institute, state more than one-third of homeowner’s insurance claims filed are related to dog bite incidents. The study also showed that the average cost per claim was $24,840, which was up 1.5 percent from 2008's costs. Overall, dog attack claims have risen 30 percent since 2003, when reporting first began.
Even though experts say that while the actual number of dog bites has not grown that much, the inflated costs of medical bills and the increasingly large settlement amounts in these types of cases are causing the claims total to rise exponentially every year, as more and more victims of dog bites file claim.
Most homeowner and renter insurance policies cover anywhere from $100,000 to $300,000 in medical bills and/or damages caused by a dog attack, and we have found that many insurance companies are forced to raise their premium rates across the board as settlements continue to rise.
If you are being denied coverage for a dog bite attack on your property or if you have been bitten by a dog on someone else's property, it is imperative that you contact a South Florida Personal Injury lawyer right away, to save you time and money in the process.
