It seems that every time we hear of someone being seriously injured or even killed by a vicious dog attack, the dog’s owners are always shocked. They are apt to say something like, “He was such a gentle dog. Great with the kids. Never did anything like this before.” Perhaps. However, the dogs that inflict serious or fatal injuries have a lot in common.
A Colorado study of ‘which dogs bite’ in 1991 concluded that the biting dog was much more likely to be male, not neutered and normally chained in the yard. In addition, most biting dogs are large, muscular and stocky, typically one of the molosser breeds, which includes pit bulls and rottweilers. Those two breeds accounted for 74% of the deaths of Americans between 2005-2013. Pit bulls have by far the worst record: that single breed committed 64% of the fatal attacks.
Considering that pit bulls were originally selectively bred to be aggressive fighting dogs, this is hardly surprising. Owning a pit bull is dangerous – almost half of the people killed during 2011 were those who took care of the animal. Approximately one-third of pit bull attacks are on someone living in the same house.
Some might say that compared to auto accident fatalities the number of dog bite deaths is insignificant. It’s true that the number is much smaller; there were 283 dog bite deaths over 9 years or about 31 deaths every year. However, every day over 1,000 people need to visit the ER because of a dog bite and the average medical costs for dog bites are 50% higher than for other injuries. Many need reconstructive surgery. The total economic costs to victims of dog attacks is staggering – between $1 and $2 billion every year. The emotional trauma is severe.
Schoone Leuck Kelley Pitts & Pitts SC law firm has designed their law practice to provide both effective and affordable representation for their clients. Their focus is on personal injury law, family law and criminal defense, giving them a wealth of knowledge and experience in these areas. Home and hospital visits are available for those who would find it inconvenient or difficult to travel to one of their three offices. Anyone who needs the services of a knowledgeable dog bite attorney in Kenosha WI should contact one of these skilled attorneys for a free consultation.
