USPS Releases Dog Attack Statistics

One of the most common injuries that happens in the U.S. is a dog bite. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, no fewer than 4.5 million Americans suffer injuries as a result of a dog bite every year, with nearly 20% of these bites becoming infected. While nearly half of the dog bite victims in the United States are children, there is another subset of the American population that is also at great risk of being injured from a dog bite: Postal workers.

Postal Workers at Risk of Dog Attacks

The scene of a postal worker running away from a dog while on the job is a common one in TV shows or movies. However, the picture of a mail man trying to fend off a chihuahua with his or her mail bag is not just for the screen.

Dogs are one of the main dangers of the job for mail carriers. Territorial and often viciously loyal to their owners, some dogs view mail carriers as a threat to their home, and respond aggressively towards them.

The United States Postal Service Releases Dog Bite Injury List

The risk of being attacked by dogs is very real for many postal workers. According to the United States Postal Service (USPS), 6,549 of its employees were attacked by dogs while they were on the job. The USPS also broke down where the attacks occurred, listing the top cities for postal workers to be attacked by dogs. The clear front runner was Houston, Texas, where 77 dog attacks had happened in 2015. San Diego and Cleveland were tied for second, with 58 each, while Chicago and Dallas tied for third with 57 attacks.

USPS Issues Guidelines to Prevent Further Attacks

To help prevent further dog attacks on its employees, as well as anyone else visiting a home that has a dog, the USPS recommended that dog owners shut their dog in a separate room when the mail carrier arrives at their door. Dogs have been known to rush at strangers that they think are attacking the house, and keeping them locked in another room prevents them from doing it. This is especially important if a child accepts mail from the postal worker. The dog might see the transaction as a threatening gesture and rush in to protect the child.

Personal Injury Attorneys in Maryland

Dog bites are serious issues. Deep gash wounds can lead to severe bleeding and long-lasting injuries to tissue and muscles. If the injury becomes infected, the prognosis gets even worse. The personal injury attorneys at Gilman & Bedigian will fight for your interests in court, and do all that they can to ensure that you get adequately compensated for your injuries from those who are responsible. Contact Gilman & Bedigian online or at (800) 529-6162.