Date: June 2, 2011By: Atlanta Dog Bite Lawyers

According to a new study by the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.), the cost of dog bite claims for insurers has continued to rise, jumping over 5% in the last year alone to reach a whopping $26,166 per claim. This increase has been attributed to increasing medical costs and to the growing monetary value of verdicts for plaintiffs, which have outpaced inflation.

According to Georgia dog bite law, “A person who owns or keeps a vicious or dangerous animal of any kind and who, by careless management or by allowing the animal to go at liberty, causes injury to another person who does not provoke the injury by his own act may be liable in damages to the person so injured.” Dog bites can cause serious harm to Atlanta personal injury victims, and some believe that the dog bite problem is being exacerbated by more aggressive breeds of dogs and by those trained to protect properties. 

In 2008 there were over 300,000 visits to hospital Emergency Departments for dog-bite related injuries, with many of these injuries considered serious. The I.I.I. study states that in a fifteen year period, the number of serious dog bites rose from approximately 5,100 in 1993 to 9,500 in 2008. This represents an increase of nearly 100%. With the increasing seriousness of dog bites, the treatment for dog bite victims seems to be gradually riding as well, now costing an average of $18,200 per patient.

When an individual is bitten by a dog, the victim may be entitled to compensation for their injuries and medical costs. If you or a loved one is bitten by a dog, it may be possible to file a dog-bite personal injury claim to recover damages. It is important to know your entitlements when you are bitten by a dog, and Atlanta injury lawyers will fight to protect your rights.

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