Texas letter carriers have a dangerous job. Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio and El Paso are some of the top 25 most unfriendly cities for postal workers because of so many dog attacks. In 2011, Houston was the third-worst city for dog attacks and Dallas was fifth.
Postal workers often hear, “Don’t worry, my dog won’t bite,” from residents right before the dog attacks them. To try to protect themselves, letter carriers have dog spray, and cards in which they share information on where unfriendly dogs live.
It is recommended that if dogs get overly excited or aggressive when the letter carrier comes to the door to move the mailbox to the street.
State Farm insurance paid out more than $109 million for the nearly 3,800 dog bite claims filed in 2011. According to a State Farm report, almost 5 million people are bitten or attacked each year. More than half of all dog bite victims are children. The injuries are highest with 5 to 9-year-old children.
State Farm reported that in 2011 Texas had the third highest number of reported dog bites (219), totaling $5.1 million of paid claims.
If you or a loved one has been the victim of a dog bite or attack due to the negligence of an owner, you deserve justice. Contact the Law Firm of W.T. Johnson today for a free consultation.
