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How a dog’s breed can influence bite risk and compensation

On Behalf of | Sep 10, 2024 | Personal Injury

Encountering a dog when visiting a friend or a park can be a pleasant experience. Many canines are eager to interact with humans and are, overall, quite friendly. However, some dogs become defensive of their homes or their owners. Others may become aggressive with little provocation.

People can end up seriously hurt if a dog suddenly becomes aggressive. Technically, any type of dog can decide to attack and injure a human. However, there are certain trends that are hard to ignore when looking at dog bite incidents. The breed of the animals is one of several factors that influences the likelihood of a dog bite attack and the severity of the incident. Dog breed can also affect eligibility for compensation in some cases.

Certain breeds are statistically more dangerous

There are certain dog breeds that have a reputation for being aggressive and dangerous. While any dog poses a potential threat to humans, these breeds have disproportionate representation when looking at dog bite incidents.

The most dangerous breed is the American pit bull, as it has a known association with deadly dog bite attacks. Rottweilers take second place on the list. Mixed breeds are also high on the list, as are German shepherds. Larger, traditionally aggressive breeds are often responsible for the worst dog bite incidents that lead to disfiguring injuries or deaths.

Insurance companies have rules about dangerous breeds

Typically, homeowner’s insurance or renter’s insurance policies can pay for the damage inflicted when a dog becomes aggressive. However, some insurance companies have restrictions on coverage for known dangerous breeds. Insurance providers may either decline to underwrite a policy when there is a dangerous dog breed at a property or may charge a homeowner significantly more for coverage because of the dog that they own.

Much of the time, a property insurance policy that offers premises liability coverage can pay for the expenses generated in a dog bite attack incident. In some cases, the people attacked by dogs cannot obtain compensation through insurance because the owner either lied about owning a dog or misrepresented its breed.

It may be necessary to pursue a personal injury lawsuit after a dog bite incident generates human injuries. Civil litigation can lead to a more reasonable insurance settlement or can hold an owner accountable for having a dangerous dog without proper insurance coverage.

Dog bite victims can potentially seek compensation through premises liability coverage, even when injurious incidents occur somewhere other than a dog owner’s home. Recognizing how a dog’s breed can affect bite risk and compensation can help people properly respond after an animal becomes aggressive.