Five Ohio cities, including Cleveland and Columbus, were ranked in the top 30 for dog attacks on postal workers. The U.S. Postal Service released the figures for 2013 in observance of National Dog Bite Prevention Week May 19-25.
Cleveland ranked third in the overall tally with 58 bite incidents compared with more than 60 other cities in the United States. Postal employees, children, and the elderly are the largest groups of the 4.5 million Americans who become victims of dog bites each year.
Columbus, Ohio ranked ninth with 39 dog bites; Cincinnati was 16th with 26 bites, and Dayton and Youngstown ranked 28th and 29th with 13 and 12 bite incidents, respectively. The worst city was Houston, TX reporting 63 workers bitten in a year’s time.
Postal Service Manager Linda DeCarlo said dog attacks are a national issue and are preventable through responsible pet ownership. She urges dog owners to place their pets in a separate room and to close the door of that room before opening the front door to a postal worker or any stranger.
She also suggests children be instructed about the need to keep the family dog secured and that parents should not allow children to take mail directly from a letter carrier as the dog may see this as a threatening gesture.
A dog owner may be asked to pick up their mail at the post office if the carrier feels threatened by an animal at a residence or by a dog roaming a neighborhood.
Ohio has specific laws to address dog bites. This means you have rights as a victim to recover compensation for the injuries you suffer from a dog attack.
The Ohio law firm of Slater & Zurz has dog bite lawyers who have achieved results for their clients throughout Ohio. Here are just two examples of cases they have handled:
- An 8-year-old girl playing in her own yard was attacked by a neighbor’s dog, causing injury to her ocular nerve and scarring of her face. In a negotiated settlement, the little girl and her family were awarded $250,000.
- Another client, a young boy, was viciously attacked by a dog and had numerous injuries. Slater & Zurz LLP negotiated a $230,000 settlement for him and his family.
Slater & Zurz cannot promise you would receive the same or a similar award if the firm represents you, but we can promise that we will fight for you or any family member injured in this fashion and attempt to receive the appropriate compensation. For a free consultation, please call us at 1-888-534-4850 or send us a website message.
