Texas Dog Bite Lawyers - Dog Bite Injury Attorneys in Dallas and Houston, TX

Texas Department of Health, Zoonosis Division

Dogs have shared their lives with humans for more than 12,000 years, and that coexistence has contributed substantially to humans' quality of life. In the United States, there are slightly more than 53 million dogs sharing the human-canine bond, more dogs per capita than in any other country in the world. Unfortunately, a few dogs do not live up to their image as mankind's best friend, and an estimated 4.5 million people are bitten each year, although the actual number injured is unknown. Approximately 334,000 people are admitted to US emergency rooms annually with dog bite-associated injuries, and another 466,000 are seen in other medical settings. An unknown number of other people who have been bitten do not sustain injuries deemed serious enough to require medical attention. Still another group of individuals is not represented by this data, those that incur injuries secondary to a bite or attempted bite. For example, a jogger may trip and break an arm while fleeing from a threatening dog.

Also of concern are the demographics of typical dog bite victims. Almost half are children younger than 12 years old. People more than 70 years old comprise 10% of those bitten and 20% of those killed.

Direct costs of dog bite injuries are high. The insurance industry estimates it pays more than $1 billion per year in homeowners' liability claims resulting from dog bites. Hospital expenses for dog bite-related emergency visits are estimated at $102.4 million. There are also medical insurance claims, workmen's compensation claims, lost wages, and sick leave-associated business costs that have not been calculated.