People typically expect dogs to be friendly and affectionate. Most dogs are eager to interact with humans or simply ignore their presence. However, some dogs can be quite aggressive toward humans.
Factors ranging from a history of abuse to neurological issues caused by inbreeding might result in a dog becoming incredibly aggressive toward humans. Dog bite incidents can leave people with disfiguring scars. They can produce dangerous infections and result in broken bones. People may also develop traumatic responses or phobias after a dog bite attack.
People who are bitten by dogs may need compensation to cover medical expenses, property damage losses and income consequences. Does the breed of the dog that attacked an individual have any impact on their request for compensation?
Some breeds are more aggressive than others
When looking at dog bite statistics, certain breeds are much more likely than others to attack humans. American pit bulls and Rottweilers, as well as German Shepherds and Chow Chows, are among the most common breeds that attack and hurt humans.
A dog’s breed can influence the likelihood of the animal becoming aggressive and the severity of the injuries that it can inflict. Chihuahuas and toy poodles are notorious for being aggressive, but they often only inflict minimal injuries if the incident involves an adult human. Larger and more aggressive breeds can cause much more significant damage.
Breed issues can affect insurance
Typically, people involved in dog bite incidents can request compensation through the insurance coverage of the animal’s owner. Both homeowners’ and renters’ insurance policies provide people with liability coverage.
Even if the dog jumps over a fence or attacks someone at a park, its owner’s liability coverage can pay for the victim’s losses. Unfortunately, some insurance companies do restrict coverage for certain breeds. They either charge more to cover people with certain breeds or refuse to underwrite policies when certain types of dogs are present.
Owners who lied about the breed of their dogs, possibly by claiming that a Rottweiler was a mixed-breed dog, may not have liability coverage available to provide to the injured person. Most of the time, however, insurance can help cover the costs generated when a dog attacks.
Filing an insurance claim followed by a lawsuit may be necessary to secure a reasonable settlement after a dog bite incident. A dog’s breed can affect dog bite claims, but people generally have basic protection regardless of what kind of dog attacks them.