Got Bit by Dog Tuesday
- Thread starter UPSGUY72
- Start date
whiskey
Well-Known Member
A dog bite is a guaranteed 3 grand from the dog owners home owners insurance policy.
curiousbrain
Well-Known Member
That dog bite is hardly worth three thousand .. come on, now. There is a real family on the other end that has to pay for the hike in rates. If his foot was missing, I'd more then understand; but it's not, is it?
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It's the price they pay for owning a vicious animal that they allowed to attack someone. Shouldn't they bear the responsibility? Shouldn't there be some kind of punitive action?
curiousbrain
Well-Known Member
For sure, sir.
However, consider the three thousand dollar payout to the victim, versus the pay rate hike the person/family faces and for how long? Which will be greater?
I'm not protesting that a crime was committed; rather, I am saying that the sentence should be commensurate with the crime - as relative to the dog bite.
However, consider the three thousand dollar payout to the victim, versus the pay rate hike the person/family faces and for how long? Which will be greater?
I'm not protesting that a crime was committed; rather, I am saying that the sentence should be commensurate with the crime - as relative to the dog bite.
UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)
Well-Known Member
$3K is the going rate for a dog bite.
I don't think having the dog owner pay $50 for the ER visit is going to convince him to better control Cujo. A big increase in his insurance rate will remind him every year.
curiousbrain
Well-Known Member
I can admit defeat, in so much as an impasse has been reached.
Until next time.
Until next time.
UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)
Well-Known Member
Your reasoning was sound but the harsh reality is that we live in a litigious society. The homeowner's rates won't go up that much, if at all. The insurance will cover the medical bills and a reasonable amount for "pain and suffering", which is usually $3-5K for a dog bite.
Dang! I only got 2.5k.
If he is just "going through the motions" you need a better Lawyer.
He called me yesterday he got a letter from the guys insurance company they want to settle just need to send him a picture of the scar.
whiskey
Well-Known Member
Scar reimbursement is a separate program. And it still exists. You have to be six months removed from the injury and they pay 1 grand an inch. As Borat would say, "It's NIIICCE"
brownmonster
Man of Great Wisdom
I would be inclined not to go after any kind of damages. UPS covered all the medical I assume. Crap happens, I have scars all over from work that went uncompensated. My neighbors dog took a chunk out of my arm and ripped my shirt one day. I laughed it off. I just like to bring it up now and again to make him feel guilty.
The Blackadder
Are you not amused?
I got bit by a dog once so I bit him back to teach him a leason.
Man Bits dog!!
Man Bits dog!!
I used to have this one bad dog on my area, until a police officer blew it away a couple of weeks ago. I thought about sending a thank you note to the police department. This was a seven year old Golden Retriever that was kept in its yard by an invisible fence with no warning signs. It almost got me one time, it bit through my pants leg, but missed my leg. I tried every trick in the book dealing with this dog for years. I threw a dog treat on the ground, he gulped it down and then continued attacking me. A couple of times I backed down the driveway and opened my back door and set it off at the garage door. I have shoved my DIAD into its mouth a couple of times. Most of the time, I would just pull up in front of the house and blow my horn until somebody would come out to get their package. Usually I don't mind messing with dogs like this, its kind of like a challenge to me. The lady at the house knew the dog was bad, she would tell all our drivers to leave their packages at the mailbox. I would still take them to the door. This story made the local news when the police officer shot the dog while investigating a suspicious character in the neighborhood. This story even made The Drudge Report. The TV station made it sound like the dog was friendly and wagging its tail when the officer shot it. The dog finally made the mistake of attacking an unsuspecting person that happened to be armed.
Catatonic
Nine Lives
The local news did make it sound like the dog was very friendly and was likely trying to lick the officer rather than biting him.
I don't believe the press much anyway.
UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)
Well-Known Member
UPS does cover the medical bills upfront but I believe the homeowner policy reimburses these bills in addition to any payment made to the driver.
soberups
Pees in the brown Koolaid
I have never been a big fan of litigation, or the automatic assumption that we are entitled to compensation for any pain or suffering that might occur.
Obviously, the homeowner should be responsible for any medical bills that occur from his dog biting someone. He should also be responsible for lost wages, or to UPS for paying to keep the employee on TAW. Those are direct, line-item financial costs.
If I got bit by a dog and wound up with nothing more than a couple hours in the ER and a few stitches, I dont really feel "entitled" to some huge pain and suffering settlement. It might be different if the damage was serious and I had to go to physical therapy for a month, or if I wound up missing a scheduled vacation trip because of it. But there are too many people in the world today who view any sort of injury as a winning lottery ticket and that is the reason that insurance rates are so high and that there are so many silly rules and regulations in place. I dont want to live in a society where everybody is looking to get rich by suing everybody else.
As far as "punishing" the owner for having a vicious dog....I remember one time as a little kid when the neighbors had a mean, vicious dog that ran loose. One day a group of us kids were riding our bikes and the dog came out and chased us. There was a 7 year old girl with us; the dog knocked her off her bike and attacked her. She wound up with over 60 stitches and a fractured wrist from falling off of the bike. The next day, my dad and one of the other men in the neighborhood went over to the house armed with shotguns and told the owner that he had one hour to get rid of the dog or they were going to shoot it and leave it in his yard. The owner wound up shooting the dog himself, as well as paying the girls medical bill and buying her a brand new bike. No lawyers... no calling the sheriff.....no lawsuits.... just neighbors getting together and taking care of business.
