Cowen Edwards Trial Lawyers represents dog bite victims, especially those bitten while on the job as mail carriers. Our dog bite lawyers offer free consultations to all injured victims with dog bite wounds and aren’t afraid to hold dog owners and USPS fully responsible. Contact our offices to find out about the support you should be demanding.
Do I Need a Lawyer After Getting Bitten While Delivering for USPS?
Yes. If your injuries are serious and you’ll need to seek recovery support from a negligent dog owner, it’s a good idea to have a Fort Lauderdale Dog Bite Lawyer protecting your case. If you are missing time at work due to a dog bite wound and must seek help from The United States Postal Service, you’ll also want a lawyer on your side.
When medical bills run high and you are out of work for weeks, insurance companies and USPS lawyers will start looking for ways to avoid accepting liability for what happened. USPS can leave you without support even though you were hurt performing your job for the Postal Service.
A Fort Lauderdale USPS dog bite lawyer is a safeguard after you’ve been hurt. Your Cowen Edwards attorney would be investigating your case and holding dog owners and employers fully responsible for your injury hardships.
Dog Bite Dangers for USPS Workers in Fort Lauderdale
USPS workers are put at risk every time they head out to make deliveries in Fort Lauderdale neighborhoods. They must enter properties where dog owners may not be thinking about their safety. Workers can encounter a dog on the loose and whether through fear or aggression, a dog can deliver a devastating bite.
Victims can suffer broken bones, nerve damage, permanent disfigurement, and other frightening consequences. A USPS employee may also have to miss weeks of work while trying to heal and may be left with an uncertain future if their employer isn’t completely supportive.
In a study released by the U.S. Postal Service in 2024, Florida ranked high among states with the most dog attacks on mail carriers. Florida recorded 193 dog attacks on USPS employees in 2023. That ranked 7th on the list and was down slightly from 220 attacks in our state in 2022.
California led the way for all states documenting 727 dog attacks in 2023. Texas ranked 2nd with 411 attacks.
Nearby Miami also showed up on a ranking of U.S. Cities. The city saw 21 dog attacks on postal workers in 2023. Ranking 18th on a list of the biggest cities. Los Angeles ranked first on that list with 65 incidents. Houston was second with 56 incidents.
Are Dog Owners Responsible for Preventing Dog Bites on Mail Carriers?
Dog owners are held liable for dog bites in most circumstances in Florida. Florida’s “strict liability” dog bite laws hold owners responsible for bites even if the dog has never bitten anyone before. The dog does not have to have had a prior incident for a dog owner to be liable.
Strict liability makes it easier to determine who will be responsible for medical bills and a victim’s lost time at work. A mail carrier can file a claim against a dog owner unless the following factors are in play:
- The dog bite victim provoked the dog before getting bit.
- The victim was trespassing on private property. Fortunately, mail carriers operate under the assumption of permission to enter a property when they deliver. As long as they are doing their jobs, a property owner couldn’t claim the USPS worker was trespassing when they were bitten.
A dog owner is responsible for keeping mail carriers safe as they deliver mail. That includes restraining dogs or fencing off areas where a mail carrier will have to travel. That can mean a front porch or a front door area.
In some cases, a dog bite isn’t involved, but a dog still harms a postal worker by knocking them down, intentionally or not. Strict liability wouldn’t apply in this case, but other personal injury laws would.
Your Fort Lauderdale dog bite lawyer would help you prove that a dog owner was fully to blame. Your attorney handles the frustrating negotiations to get you the most in injury compensation possible while allowing you time to heal.
Is USPS Responsible if a Mail Carrier Is Bitten by a Dog?
The dog owner will usually be held responsible for a dog bite, but there are other parties that might also have to contribute to a victim’s recovery funds. That includes the government agency that employs the mail carrier.
USPS may unfairly be pressuring a victim to come back to work or not providing enough in support to help a victim make ends meet while out of work.
A dog bite incident during your route for the USPS can leave several parties liable for your recovery costs. It’s also possible a landlord or property owner could be liable if a tenant’s dog bit a postal worker.
Your lawyer will be holding all responsible parties accountable for as long as necessary for you to make a full physical, emotional, and financial recovery.
- USPS. The federal government operating the USPS could also be liable for a worker’s damages after a bite. It’s also possible the government’s actions contributed to the dog bite risk factor. Pressure on a mail carrier to continue to deliver to a property that’s had dog attack incidents in the past could prove the employer was negligent. USPS may ignore the concerns of employees about an address as well. This might leave them liable if an employee gets hurt.
- Landlord or Property Owner. A property owner or property management company might be financially accountable for a dog bite if a tenant was allowed to keep a reported dangerous dog. If a previous incident had occurred, the landlord should be taking steps to protect visitors and mail carriers from an aggressive dog or evicting the resident from the property. In some cases, a landlord may be caring for a tenant’s dog. In this case, the landlord might also be liable.
In some cases, USPS may not be supporting an injured mail carrier like it should. Pay should not be affected and support should be offered for as long as necessary. If victims have trouble getting all of the compensation they need to support themselves, Cowen Edwards Trial Lawyers would be ready to get aggressive to force USPS to back its employees.
Do I Need a Lawyer to Sue USPS?
It’s a very good idea. USPS will be able to rely on government lawyers to poke holes in your case and try to blame you for your dog bite incident. You’ll want a skilled lawyer safeguarding your rights and standing up to a giant organization like the postal service.
The government is also able to hide behind certain legal protections if allowed to. They can require victims to seek permission to file a claim to get help.
Lawsuits filed against government departments also come with a much shorter statute of limitations compared to normal personal injury cases. Victims may only have months to file a claim or lose their chance to seek help forever.
Compensation for Fort Lauderdale USPS Dog Bite Victims
Your attorney creates a list of every hardship you’ve endured while you’ve been forced to miss work and endure a difficult recovery. All damages must be included in an injury claim so a dog owner’s insurance company knows what it is responsible for.
Your Cowen Edwards attorney demands a dog bite settlement check that covers a few things you might not have known could earn additional support:
- Totals on current medical bills and estimates on the cost of care in the future.
- Money to pay for physical therapy treatment for victims to relearn how to walk or use their hands after nerve, tendon, and ligament damage.
- Long-term costs associated with a permanent physical disability that may make it impossible for victims to return to their mail carrier positions.
- Support for the physical pain.
- Support for emotional trauma victims are put through due to a frightening dog attack and a difficult recovery. This can include the PTSD symptoms suffered after a bite and the fear of all animals that may develop.
- Loss of enjoyment of life as victims are forced to give up hobbies and family activities due to injuries.
- Travel costs patients build up while going to doctor’s appointments and seeing out-of-area specialists.
- Income and USPS benefits lost as victims miss time at work while injured.
Contact a Fort Lauderdale Dog Bite Lawyer
Dealing with injuries and the emotional fallout from a dog bite can be really difficult, especially if you were hurt while working. But our experienced team of Fort Lauderdale personal injury lawyers who focus on dog bite cases can make a big difference.
We understand these situations well and will protect your rights, helping you get the support and compensation you deserve from every at-fault party. We aren’t afraid to stand up to the Federal Government and insurance companies representing dog owners. We will demand every cent of what you’ll need to recover and get back to your normal life.
Don’t hesitate. Contact us now for a free consultation to get started. There’s no obligation and no risk to find out what’s possible. If you decide we can help you earn more for your on-the-job injury, you won’t need any money to hire us. Cowen Edwards Trial Lawyers doesn’t get paid unless you win your case. Then our fee comes out of the settlement money you are awarded.
