Even though dog owners in North Carolina don’t expect or believe that their dogs will bite, unfortunately, their animals might attack under certain circumstances. Read on to find out how likely is a dog to bite you.
Dog bite statistics
Each year, there are approximately 4.5 million dog attacks that occur in the United States. In other words, for every 73 people, a dog bites one of them.
Even though these numbers are staggering, you should know that 81% of dog bites cause only minor or no injuries at all, and you may not even need to go to a doctor. There is only a 1 in 112,400 chance of a dog bite causing death. Among the dog breeds that are most likely to bite, the ones that cause fatal attacks include Pitbull, German Shepherd, American Bulldog, Husky, Mastiff and Rottweiler.
North Carolina dog bite laws
In North Carolina, you cannot sue a dog owner whose dog has no history of ever biting a human before. This is known as a one-bite law. The only limitations to this law are if the dog is older than six months and if the owner allows it to run at large at night.
On the other hand, if the dog that has bitten you has a history of attacks or is on the list of potentially dangerous dog breeds, then you may be able to receive compensation from the dog owner. The compensation you are liable to receive might include pain and suffering, lost income, medical bills, loss of consortium and property damage.
Dog bites can be dangerous, not just for the injury but also for potential infection. Always see a doctor after a bite even if the dog that has bitten you is not considered deadly. Then, you can follow the doctor visit with a compensation claim in North Carolina’s courts.
