If you’re renting: Many renters choose to purchase renter’s insurance to cover losses related to burglary. Some rental insurance policies also include a small amount of liability coverage. However, such policies often do not include sufficient liability coverage in the event of a severe dog bite. In rare cases, a condo association may shoulder some of the liability for dog bite injuries, but typically only if it has ignored an ongoing history of the dog’s bad behavior. If you are a dog owner and renting your home, we strongly encourage you to consider purchasing additional dog bite liability insurance.
If you are a homeowner: We strongly recommend that all homeowners purchase insurance policies with liability coverage and an umbrella policy which covers the breed of the dog(s) you own. It’s important to know that if you fail to obtain adequate insurance coverage for dog bites, you may be at risk for bankruptcy and/or the loss of your home and other assets if your dog bites and seriously injures someone.
Beware of the Fine Print
Insurance companies have started to introduce exclusions for certain breeds they deem particularly aggressive. The list seems to be growing longer every day. We recommend you closely examine your policy for potentially excluded breeds, the most common of which are:
- Pitbulls
- Rottweilers
- Dobermans
- Shepherds
- Mastiffs
- Akitas
- Huskies
- Weimaraners
- and others
Many people are shocked when they try to file a claim and find out that their breed is excluded from their policy. The dog owner’s assets could be seized and sold to cover the damage awarded to the victim if your insurance does not have sufficient coverage.
A word of caution: It is very important to confirm in writing your policy coverage for dog bites, including which breeds are excluded. In one of our cases, both the policy holder and her insurance broker thought the policy provided $250,000 worth of coverage. In reality, it was only $25,000!
Have You Been Bitten by a Dog in Massachusetts?
Unfortunately for dog bite victims, if the dog owner doesn’t have adequate insurance coverage and doesn’t own enough assets to make up the difference, victims are forced to shoulder the costs themselves. Some health insurance policies will cover some of the medical expenses, but if plastic surgery is required, this is often considered elective and thus not covered by health insurance.
In the event that you suffer a dog bite, you need an experienced personal injury lawyer on your side to get you the best possible settlement, pursuing all available sources of compensation.
Call an Experienced Dog Bite Attorney
When it comes to dog bite cases, it is important to speak to a dog bite lawyer who has successfully handled a significant number of cases involving dog bites and attacks. Our attorneys have extensive experience in a wide variety of injury categories, such as permanent scarring, infection, psychological trauma or harm, facial reconstruction, cellulitis, amputations, and complex fractures.
Call the personal injury team at Parker Scheer for advice on pursuing your dog bite injury claim. (866) 416-7002
