When a worker in Minnesota suffers an injury while completing job duties, he or she can generally turn to workers’ compensation for help. However, there are some situations in which it is also necessary to pursue a personal injury claim against a third party. For example, those who have suffered dog bite injuries on the job can often hold the dog’s owners responsible for injuries.
Dog bites and postal workers
Although often used as a joke in TV shows or movies, the threat of a dog bite is very real for postal workers in the United States. In 2020 alone, dogs bit more than 5,800 postal workers. Around the same number of postal workers were subject to dog bites in 2019.
It is not just postal workers that are at risk, though. Dog bites in general have been on the rise since March 2020, when there was a significant shift toward working from home. This disrupted dogs’ regular schedules and increased their levels of stress, which contributed to the rise in bites. Experts say that the best way to decrease the number of dog bites against both postal workers and the population in general is for owners to better train their pets. Some examples of responsible pet ownership include:
- Leash training
- Exposing dogs to new environments
- Keeping dogs secluded or indoors when postal workers are around
Dog bite injuries are more than just physical. Victims often suffer emotional trauma related to animal attacks, which can be a lifelong struggle without the right help. Accessing that help can be cost prohibitive for many victims in Minnesota, which is why the compensation secured through a successfully navigated personal injury claim is so important for recovery.
