What Can I File if I Was Bitten by a Dog During My Delivery?
USPS workers who were bitten or attacked by a dog during their delivery may suffer serious injuries which keep them out of work for days, weeks or even months. Additionally, injured USPS workers often face tremendous medical expenses as a result of a dog bite. Thus, it is important that all USPS letter carriers understand that they have a few options to seek compensation after a dog bite.
Postal employees who are bitten by a dog can pursue a personal injury claim against the animal’s owner. Additionally, they can file for workers’ compensation benefits. However, these two claims are very different, and it is important that carriers understand the differences between them.
As federal employees, USPS workers can apply for federal workers’ compensation benefits after suffering an on-the-job injury. The workers’ compensation system allows injured postal workers to obtain compensation for a workplace injury without the need to prove that someone else was at fault.
For many injured workers, a workers’ compensation claim is the only available remedy because these claims are generally an injured workers’ sole remedy against their employer. However, USPS dog bites are different. When a dog attacks a postal worker, it often has nothing to do with the negligence of the post office. Thus, in these situations, postal workers can pursue a personal injury claim against the animal’s owner.
Most personal injury cases require the injured party to prove that the person responsible for their injuries was negligent. However, in Illinois, pet owners are strictly liable for any injuries caused by their animals. This means that an injured USPS worker does not need to show that a dog owner was negligent to hold them liable for any injuries caused by their pet. While there are exceptions to the general strict liability rule, they don’t often come up in the context of postal workers, because delivery people have a legal right to be present on the homeowner’s property.
If a USPS letter carrier is successful in bringing a personal injury case against an animal owner, they may be entitled to recover compensation for the following:
• Past medical expenses,
• Future medical costs,
• Lost wages,
• Decrease in earning capacity,
• Pain and suffering,
• Emotional distress,
• Disability or disfigurement, and
• Loss of enjoyment of life.
If you are a USPS worker who was attacked by a dog while on your route, the Chicago USPS dog bite lawyers at Briskman Briskman & Greenberg are here for you. At Briskman Briskman & Greenberg, our personal injury lawyers have over 30 years of experience helping postal workers obtain the compensation they need and deserve after being bit by a dog. To learn more, and to schedule a free consultation, call 1-877-595-4878 today. Because we work on a contingency basis, you will not pay any upfront costs to bring a claim, and we will not charge you for our services unless we can get you the compensation you deserve.
Other Dog Bite FAQs:
- Can the Post Office Refuse to Deliver Mail Because of a Dog?
- How Do Dogs React to Repellant?
- How Many Dog Bites Occur In The US?
- How to Prevent a Dog Bite?
- How to Treat Dog Bites?
- My Child Got Bitten By A Dog; What Are My Next Steps?
- What Breed of Dog Bites the Most?
- What Can I File if I Was Bitten by a Dog During My Delivery?
- What Evidence Is Needed For A Dog Bite Lawsuit?
- What Is Dog Repellant?
- What Is The Total Cost For A Dog Bite Lawyer?
- What Should Letter Carriers Know About Dogs?
- What Should Pet Owners Do Before a USPS Worker Delivers the Mail?
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- Why Is Dog Repellant Necessary?