[Formula8]

Originally Posted by triathlonx13

OK - Let's band everything. Stop shaving - the razor is sharp.

I respect each and everyone views on PitBulls... like anything else. But for the insurance companies hiking up the costs insanely.. well - that's just not right and not based on any real data... again - all media hype.

.

I wish there was someone here who knew something about litigating dog bite claims and not just somebody spewing crap on the internet blaming others for their lack of understanding of these issues........oh, wait, that's me who for a living defends insureds that get sued for dog bites. As such, I can say with a high degree of professional credibility that pit bulls are much more likely to be involved in the type of attacks that prompt litigation due to the extent of the injuries sustained than any other dog, end of story. To add insult to injury, just mention pit bull and whatever award or settlement roughly doubles.

So now not only is it more likely that I have to pay to defend you, pay more in damages due to the more vicious attach, now I have to basically double the award? And you are complaining that your premium got jacked? Please....I would do what most insurers do. Tell you and to take your pit bull and business elsewhere. Maybe all of you pit bull owners can get together and pool your insurance with a specialty agent. I am sure that would be low cost and profitable.....not.

All of you that "know" otherwise and believe it is all "media hype", I would welcome you to sign up for what is called a dog bite exclusion on your homeowner's policy. It excludes any claim related to your dog and makes you personally liable for not only the money to pay the injured person for their past and future damages, but also you get to opportunity to pay me back for hiring a lawyer to defend you at $150-200/hour for the years and sometimes decade of litigation that will follow. If your dog is so harmless and the problem is really with other owners, there should be no problem right? Why don't you put your money where your mouth is and go the exclusion route. I can tell you right now, from the horrific damage that I have seen these dogs do, you do not have enough insurance to settle out my claim if your pit attacks my daughter. My guess is that you don't have any assets worth my time and would just end up filing bankrupcy like most do.

For your pit, you want to risk all that and have a kid out there disfigured for life, by all means, have at it. No one is stopping you including that "liberal media" that you are blaming in the first place. But please, don't come whining to me that that your premium got jacked in exchange.

[steve]

Originally Posted by Formula8

I wish there was someone here who knew something about litigating dog bite claims and not just somebody spewing crap on the internet blaming others for their lack of understanding of these issues........oh, wait, that's me who for a living defends insureds that get sued for dog bites. As such, I can say with a high degree of professional credibility that pit bulls are much more likely to be involved in the type of attacks that prompt litigation due to the extent of the injuries sustained than any other dog, end of story. To add insult to injury, just mention pit bull and whatever award or settlement roughly doubles.

So now not only is it more likely that I have to pay to defend you, pay more in damages due to the more vicious attach, now I have to basically double the award? And you are complaining that your premium got jacked? Please....I would do what most insurers do. Tell you and to take your pit bull and business elsewhere. Maybe all of you pit bull owners can get together and pool your insurance with a specialty agent. I am sure that would be low cost and profitable.....not.

All of you that "know" otherwise and believe it is all "media hype", I would welcome you to sign up for what is called a dog bite exclusion on your homeowner's policy. It excludes any claim related to your dog and makes you personally liable for not only the money to pay the injured person for their past and future damages, but also you get to opportunity to pay me back for hiring a lawyer to defend you at $150-200/hour for the years and sometimes decade of litigation that will follow. If your dog is so harmless and the problem is really with other owners, there should be no problem right? Why don't you put your money where your mouth is and go the exclusion route. I can tell you right now, from the horrific damage that I have seen these dogs do, you do not have enough insurance to settle out my claim if your pit attacks my daughter. My guess is that you don't have any assets worth my time and would just end up filing bankrupcy like most do.

For your pit, you want to risk all that and have a kid out there disfigured for life, by all means, have at it. No one is stopping you including that "liberal media" that you are blaming in the first place. But please, don't come whining to me that that your premium got jacked in exchange.

wow. thats f-ed up and i get it. could you please provide the statistic that can elaborate on what type of owner/demographic is likely to have more of an issue with dog bites (specifically pit bites ?) could it be true that certain demographics of owners are more likely to have problems and therefore should be subject to higher premiums ? per capita are the incidents of pit bites in the suburbs similar to those in the inner cities just for arguments sake ? there HAS to be more to it than what you state. its all risk analysis done by actuaries. i know certain breeds are more prone to vicious attack but so are certain owners...lets be fair....some dogs are better people than people...JMO

[Formula8]

I am not talking about raw data on the number of attacks. I am limiting my comments to bites or attacks that prompt someone to sue the dog owner to "send a message" so I can't answer your questions in that context. My observation, children 2-8 are the most likely victims. More likely female, more likely white, more likely a relative. Now that could entirely be because of insurance. Other groups may go uninsured so I don't see those as there is no money to be had.

Nothing makes for a better Thanksgiving conversation than a lawsuit between relatives where someone's kid has 20% of her face ripped off and is drooling on the table while an uncle is trying to blame her for having to put his dog down or provoking the attack while at the birthday party five years ago. In the meantime he is selling off his assets so in case of an award in excess of his policy he doesn't have to pay for the 4-5 surgeries she will need to be able to close her mouth.

Those are the kind of cases I deal with and frankly, I don't care about the statistics. A retriever or whatever is not going to typically generate that kind of damage. More importantly, a jury will feel, that the dog owner bought a pit for a purpose. Now that the owner has decided to play with fire, he is going to pay and pay big. That is not the case with most other dog types where a bite is pretty much a bite.

[Region Warrior]

All you have to do is reach under and grab a dogs jaw and squeeze.
Why doesnt anyone teach that? Learned it 30 yrs ago from a guard dog trainer.
My cop canine buddy thought that too.
Depending on size an breed, 5-10(?) lbs pressure...and SNAP!

DONT TRY IT TO HARD ON YOUR OWN DOG!

[Pontcho]

Hello I was bit in the face by a pit. left side due too blood loss kidneys failed. Was not sure what kind of dog did it untill I got out of hospital. dont blame dog (don't want too meet one without a .45 again) blame X fieence was sisters dog All have a Good Day Pontcho

[triathlonx13]

Originally Posted by Formula8

I wish there was someone here who knew something about litigating dog bite claims and not just somebody spewing crap on the internet blaming others for their lack of understanding of these issues........oh, wait, that's me who for a living defends insureds that get sued for dog bites. As such, I can say with a high degree of professional credibility that pit bulls are much more likely to be involved in the type of attacks that prompt litigation due to the extent of the injuries sustained than any other dog, end of story. To add insult to injury, just mention pit bull and whatever award or settlement roughly doubles.

So now not only is it more likely that I have to pay to defend you, pay more in damages due to the more vicious attach, now I have to basically double the award? And you are complaining that your premium got jacked? Please....I would do what most insurers do. Tell you and to take your pit bull and business elsewhere. Maybe all of you pit bull owners can get together and pool your insurance with a specialty agent. I am sure that would be low cost and profitable.....not.

All of you that "know" otherwise and believe it is all "media hype", I would welcome you to sign up for what is called a dog bite exclusion on your homeowner's policy. It excludes any claim related to your dog and makes you personally liable for not only the money to pay the injured person for their past and future damages, but also you get to opportunity to pay me back for hiring a lawyer to defend you at $150-200/hour for the years and sometimes decade of litigation that will follow. If your dog is so harmless and the problem is really with other owners, there should be no problem right? Why don't you put your money where your mouth is and go the exclusion route. I can tell you right now, from the horrific damage that I have seen these dogs do, you do not have enough insurance to settle out my claim if your pit attacks my daughter. My guess is that you don't have any assets worth my time and would just end up filing bankrupcy like most do.

For your pit, you want to risk all that and have a kid out there disfigured for life, by all means, have at it. No one is stopping you including that "liberal media" that you are blaming in the first place. But please, don't come whining to me that that your premium got jacked in exchange.

America is insurance poor - Do you think differently?

[Fast Floridian]

I have had Bulldogs since I was 16. My dogs have never attacked anyone. Im sure if you include police dog attacks a German Shepherd would be a way more aggressive breed.

I have had 5 boys who have been raised with these dogs never a problem but if they get caught out of my fence and the dog pound collects them they kill them right away If anyone is interested I have the most beautiful American Bulldogs for sale.. LOL

[Coach]

I work for one of the worlds largest insurance companies and they have entire departments of actuarials around the world whos whole life is to analyse risk. Smoking, drinking, youth driving, every insurable action is reviewed, loss ratios are calculated and risk factors are assessed.

My last animal was a 120lb Husky / wolf half breed. Opus was just this side of wild, he was fine with my family although he was second alpha male in the household. I was never able to socialize him although I have raised and trained dogs my whole life. If I was writing my home owner's insurance I would have made myself sign a rider as well.

When I volunteered at the animal shelter I always walked the pits and large dogs, the pits are wonderful animals, much better then the terriers, as long as they are treated and raised well, just like my Opus was. However, the risk is there, the real question is whether or not he is willing to sign a waiver to release the insurance company from liability.

-H

EDIT: Formula8's post is right on the money. The settlements on lawsuits over dogs are unbelievable. I am glad my division writes bonds and not homeowners, those guys tend to freak out over these kind of claims.