A shopping trip isn’t what it used to be. Fresno residents don’t have to leave their couches to order all their home needs from places like Amazon and other merchants through UPS. Each “click” or purchase brings a delivery driver to our front steps.
It’s a handy service, but you likely don’t think about the drivers who work for places like Amazon and UPS and particularly about their safety. You grant them implied permission to enter your property and drop off boxes when you place an order. Yet, if you have a dog running loose when a truck pulls up, that driver could be at risk of a dog bite.
These serious injuries occur every day across California. They leave Fresno Amazon and UPS dog bite victims wondering how they’ll pay for medical care for a painful wound. They’ll also wonder how many paychecks they’ll lose while sitting at home in recovery.
Schedule a Free Consultation with a Fresno Dog Bite Lawyer
Dog owners can be held liable when their dogs bite delivery workers. In some cases, the delivery driver’s employer, like UPS or Amazon, can also be held responsible. But these cases aren’t as much about blame as they are about getting injured workers the support they need to recover.
Maison Law of California provides free case consultations to all UPS and Amazon dog bite victims. All contractors who deliver for Amazon can also take advantage of a dog bite case evaluation. Schedule your free case review today. It’s a no-risk way to determine every party that should be providing financial support to you and your family as you heal.
There’s no obligation, but if you do need to hire our California Dog Bite Attorneys to get the most out of your claim, there’s no money required upfront. We don’t get paid unless we win your case.
California Dog Bite Laws Protecting Amazon and UPS Drivers
Amazon and UPS delivery workers have very little protection when a dog goes for a bite. Fortunately, California law does offer some protections for dog bite victims.
Dogs usually bite because they are startled or confused or are being protective of their owners. They can’t be held responsible when they act instinctively. That’s why California holds the dog’s owners responsible. Pet owners must keep their dogs out of these situations. They also have a “duty of care” to keep others safe from their pets.
California is a “strict liability” dog bite state. This means that dogs owners are held responsible for bite injuries even if the dog has never bitten anyone before. Amazon or UPS employees can file an injury claim with the pet owner’s homeowner’s insurance policy or renter’s insurance policy.
This victim can sue over a dog bite as long as these conditions are met:
- The attack must have happened in a public place. If the bite occurred on private property, the victim must have had permission to be there. UPS and Amazon Delivery drivers operate under implied permission to enter someone’s property when the homeowner has made orders.
- The UPS or Amazon driver must not have provoked the dog.
- The driver can’t have been attacking the homeowner.
- A bite must have occurred. A bite can include cases that don’t break the skin.
A dog attack that doesn’t involve a bite can still earn a delivery driver injury compensation. A dog may cause an employee to fall or trip without biting.
The case would be subject to different personal injury laws than a dog bite case. Another important difference is that an incident not involving a bite would require a higher standard of proof to earn a settlement. It would have to be made evident that the dog’s actions and the dog owner’s actions caused an injury to the delivery employee.
Can I Sue UPS or Amazon After Suffering a Bite Wound on the Job?
Yes. If you feel your employer’s actions played a part in putting you in a dangerous situation, you may be able to ask for injury support from more than just the dog’s owner. Amazon or UPS could be proven liable for your dog bite injuries and be asked to contribute to your recovery. Your company may have to provide additional compensation to pay any medical bills that a dog owner’s insurance coverage didn’t pay.
Delivery managers have been known to ask employees to enter properties where dogs that may pose a threat live. These locations may have been reported by other delivery workers as hazardous. There have even been reports of delivery bosses asking employees to complete their routes after they’ve been bitten.
This extreme disregard of an employee’s safety could be enough to leave a company like Amazon or UPS fully liable for a worker’s injuries. A skilled Fresno dog bite lawyer would also look into the safety training that Amazon provided to drivers regarding dog bite dangers. If this training is found lacking, it would be further evidence that a delivery employer didn’t do enough to keep workers protected from dog attacks.
Common Dog Bite Wounds
Amazon and UPS workers rely on their driving skills and on their own two hands and feet to complete deliveries. Any bite injuries to the arms or legs can force an employee to miss days or weeks of valuable work hours.
A simple dog bite can do enormous damage to delicate fingers, ankles, and wrists. These are just a few of the potential dog bite wounds that may leave you in need of injury support:
- Punctures Wounds and Cuts: Dog teeth can penetrate the skin and damage muscle all the way down to the bone. The canine teeth are the longest teeth towards the front of the dog’s mouth. These teeth easily slice into human flesh. The incisors are the smaller teeth along the front of the mouth. They can break the skin and cause bleeding after a nip from a dog. Remember, that a nip is still considered a bite.
- Tissue Injury: A bite in certain areas like the neck or stomach may threaten vital organs or blood vessels. Tendons and ligaments are always vulnerable.
- Nerve Injury: Numbness is a common symptom after nerve damage in a dog bite. This loss of feeling may be long-term. A nerve injury could also cause pain and something that feels like a continual electric shock. Delivery workers may find they struggle to grasp boxes or computers after nerve damage in the hand.
- Crushing Injuries: The teeth may not puncture down to the bone, but the force of the dog’s jaw clamped down on an appendage can be enough to crush bones. Hands, ankles, and even throats can end up crushed.
- Infections: Dog teeth carry bacteria that leave wounds to infected. Rabies and tetanus, are examples of harmful bacteria. Patients may experience tremors, fatigue, and breathing difficulties.
Compensation Available for Amazon and UPS Workers Bitten by Dogs
Delivery drivers suffering from bite wounds have two full years from the date of the incident to file an injury claim against a dog’s owner. This seems like plenty of time, but UPS and Amazon drivers should take immediate action.
Contacting a Fresno dog bite attorney as soon as possible gives your case the best chance to earn a sufficient settlement to cover your damages. Fresh evidence will still be available and witnesses will be easier to locate in the early going. Filing your claim as soon as you are ready also means you can hope to settle your case sooner and earn the support you need.
A dog bite injury claim seeks full coverage on medical costs now and those expected in the future. Your lost time on the job at Amazon or UPS must be reimbursed. Every paycheck and benefit you forfeit while you must miss work should be returned to you.
You would also demand lifelong support if you suffered permanent disfigurement or disability due to a severe dog bite injury. The physical pain and emotional trauma a vicious dog bite incident causes you would also contribute to the amount you receive on a dog bite settlement check.
Contact a UPS and Amazon Dog Bite Lawyer
As UPS and Amazon workers deal with the physical and emotional pain that a dog bite incident leaves behind, they also have to worry about the financial hardships that missing days or weeks of work brings.
If you’ve suffered a dog bite while making deliveries for companies like UPS or Amazon, speak with a skilled dog bite attorney as soon as possible. It’s a no-risk way to determine the level of support you should be asking for from a negligent dog owner and your company.
Contact an experienced Fresno dog bite lawyer such as Martin Gasparian for a free and confidential case evaluation. Mr. Gasparian, the founder of Maison Law, helps Amazon and UPS employees earn the dog bite injury support they need to pay for the best medical care available.
