Letter carriers are hurt by dogs every year, and Florida law gives the people they serve a clear path to hold owners responsible.
What the Latest Postal Data Shows
The U.S. Postal Service tracks dog attacks on its employees and publishes yearly rankings. According to reporting on the 2025 figures, carriers reported more than 5,200 dog attacks nationwide, with Los Angeles leading all cities at 70 incidents and California topping the states at 673. Texas followed with 358.
The USPS national dog bite rankings show how common these injuries are, and how much they can cost the people who own the dog. The Postal Service notes that a single attack can leave an owner responsible for medical care, lost shifts, damaged uniforms, and the carrier’s pain and suffering.
Why Mail Carriers Are Covered by Florida Law
Florida is a strict liability state for dog bites. Under the statute, a dog owner is liable when the dog bites someone who is in a public place or lawfully on private property. That includes the owner’s own yard. The owner’s knowledge of past aggression does not matter, and neither does the absence of any prior bite.
Mail carriers fit squarely inside this rule. The law treats a person as lawfully on private property when they are there to carry out a duty under state law or federal postal regulations. So a carrier walking up to a mailbox is protected the same way an invited guest would be.
The Owner’s Duty During Deliveries
Owners carry the burden of keeping deliveries safe. The Postal Service asks pet owners to take a few basic steps before a carrier arrives:
- Keep the dog in a separate, closed room before opening the door
- Leash the dog whenever it is outside during delivery hours
- Avoid taking mail directly from the carrier while the dog is nearby
- Teach children not to accept mail when a dog is present, since dogs can read it as a threat
These steps are simple. And when an owner ignores them, the resulting injury is often serious.
What a Bite Victim Can Recover
A person hurt by a dog in Florida may seek compensation for several kinds of losses. These commonly include medical treatment, follow-up care such as surgery for deep wounds, lost income during recovery, scarring, and the physical and emotional toll of the attack.
There’s one important limit. If the injured person did something that helped cause the bite, that share of fault reduces the recovery by the same percentage. Careful documentation of what happened matters, which is why photographs, medical records, and witness names help build a claim.
Talk With a Boynton Beach Attorney
At Jacobson Injury Firm, we handle dog bite claims for delivery workers, neighbors, and anyone injured by someone else’s animal. A Boynton Beach, FL dog bite lawyer can review the facts, identify the responsible owner, and explain your options in plain terms. If a dog has bitten you or a member of your family, a Boynton Beach dog bite attorney is ready to talk through what comes next.
