Dog Injured In MN Car Accident

Calling all Dog Lovers! Usually, our attorneys represent people injured in a car crash. But sometimes your pet can be hurt in the accident as well. One of our lawyer colleagues is handling a case that highlights the frustrations and difficulties when your pet is injured in an accident. The client’s beloved dog was badly injured in a car crash when another driver ran a red light. Unfortunately, the dog had to undergo emergency surgery. This ended up costing more than $7,000 in veterinarian bills.

The vet bills were submitted for reimbursement to the auto insurance company of the driver who caused the crash. Their response? “A dog is just an object like a car or a piece of furniture.” Therefore, the insurance company would only pay for the value of the dog (around $200) – not the cost of the vet bills. In other words, rather than pay for the cost to ‘repair’ the dog, they wanted to consider the dog a ‘total loss’ – as if the dog were like a car. Like a car?

How can an insurance company possibly compare a much-loved family pet (family member) to a car or other inanimate object? Our lawyers often face ridiculous arguments from insurance companies. Nonetheless, we could not help but be shocked and angry on behalf of this poor family. Their treasured family member was hurt so badly and was still recovering, and the insurance company refused to pay.

Unfortunately, the insurance company has some legal support for their position. Minnesota law treats animals as ‘property.’ That may work for cows and chickens, but there is a difference between livestock and an adored pet. We hope the law will be changed some day. In the meantime, we offer our support to the dog’s family and to our colleague as they fight this with the insurance company.