How often it happens
You are not alone. The Postal Service counted 5,200 dog attacks on carriers in 2025, so a bite on the route is a known job risk.
Its May 28, 2026 release ranked Los Angeles first. Dallas came second with 50 attacks, and Denver came third with 45.
Federal workers comp comes first
Postal workers are federal employees. A bite on the route is a job injury, claimed through the Labor Department's Federal Employees' Compensation Program.
Tell your supervisor the same day you are bitten. Write down the date you reported it, so the bite counts as a job injury and your comp claim starts.
Comp is only part of the picture. For more on job injuries, see bitten at work.
A claim against the owner
Workers comp does not pay for pain or scarring. A separate claim against the dog owner can.
Carriers are lawfully on the property, so trespass is no defense for the owner. Some states name carriers directly. Indiana's statute, 15-20-1-3, covers people bitten while doing a duty under postal regulations.
The rule in your state shapes your owner claim. Compare strict liability states, or pick your state.