One bite can change everything. When a dog owner fails to control their pet, you shouldn’t be left with the bills. From hospital visits to missed paychecks, a dog bite can ripple through your life, but if a dog injures you, the law gives you a way to recover.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), nearly half of U.S. households (approximately 45.5%) own at least one dog, with close to 90 million dogs living in American homes. While these furry companions bring joy to millions, not all interactions with dogs are positive.
The Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I) reports that approximately 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs each year nationwide. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported in 2024 that nearly 1 in 5 dog bites are severe enough to require medical attention. Serious injury may require emergency care, reconstructive surgery and long-term medical treatment. In 2024, the Triple-I and State Farm reported that 22,658 dog-related injury claims were filed, with insurers paying out $1.57 billion in total costs.
Getting bitten by a dog can create substantial economic and non-economic costs, including medical expenses, emotional trauma and the possibility of permanent scarring or disfigurement. If you’ve been injured in a dog attack, you may be entitled to compensation to recover your losses. The seasoned dog bite lawyers at Florin|Roebig can help you pursue legal action against the person responsible for your injury.
Liability in a Dog Bite Injury
For victims of dog bites, one of the most important considerations for determining your legal options is establishing liability. In other words, who’s legally responsible for your injuries? In personal injury law, the person held accountable for an injury must cover costs associated with that injury, such as medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering.
Terms that can be important for understanding liability in dog bite injury claims include:
- Strict liability: A legal principle where a defendant can be held liable for an event regardless of whether they could have prevented it or knew it would happen. Strict liability means you don’t need to prove the dog owner was careless or negligent—just that their dog bit you.
- Negligence: The failure to use reasonable care, resulting in injury to another person
- One-bite rule: Some states follow what’s known as a “one-bite” rule, which determines liability based on whether the owner was aware their dog might act in a harmful way. The name comes from the idea that a dog gets one free bite before the owner can be held responsible for subsequent attacks.
- Burden of proof: The obligation of a plaintiff (the person filing the claim) to provide sufficient evidence to support their position.
Who Can Be Held Liable for a Dog Bite?
The dog owner is the party most commonly found liable in dog bite personal injury cases. In many states, dog owners can be held liable regardless of whether they were aware of their dog’s tendency to bite or become aggressive.
Factors that Affect Liability
Determining liability in a dog bite personal injury case varies depending on the specific circumstances. Several personal and situational factors can affect who’s held responsible, including:
- Trespassing: If you’re bitten by a dog while trespassing on the owner’s private property, the owner may not be held liable for your injuries. However, exceptions exist. For example, when the victim is a child under the age of six.
- Provocation: Dog owners may not be held liable if the dog was provoked before biting or attacking the injured party. Provocation can include hitting, teasing or threatening the dog.
- Negligence: Dog owners can be found liable for dog bite injuries if the injury occurred as a result of negligence or recklessness. An example would be a dog owner who fails to follow local or state leash laws. To prove negligence, you must provide evidence that the owner’s failure to follow these laws or regulations directly resulted in your injury.
- State laws: Liability laws for dog bite injuries vary by state. For instance, Florida follows strict liability laws, meaning dog owners are generally liable for damages caused by their dog biting someone, regardless of the dog’s prior behavior or the owner’s knowledge of any aggressive tendencies. However, Florida’s dog bite laws generally don’t apply to injuries sustained from bites by police dogs or military dogs, or in instances involving only property damage without any bite-related injury.
- Comparative negligence: If a dog bite victim is judged to be partially responsible for the attack due to provocation or trespassing, the compensation awarded in a dog bite claim may be reduced by the percentage of fault assigned to the victim.
How Do I File a Dog Bite Claim?
If you’ve been injured due to a dog bite or attack, you may be eligible for compensation by filing a dog bite personal injury claim. Here are crucial steps to take following a dog bite injury to file a dog bite personal injury claim.
Reporting the Incident
After sustaining an injury from a dog bite, seek immediate medical attention. Even if your injuries seem minor, seeing a doctor is crucial because dog bites can lead to serious infections and other complications.
Collect the dog owner’s personal information, including their homeowner’s or renter’s insurance details. In personal injury cases involving animals, you may also need to file a report with your local animal control agency, which may be housed under the local police department, county health department or humane society.
Filing an incident report involving an animal may vary by location. Research your local animal control agency’s reporting instructions and file a report as soon as possible. This documentation can be crucial evidence when seeking compensation for your damages.
Reporting the incident may require animal control to conduct an investigation. You must cooperate if you wish to pursue legal action. An investigation can involve issuing subpoenas, collecting witness testimony and scheduling hearings to determine how and why the incident occurred.
Gathering Evidence and Documentation
Although your local animal control agency will likely conduct its own investigation, it’s also essential for you to begin gathering evidence of the attack right away, after you’ve received medical attention. You should document the time, date and location of the incident, and try to get statements from anyone who witnessed the attack.
Additional information or documentation to gather throughout the case includes:
- Dog owner’s name, contact information and insurance details
- Photos of the animal
- Photos of your injuries (taken immediately after the incident and throughout the healing process)
- Proof of rabies vaccination from the owner
- Dog license information
- Information regarding any prior history of dog bite incidents (if applicable)
- Names and contact information of witnesses
- Medical records and bills from your treatment
Contacting a Dog Bite Lawyer at Florin|Roebig
Pursuing legal action after suffering a personal injury can be confusing to navigate alone. Although it’s possible to file a dog bite claim on your own, your best option for negotiating a fair settlement is to contact an experienced dog bite personal injury attorney at Florin|Roebig.
Besides offering legal advice and guidance, hiring a Florin|Roebig personal injury attorney provides several benefits to a dog bite case. A Florin|Roebig attorney can negotiate a proper settlement amount on your behalf using their extensive experience in the field, knowledge of typical settlement amounts and proven negotiation skills.
A Florin|Roebig dog attack lawyer can also help you by:
- Explaining your state’s dog bite laws
- Providing legal guidance as you prepare statements
- Gathering evidence to support your position
- Consulting medical experts and animal behavior specialists
- Negotiating with the dog owner’s insurance company on your behalf
- Representing you in court if a fair settlement can’t be reached
Our Featured Case Results
Tips for Choosing a Dog Bite Attorney
When you or a loved one has been injured in a dog bite incident, choosing the right attorney to represent your interests in a personal injury case matters.
Tips for choosing a dog bite lawyer:
- Look for experience: Personal injury law covers many areas, and each requires targeted expertise. When choosing an attorney, determine if they have specific experience in handling dog bite injury cases. Your best chance of receiving fair compensation comes, in part, from the experience and quality of your legal representation.
- Ask for references: Don’t be afraid to ask an attorney for references from past clients. Learning about an attorney from former clients can offer valuable insight into what you can expect from working with them. Former clients can vouch for an attorney’s skills, knowledge and success in securing fair settlements.
- Request a free consultation: If you’re considering a few different attorneys, request a free consultation to get an idea of how they expect to manage your case and what outcome they anticipate based on their professional assessment. Most law offices, including Florin|Roebig, offer an initial consultation free of charge.
Damages Awarded for Dog Bite Injury Claims
In personal injury cases, damages refer to any loss or harm sustained as a result of an injury to a person, property or reputation. Per Triple-I, the average cost per claim reached $69,272 in 2024, representing an 18% increase from 2023. Victims of canine attacks can be eligible for several types of compensation, depending on the severity of the incident and resulting losses.
Common damages awarded for dog bite injury claims help cover losses such as:
- Medical or surgical costs (including emergency care, hospital stays and surgeries)
- Future medical expenses (such as ongoing treatment or reconstructive procedures)
- Lost wages (if you missed work due to the injury or are unable to work)
- Loss of earning capacity (if your injuries prevent you from returning to your previous job)
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Permanent scarring or disfigurement
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation costs
- Psychological counseling expenses
Dog Bite Injuries and Lawsuits in the U.S.
The types of injuries that result from dog bites can vary significantly from case to case. Minor incidents where injuries have been less severe may not always require legal action. However, people are more likely to pursue legal recourse when they or a loved one has experienced significant costs and consequences as a result of being bitten.
Common injuries reported in dog bite claims include:
- Bite marks and puncture wounds
- Scratch marks
- Lacerations and deep cuts
- Bruises and contusions
- Fractures and broken bones
- Soft tissue damage
- Infections
In more serious dog bite cases, severe injuries can include permanent scarring, disfigurement, loss of limbs, nerve damage, traumatic brain injury and even wrongful death.
5 Long-Term Effects of Dog Bites
- Physical scarring and disfigurement: Severe dog bites can leave permanent scars. Physical evidence of an injury can lead to social stigma, self-esteem issues and ongoing emotional distress. A Florin|Roebig attorney can help victims seek compensation for both the cost of medical treatment required (which may include plastic surgery or other interventions) and for the emotional suffering caused by scarring and disfigurement.
- Infections: Dog bites can lead to serious bacterial infections such as Pasteurella, MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), Capnocytophaga and tetanus, which can cause long-term damage if not treated promptly. These infections might lead to chronic health problems requiring ongoing medical treatment and potentially impacting the victim’s ability to work. A Florin|Roebig dog bite attorney can help recover the costs of ongoing medical care and lost wages.
- Psychological trauma: Victims of dog attacks often experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression and fear of dogs (cynophobia). These psychological effects can impact your daily life, relationships and work. A Florin|Roebig attorney can help quantify these non-tangible damages and seek appropriate compensation.
- Nerve damage: A dog’s bite can damage nerves, leading to loss of sensation, impaired motor function and chronic pain or discomfort. Nerve damage can limit your ability to perform certain tasks or activities. A Florin|Roebig attorney can assist in obtaining compensation for physical therapy, ongoing care needs and changes to lifestyle or lost quality of life.
- Rabies: Though less common due to widespread pet vaccinations, the transmission of rabies from an infected dog can be fatal if not treated quickly. In the United States, rabies cases are rare, with the CDC stating in 2019 that only 1 to 3 cases of human rabies are reported annually. The CDC further states that the U.S. has been free of dog rabies since 2007 due to strict regulations and preventive measures. However, rabies treatment can still be expensive and traumatic. If a dog bites you and it wasn’t appropriately vaccinated, a Florin|Roebig attorney can hold the dog’s owner responsible for your medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering.
Current Dog Bite Statistics
The last report that the CDC released regarding dog bites covers the timeframe between 2011 and 2021. During this time, an average of 43 deaths per year occurred from being bitten or struck by a dog. In 2023, the CDC reported 96 fatalities caused by dog bites, and a preliminary CDC report suggests that 2024 could reach 113 dog bite deaths.
For injuries that didn’t lead to death, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons’ 2024 report indicates that 19,202 reconstructive surgery procedures occurred in 2024 due to treatment for dog bites. While this number was about the same as the previous year, injuries requiring reconstruction can be very traumatic. Children tend to suffer facial trauma because they’re at face level with the dog, while adults tend to receive bites to the hands or legs.
According to Triple-I, California continues to have the largest number of claims in the United States, with 2,417 claims in 2024, followed by Florida with 1,821 claims. The average cost per claim nationally has risen 86.1% from 2015 to 2024, due to increased medical costs as well as larger settlements, judgments and jury awards given to plaintiffs.
Top-Rated Dog Bite Lawyers Serving the U.S.
As one of the nation’s leading firms in personal injury law, the attorneys at Florin|Roebig have extensive experience securing fair settlements for individuals who’ve been injured through dog bites or attacks. We’re able to serve clients from multiple locations across the U.S., with offices in Florida, Minnesota, Texas and Colorado.
Our winning team of Florin|Roebig dog bite attorneys includes:
- Wil H. Florin, B.C.S.
- Tommy D. Roebig, B.C.S.
- Shaun M. Cummings
- Neil P. O’Brien, M.B.A.
- Luca G. Esposito
- Chad K. Florin, M.B.A., LL.M.
- John J. Hart
- Parker Y. Florin, LL.M.
- Taylor D. Roebig
- Hal S. Weitzenfeld
- Michael A. Ossi, O.C.
- Lawrence J. Najem, O.C.
- Nollys R. Solarte, O.C.
With over 40 years of experience, our law firm has successfully won over $1 billion in settlements from personal injury cases by providing our clients with high-quality legal advice and representation.
We Are Nationally Awarded Lawyers
Find Help with Filing a Dog Bite Personal Injury Claim
Understanding your legal rights and options in the wake of a dog attack can be confusing. The dog bite lawyers at Florin|Roebig can help. Our nationally recognized team of attorneys has verifiable experience in helping dog bite victims receive compensation through the process of filing a dog bite personal injury claim.
Our law firm recognizes that getting compensation for damages can be a vital part of an attack victim’s recovery process, providing you with greater peace of mind and the opportunity to ease any financial burden resulting from the incident.
By contacting our office, we can schedule you for a free case evaluation with one of our dog bite attorneys to discuss the details of your case and help you explore your legal options. Don’t wait. Call Florin|Roebig today to schedule a free consultation and begin filing your dog bite personal injury claim to get the compensation you deserve.
