Dallas Dog Bite Lawyer

Were you or your child injured by a dog in Dallas, TX? You may be entitled to seek financial compensation from the dog’s owner. An experienced Dallas dog bite lawyer at Anderson Injury Lawyers can help you fight to recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and your pain and suffering, call us at (214) 327-8000.

Our founding attorney has over 30 years of experience helping injured clients get the money they need and deserve for their injuries. Since we were founded, we’ve recovered over $100,000,000 for injured parties and their families.

Besides cases related to child injuries in Dallas, we also handle daycare injuries in Dallas, TX, bicycle accidents in Dallas, TX, pedestrian accidents in Dallas, TX, premises liability in Dallas, TX, and more injury matters.

It’s never too early to start exploring your legal options. Contact our law offices in Dallas, Texas, to schedule a free consultation with one of our lawyers.

How Anderson Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Dog Bite in Dallas

How Anderson Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Dog Bite in Dallas

Dogs can make wonderful companions. However, when dog owners are negligent or irresponsible, they can cause a lot of damage. If you were injured, recovering fair compensation can make a world of difference to your future.

A personal injury attorney in Dallas, TX knows how important it is to recover the most compensation possible. At Anderson Injury Lawyers, we’re known for being fierce and effective advocates. Our founding attorney is board certified in personal injury trial law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. We’ve also been rated by Super Lawyers and earned a 10.0 Superb Rating on Avvo.

Hiring us in Dallas, Texas, means you’ll have a legal team to:

  • Gather evidence to support your claim
  • Identify all sources of insurance
  • Protect you if the owner claims you provoked the dog
  • Calculate the fair value of your case
  • Negotiate with the insurance companies to reach a fair settlement deal

Our Dallas personal injury attorneys won’t hesitate to take your case to trial if necessary to recover the compensation you deserve. To learn more, give us a call for a free case review today.

How Common Are Dog Bites in Dallas, TX?

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), about 4.5 million Americans are bitten by dogs each year. About 800,000 of those dog bite victims require medical attention for their injuries.

Texas is one of the worst states in the U.S for dog bites. Over 1,000 victims filed dog bite claims with insurance in Texas in 2021. Insurance companies paid about $40 million in damages that year. 

Research shows that the risk of being bitten by a dog is getting worse for Dallas residents. A recent study found that dog bites in Dallas increase by about 15% each year–a trend that very well could continue.

What Is My Dallas Dog Bite Case Worth?

The value of a dog bite injury case in Dallas is based on many different factors. Serious injuries tend to result in higher compensation awards. However, putting a dollar value on your case is a difficult process. Your lawyer will first have to evaluate all of the facts before submitting your insurance claim.

The following factors are most relevant in determining how much your personal injury case is worth:

  • The cost and duration of your medical treatment
  • The value of your lost wages, including lost income while caring for a child
  • Your need for ongoing medical care, therapies, or counseling
  • Your emotional trauma and physical pain
  • Whether the dog bite or animal attack will cause permanent scarring or disability
  • How the injury will impact your quality of life 

Unfortunately, many dog bite victims are children. Young children may suffer emotional trauma that can last for years–and it’s important to consider those emotional scars when determining whether your insurance settlement offer is a fair deal.

What Types of Damages Are Available to Dog Bite Victims?

If a dog bite victim can prove that the owner was liable, they can seek compensation for economic damages and non-economic damages.

Dog bite victims in Dallas can often recover compensation for:

  • Past and future medical expenses
  • Lost wages, income, and employment benefits
  • Lost earning capacity
  • Physical therapy, rehabilitation, and reconstructive surgeries
  • Psychological counseling
  • Disfigurement or scarring
  • Pain and suffering
  • Mental anguish, including PTSD
  • Anxiety and depression
  • Diminished quality of life
  • Loss of consortium

To learn more about the types of damages you may recover, contact our Dallas dog bite attorneys to learn more about how an experienced lawyer can help with your case.

Can I Recover Damages If I’m Being Blamed for a Dog Bite Injury in Texas?

If the dog acted aggressively and the dog owner had reason to know that their dog was dangerous or a vicious dog, they’re responsible for your damages regardless of whether you provoked the animal.

However, Texas’ modified comparative negligence rules can be important in dog bite cases that are based on negligence. If you were found to be more than 50% responsible for the attack, you’ll lose your right to recover compensation. If your percentage of fault is less than 51%, your settlement or verdict will be reduced by your percentage of fault.

Our Dallas Dog Bite Attorneys Will Fight To Recover Compensation for All of Your Injuries

Dog bite injuries can be extremely serious, especially if the victim was a small child or was knocked to the ground by the force of the attack.

Some of the more common types of dog bite injury include:

Dog bite injuries cause between 30 and 50 deaths in the United States each year. If you lost a loved one to a fatal dog bite or pit bull attack, our lawyers can help you pursue compensation for wrongful death in Dallas, Texas.

How Do I Establish Liability After a Dog Bite in Texas? 

Like many other states, Texas follows a “one bite rule.” While no specific Texas law governs dog bite injury cases, dog owners can be liable for damages if their dog bites and injures another person.

Dog bite victims have two options for proving liability in most cases, as follows:

  • If the owner knew the dog was dangerous, the dog owner is strictly liable for damages
  • If the dog has never bitten anyone before and the other had no reason to believe the dog was dangerous, the owner must prove the owner’s negligence to recover damages

Under Texas law, the owner is presumed to know that the dog was dangerous if the dog has bitten someone else in the past.

To prove a strict liability dog bite case, you must establish that:

  • The dog had displayed vicious propensities in the past
  • The dog owner knew, or reasonably should have known, that the dog was dangerous
  • The dog bit you and caused your injuries

If you cannot establish those basic elements, you may still be entitled to recover compensation based on negligence. Like any car accident victim, dog bite victims can hold negligent dog owners accountable for their actions.

Negligence requires proof of:

So, you may be entitled to damages if you can establish that the dog owner:

  • Ignored Dallas leash laws designed to keep you safe
  • Failed to restrain the dog or keep the dog confined in a secure area
  • Allowed the dog to roam the neighborhood freely
  • Trained the dog to engage in vicious behavior

You should also understand that someone other than the dog owner may be liable for damages. Third-party property owners can be liable in certain cases if the dog bites you while you are on the premises. That’s true even though the property owner didn’t own the dog. Pet sitters, dog walkers, and others who were responsible for the dog at the time of the dog bite injury can also be responsible. 

Our Dallas dog bite attorneys can help regardless of whether your case is based on negligence or strict liability theories. For example, we can interview neighbors and eyewitnesses, locate video footage, and gather other evidence to prove your case.

How Long Do I Have To File a Lawsuit After a Dog Bite in Texas?

While most dog bite cases are resolved by filing a claim with insurance, some victims do have to file a lawsuit to recover fair compensation. Under Texas personal injury laws, victims have only two years to take legal action. After two years pass, you can no longer seek compensation for your injuries.

However, if the victim was a child, you may have more time to act. Parents have the right to sue on behalf of a child. If they choose not to act, the statute of limitations is paused, or “tolled,” until the child reaches age 18.

Contact a Dallas Dog Bite Lawyer for a Free Consultation

Establishing liability after a dog bite can be tricky. If you were attacked by a dog, it is always a good idea to consult an experienced lawyer. To learn more about how a Dallas dog bite lawyer can fight to protect you, contact Anderson Injury Lawyers for a free consultation today.

Our Dallas, TX, personal injury law firm also provides: