Dog Bite Lawyer Resources

Dog bite law splits the country in half. Roughly half of U.S. states follow a strict liability rule: if a dog bites someone who was lawfully on public or private property, the owner is liable regardless of whether the dog ever showed aggression before. The other half apply some version of the old common-law one-bite rule, under which the injured person has to prove the owner knew or should have known the dog was dangerous. Two identical attacks can have very different outcomes depending on which side of the state line the bite happened.

On top of that, many dog bite cases are actually insurance cases. The money, when there is any, usually comes from the dog owner's homeowner or renter's insurance policy, not the owner's pocket. Those policies often exclude certain breeds, exclude bites that happen off the insured premises, or cap liability for animal claims. Landlords can sometimes be pulled in, and in a small number of cases product liability or premises liability theories apply when a commercial property is involved.

George Goldberg has handled dog attack cases for three decades, including severe injuries to children, facial scarring cases, and attacks that caused permanent nerve or tendon damage. We understand how to document wound photographs, preserve animal control records, and press the liability carrier for scarring and disfigurement damages that a non-lawyer claimant rarely recovers on their own.

The resources below explain how dog bite law works in strict liability states versus one-bite states, how homeowner insurance handles these claims, what evidence matters, and why children's cases are treated differently. The FAQ covers the most common questions we hear from bite victims in the first days after an attack.

If you or your child has been bitten, call us for a free consultation as soon as you have had medical care. 1-888-352-9243