Dog Bite Attorney in Florida

Dog Bite Attorney in Florida for Injured People and Families

A dog bite attorney in Florida can help after a dog attack leaves you with medical bills, physical injuries, emotional trauma, lost wages, or questions about whether you have a dog bite claim. A biting incident can happen in seconds, but the effects can last much longer, especially when the attack causes puncture wounds, nerve damage, scarring, infection, or post-traumatic stress disorder.

Dog bite cases can feel emotionally complicated when the dog owners are neighbors, friends, relatives, or people you know. Still, Florida law gives injured people a path to seek compensation when a dog bite or other animal attack causes harm. Many dog bite claims are handled through a homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy, which can make the legal process feel less personally adversarial.

At Pardy & Rodriguez, P.A., our law firm helps dog bite victims across Florida clarify the legal process, gather evidence, review insurance coverage, and pursue compensation for damages supported by the facts. We handle dog bite injury claims with care, clarity, and respect for the difficult circumstances these cases often involve. 

Call us at 888-522-0222 or fill out our online form to schedule a free consultation with our team. We can listen to what happened, answer your questions, and explain whether a dog bite claim may be available under Florida law.

Key Takeaways

• Florida law can hold dog owners responsible when their dog bites someone in a public place or while the person is lawfully on private property.
• A dog bite claim may involve strict liability, negligence, premises liability, homeowner’s insurance, renter’s insurance, or a dangerous dog history.
• Dog bite injuries may include puncture wounds, nerve damage, infections, scarring, broken bones, emotional trauma, and post traumatic stress disorder.
• Evidence such as medical records, photos, animal control reports, witness statements, vaccination records, insurance policy information, and prior complaints can help support the claim.
• Florida has deadlines for filing personal injury claims, so it is wise to speak with a dog bite lawyer promptly after the attack occurred.

Dog Bite Cases We Handle in Florida

Dog bite cases can involve many different facts, locations, injuries, and insurance issues. Some claims involve severe dog attacks by dangerous dogs. Others involve small dogs that still cause serious injuries, infection, scarring, or emotional trauma.

Pardy & Rodriguez, P.A. handles dog bite and animal attack claims involving:

• Dog Bites on Private Property: A person bitten while lawfully visiting someone’s home may have a claim, though Florida law includes a “Bad Dog” sign exception in certain circumstances.
• Dog Attacks in Public Places: Bites in parks, sidewalks, apartment common areas, parking lots, stores, or other public areas may involve dog owner liability.
• Child Dog Bite Injuries: Children may suffer facial injuries, scarring, emotional trauma, and long-term medical treatment needs after a dog attack.
• Severe Dog Attacks: Serious attacks can cause puncture wounds, torn tissue, broken bones, nerve damage, infection, or permanent disfigurement.
• Knockdown Injuries Caused by Dogs: A claim may involve a dog that knocked someone down, even when the injury was not caused by a bite.
• Dangerous Dog Incidents: Claims may involve a dangerous dog, prior complaints, prior attacks, or a dog owner’s knowledge of dangerous behavior.
• Bites Involving Homeowner’s or Renter’s Insurance: Many dog bite lawsuits and claims involve an insurance policy rather than direct payment from the dog owner.
• Animal Attack Claims: Some claims involve injuries caused by dogs or other animals when negligence, property conditions, or owner conduct contributed to the harm.

What Is a Dog Bite Claim?

A dog bite claim is a personal injury claim brought after a dog bite, dog attack, or animal attack causes injuries. In Florida, many dog bite claims focus on the dog owner’s responsibility under the state’s dog bite statute.

Florida law imposes strict liability on dog owners in many dog bite cases. This means a person bitten by a dog may not need to prove that the owner knew the dog was dangerous or had bitten someone before. The law can apply when the bite occurred in a public place or when the person bitten was lawfully on private property, including the dog owner’s property.

A dog bite claim can address injuries caused by the bite itself, as well as related harm such as infections, scarring, emotional distress, lost wages, physical therapy, medical care, and ongoing treatment needs. Some claims may also involve negligence when a dog owner, property owner, handler, landlord, business, or another party failed to act with reasonable care.

How Florida Law Applies to Dog Bite Cases

Florida law treats dog bite cases differently from some other personal injury claims. Under Florida Statutes Section 767.04, a dog owner may be liable when their dog bites a person in a public place or while that person is lawfully on or in a private place, including the dog owner’s premises. This liability can apply regardless of the dog’s former viciousness or the owner’s knowledge of such viciousness.

Florida law also allows fault to be considered. If the bitten person’s negligence contributed to the biting incident, the amount of damages may be reduced based on that person’s percentage of fault. Examples may include provocation, trespassing, ignoring warnings, or other conduct that contributed to the attack.

Florida also includes an exception involving an easily readable sign that says “Bad Dog.” In certain circumstances, such a sign on the owner’s premises may limit strict liability. However, the exception may not apply if the person bitten was under six years old or if the injury was caused by the owner’s negligent act or omission. Because Florida dog bite law includes strict liability, comparative fault, private property rules, and exceptions, it is wise to speak with a personal injury attorney before assuming you do or do not have a claim.

Who May Be Responsible After a Dog Bite?

Dog owners are often the primary parties in dog bite claims, but they may not be the only parties involved. The facts may show that another person or business had control over the dog, the premises, or the conditions that allowed the attack to occur.

Potentially responsible parties may include:

• The dog owner
• A dog handler
• A dog walker
• A dog sitter
• A landlord or property owner
• An apartment complex
• A business owner
• A kennel or boarding facility
• A groomer
• Another person whose negligence contributed to the dog attack

Identifying the right parties matters because dog bite claims often involve insurance coverage. A homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy may help pay damages suffered by the injured person, depending on the policy language and facts.

Common Injuries After a Dog Attack

Dog bite injuries can be physically painful and emotionally difficult. Severe dog attacks may require emergency care, surgery, medication, physical therapy, counseling, or long-term medical treatment.

Common injuries may include puncture wounds, lacerations, torn tissue, infections, nerve damage, tendon damage, broken bones, facial injuries, eye injuries, scarring, disfigurement, crush injuries, head injuries from being knocked down, emotional trauma, anxiety, fear of dogs, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Seek medical attention after a dog bite, even if the wound seems small. A medical professional can clean the wound, evaluate infection risk, determine whether a tetanus shot or rabies-related treatment may be needed, and document the injuries sustained. Medical records can also help connect the dog bite injury to the attack.

What To Do After a Dog Bite in Florida

The steps taken after a dog bite can affect your health and your personal injury claim. Acting quickly can help protect your medical care and preserve evidence before details become harder to confirm.

Consider taking these steps after a dog bite:

1. Seek Medical Attention
   Medical care should come first. Ask a medical professional about wound cleaning, infection risk, antibiotics, a tetanus shot, rabies concerns, and follow-up treatment.
2. Identify the Dog and Dog Owner
   Gather the dog owner’s name, address, phone number, and insurance information when possible.
3. Report the Biting Incident
   Contact local animal control or the appropriate authority so there is a record of the dog attack. Animal control records may also help determine whether the dog had prior complaints or a dangerous dog history.
4. Take Photos of the Injuries and Scene
   Photograph puncture wounds, bruising, torn clothing, the location where the attack occurred, fencing, gates, warning signs, and anything else connected to the incident.
5. Gather Witness Information
   Witness statements can help show how the dog attack happened and whether the dog owners or others acted negligently.
6. Keep Detailed Records
   Save medical bills, medical records, prescriptions, physical therapy notes, photos, insurance letters, lost wage information, and records of ongoing symptoms.
7. Avoid Discussing Fault With Insurance Companies Alone
   An insurance company may ask questions about the bitten person’s negligence, provocation, or the location where the bite occurred. Speak with a dog bite lawyer before giving a recorded statement.
8. Contact a Dog Bite Attorney
   A lawyer can help gather evidence, review the insurance policy, identify responsible parties, and explain the next steps under Florida law.

What Evidence Helps a Dog Bite Claim?

Evidence can help show how the dog bite occurred, who owned or controlled the dog, what injuries were caused, and which insurance coverage may apply.

Helpful evidence may include:

• Photos of the injuries
• Photos of the dog
• Photos of the attack location
• Medical records
• Medical bills
• Animal control reports
• Police reports, when applicable
• Witness statements
• Dog owner information
• Vaccination records
• Rabies or tetanus treatment records
• Prior bite history
• Prior complaints about the dog
• Dangerous dog records
• Video footage
• Homeowner’s or renter’s insurance information
• Lost wage records
• Physical therapy records
• Mental health treatment records
• Records of scarring, disfigurement, or ongoing pain

Dog bite cases can become stronger when evidence is preserved early. Photos of injuries can be especially important because wounds, bruising, swelling, and scarring may change over time.

Insurance Issues After a Dog Bite

Many dog bite victims worry about pursuing a claim because the dog belonged to a friend, neighbor, family member, or someone they know. In many cases, the claim may be handled through the dog owner’s homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy.

Insurance issues may involve:

• Whether the dog owner has homeowner’s insurance
• Whether the policy covers dog bite claims
• Whether the policy excludes certain breeds
• Whether the dog had a known history of aggression
• Whether a renter’s insurance policy applies
• Whether a landlord, business, or property owner may share responsibility
• Whether the insurer argues provocation or comparative fault
• Whether the insurer disputes the severity of the dog bite injury

A personal injury attorney can review the available insurance coverage and communicate with the insurer so you do not have to manage those discussions alone.

How Dog Owners and Insurance Companies May Defend Claims

Dog owners and insurance companies may raise defenses that reduce or deny payment. These defenses often focus on what happened before the bite, where the bite occurred, and whether the injured person contributed to the incident.

Common defenses may include:

• The person bitten was trespassing
• The person bitten provoked the dog
• The owner displayed an easily readable sign that said “Bad Dog”
• The person bitten ignored warnings
• The dog was under someone else’s control
• The injuries were not caused by the dog attack
• The medical treatment was unrelated or excessive
• The bitten person’s negligence contributed to the attack
• The bite occurred outside the scope of insurance coverage

These defenses do not automatically defeat a claim. The facts, evidence, witness statements, medical records, and Florida law determine how the claim should be evaluated.

What Compensation May Be Available After a Dog Bite?

A dog bite claim may allow an injured person to seek compensation for damages supported by the facts, evidence, insurance coverage, and Florida law. Damages are the legal categories of losses tied to an injury. Economic damages involve financial losses, such as medical expenses, medical bills, emergency care, surgery, medication, physical therapy, lost wages, and future medical treatment. Non-economic damages involve the personal impact of the injury, such as physical pain, emotional trauma, scarring, disfigurement, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and loss of enjoyment of life.

Depending on the facts, compensation that may be pursued after a dog bite can include medical expenses, medical bills, hospital care, medical treatment, physical therapy, lost wages, reduced earning ability, pain and suffering, emotional distress, scarring, disfigurement, post-traumatic stress disorder, and damages tied to permanent injury. If a loved one died after a severe dog attack, surviving family members may have grounds to pursue a wrongful death claim.

The value of a dog bite claim depends on many factors, including the injuries sustained, medical treatment, scarring, lost income, insurance coverage, fault disputes, and how Florida law applies.

How Long Do You Have To File a Dog Bite Lawsuit in Florida?

Florida deadlines can depend on the legal theory, the date of the dog bite or animal attack, the injured person’s age, and the parties involved. Some negligence-based claims may involve a two-year deadline, while other dog bite claims may involve different timing under Florida law.

Because deadlines can affect legal action, it is wise to speak with a dog bite attorney promptly after the attack occurred.

How Pardy & Rodriguez, P.A. Helps Dog Bite Victims

Pardy & Rodriguez, P.A. helps dog bite victims and families across Florida know their legal rights after a dog attack. We know these cases can feel uncomfortable when the dog owners are people you know, and we handle each claim with care and respect.

Our legal team may help by:

• Listening to your account and answering questions
• Reviewing whether a dog bite claim may be available
• Identifying the dog owner, property owner, insurer, or other responsible party
• Gathering medical records, photos, witness statements, and animal control reports
• Reviewing dangerous dog history, prior complaints, and vaccination records
• Evaluating medical bills, lost wages, physical injuries, and emotional trauma
• Communicating with insurance companies
• Preparing the claim for settlement discussions or legal action when needed

Pardy & Rodriguez, P.A. offers a free case evaluation and handles dog bite cases on a contingency fee basis. That means there are no attorney’s fees unless compensation is recovered for you. Case expenses, such as filing fees or court costs, are separate from attorney’s fees and can be explained during the consultation.

Schedule Your Free Case Evaluation With a Dog Bite Attorney in Florida

After a dog bite, you may be dealing with medical bills, pain, scarring, anxiety, insurance questions, and uncertainty about your legal options. You do not have to handle  the legal process alone.

Pardy & Rodriguez, P.A. can review your dog bite claim, explain whether the dog owner or another party may be responsible, and help you consider the next steps under Florida law. Call us at 888-522-0222 or fill out our online form to schedule a free consultation with our team.