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How Much Can You Get from a Dog Bite Lawsuit

By Resh LawOctober 1, 2025
How Much Can You Get from a Dog Bite Lawsuit

A dog bite can change a victim’s life in many ways. The injuries may cause serious pain, require expensive medical treatment, and even prevent someone from going back to work. On top of physical injuries, victims often deal with emotional distress and lasting fear after a dog attack. The costs of medical bills, reconstructive surgery, or psychological counseling can add up quickly.

ReshLaw helps you understand your legal options when facing these challenges. We know how Utah state laws apply to dog bite victims and how strict liability affects a dog bite claim. Our team works with medical records, police reports, and insurance companies to build a strong case for fair compensation.

Whether it involves homeowner’s insurance, renter’s insurance, or liability insurance, we fight to make sure policy limits do not stop you from receiving what you deserve. With our support, you can focus on healing while we handle the legal process.

Understanding Dog Bite Lawsuits

Dog bite lawsuits are different from other personal injury cases because liability laws for dog owners are very specific under Utah law. A dog bite case often depends on strict liability rules and statutes of limitations.

Victims may recover compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering when the dog owner is legally responsible for the animal attack.

What Qualifies as a Dog Bite Injury Case

A dog bite injury case qualifies when a person suffers harm from a dog attack. This includes broken bones, nerve damage, torn ligaments, or scarring that needs reconstructive surgery.

Emotional trauma, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, can also be part of a dog bite lawsuit. Victims must show medical treatment costs, police report details, or animal control reports to prove their claim.

Utah Laws That Affect Dog Bite Compensation

  • Strict Liability – Utah Code § 18-1-1: Dog owners are held strictly responsible for dog bite injuries, even if the dog had never attacked before.
  • Statutes of Limitations: Under Utah Code § 78B-2-307, dog bite victims usually have four years to file a personal injury claim in Utah.

Strict Liability vs. Negligence

  • Strict Liability: The dog owner is automatically responsible for injuries under Utah's strict liability laws.
  • Negligence: The victim must prove the owner's negligence, such as failing to follow leash laws or ignoring prior dog attack incidents.

Factors That Affect Dog Bite Settlement Amounts

Factors That Affect Dog Bite Settlement Amounts

The settlement amounts in dog bite claims can change depending on many details. Insurance policies, medical costs, and liability limits all affect what dog bite victims may receive. Factors like missed earnings, long-term medical treatment, and emotional distress also play a big role.

ReshLaw reviews each case carefully to seek a fair insurance settlement or jury verdict.

Severity of Physical Injuries

More severe dog bite injuries, such as broken bones, nerve damage, or torn ligaments, usually lead to higher settlement amounts. The more lasting the injury, the greater the impact on the victim’s life and future well-being.

Courts and insurance companies often look at whether the injury caused permanent disability or required long-term medical treatment. Severe injuries usually increase the value of a dog bite settlement because they change how the victim lives every day.

Medical Treatment and Future Care Costs

Dog bite victims may need emergency room visits, plastic surgery, or even reconstructive surgery. Future medical treatment costs also affect the final settlement. Ongoing medical care, like physical therapy or psychological counseling, may also be needed for full recovery.

Settlement amounts often increase when victims show medical documentation proving that treatment will continue well into the future.

Lost Wages and Loss of Earning Capacity

If injuries prevent victims from working, they can recover missed earnings. Permanent disability may lead to compensation for reduced earning capacity.

Many victims lose valuable time at work while recovering, and others may be unable to return to their previous jobs at all. Compensation also considers the effect on career growth and future earning power.

Pain, Suffering, and Emotional Trauma

Pain and suffering damages cover both physical pain and emotional trauma. Post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and fear of dogs may be included.

Victims may also experience ongoing sleep problems, fear in public spaces, or other forms of emotional distress. Because these damages affect quality of life, they are often a major part of dog bite settlements.

Permanent Scarring or Disability

Victims with keloid scarring, permanent disfigurement, or lasting disability can pursue higher settlement amounts. Plastic surgery or cosmetic surgery costs may also be part of recovery.

These damages consider how permanent changes affect confidence, social life, and professional opportunities. Courts and insurance companies often recognize that visible scarring or disability brings long-lasting harm beyond just medical expenses.

Average Settlement Amounts in Dog Bite Cases

Average Settlement Amounts in Dog Bite Cases

Settlement amounts can vary widely depending on the severity of injuries, medical expenses, and insurance coverage. Some dog attack awards are paid through insurance payouts, while others come after jury awards in court.

Factors such as socioeconomic factors and policy limits also affect the total amount.

Typical Settlement Ranges

  • Minor bites with shallow wounds, no stitches, and quick recovery are usually around $5,000 to $20,000.
  • Moderate cases, where medical treatment (stitches, follow-ups, maybe plastic surgery) and some scarring occur, are often between $20,000 and $50,000.
  • Severe dog attacks with deep wounds, nerve damage, broken bones, multiple surgeries, or permanent scarring and disability: many settlements go above $50,000, sometimes $100,000 or more.

Types of Damages You Can Recover

Dog bite lawsuits allow victims to pursue compensation for both economic damages and non-economic damages. These damages help cover medical costs, wage loss, and emotional distress.

Courts may also allow punitive damages in cases involving reckless or negligent behavior by the dog owner.

Economic Damages

  • Medical expenses and emergency medical bills.
  • Lost wages and future missed earnings.
  • Medical treatment costs, such as plastic surgery and reconstructive surgery.

Non-Economic Damages

  • Pain and suffering.
  • Emotional trauma and psychological counseling.
  • Loss of enjoyment of life or diminished quality of life.

Punitive Damages

Punitive damages may apply when the dog owner shows reckless disregard, such as ignoring leash laws or allowing repeated animal attacks. These damages punish negligent behavior and act as a warning to others.

Proving Liability in a Dog Bite Lawsuit

Proving Liability in a Dog Bite Lawsuit

Proving liability in a dog bite lawsuit requires strong evidence. Victims must show that the dog owner was responsible under Utah's strict liability laws or through the owner's negligence. Insurance tactics may challenge claims, but evidence helps overcome these defenses.

Evidence Needed to Support Your Case

  • Medical Records: Show treatment for dog bite injuries and medical treatment costs.
  • Police Report: Provides official details of the dog attack.
  • Animal Control Reports: Show prior history of dangerous behavior.
  • Surveillance Camera Footage or Video Footage: Proves how the attack occurred.
  • Social Media Posts: May show the dog owner’s knowledge of prior incidents.

Role of Witness Testimony and Medical Records

Witness statements confirm what happened during the dog attack, while medical documentation proves the injuries and treatment. Together, they help strengthen the dog bite claim against the insurance company.

Steps to Take After a Dog Bite

Taking the right steps after a dog bite can make or break your personal injury claim. Acting quickly helps protect your health and your right to recover compensation. ReshLaw guides dog bite victims through these important steps to improve their case results.

Seek Immediate Medical Treatment

After a dog bite, it is very important to go to an emergency room or urgent care right away, because even small wounds can lead to serious infections, nerve damage, or other hidden problems that get worse over time.

The medical records and medical documentation created during this first visit not only protect your health but also provide powerful evidence to support your dog bite lawsuit when dealing with an insurance company or in court.

Report the Incident to Authorities

Every dog attack should be reported quickly to animal control or to a police officer, because official reports create an unbiased record of what happened and help show the details of the dog bite incident.

Animal control reports and police reports are key pieces of evidence in dog bite claims, since they document the dog owner’s responsibility, confirm the location and time of the attack, and sometimes even include information about whether the dog had shown dangerous behavior before.

Document Your Injuries and Expenses

Victims should take clear photos of their wounds, keep all medical bills, and carefully track any wage loss so that every cost connected to the attack is fully recorded.

This documentation makes it much easier to show the true costs of dog bite injuries because it proves not only the direct medical expenses but also the pain and suffering, emotional trauma, and financial strain that the victim continues to experience long after the incident.

FAQs

How long do I have to file a dog bite lawsuit in Utah?

Under state laws, most dog bite victims have four years from the date of the attack to file a personal injury lawsuit.

Will homeowner's insurance or renter's insurance cover a dog bite claim?

Yes, many dog bite settlements are paid through homeowner’s insurance or renter’s insurance, depending on the policy limits.

What if the dog has never bitten anyone before?

Utah follows strict liability, meaning a dog owner is responsible even without prior attacks, unlike the one-bite rule used in some other states.

Can a victim claim compensation for emotional trauma?

Yes, non-economic damages cover emotional distress, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other psychological harm caused by a dog attack.

Do comparative negligence rules affect dog bite claims?

Yes, if the victim provoked the dog or shared fault, comparative negligence can reduce settlement amounts, but strict liability still favors victims in most cases.

Schedule a Free Consultation with Our Ogden Dog Bite Lawyer

Schedule a Free Consultation with Our Ogden Dog Bite Lawyer

Dog bite victims in Ogden often face painful injuries, expensive medical treatment, and emotional distress that affects every part of life. These challenges can make it hard to focus on recovery while also dealing with insurance companies and legal deadlines. That is why having strong legal representation is so important when pursuing a fair dog bite settlement.

ReshLaw offers a free consultation to review your case and explain your rights under Utah dog bite laws. Our dog bite lawyer works closely with clients to build strong dog bite claims using medical records, police reports, and animal control reports.

We fight against insurance tactics, demand fair settlement offers, and prepare for trial if needed. With our help, you do not have to face this process alone. Contact us today to schedule your initial consultation and let us protect your right to fair compensation.

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