Were you or a child bitten by someone else’s dog in Houston, TX? Dog bite injuries can have serious physical and mental consequences. If you were a victim, count on an experienced Houston dog bite lawyer at Simon & O’Rourke Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers. We have the tools to help you recover full compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and more.
You can count on our lawyers to use the full weight of our 45 combined years of legal experience in your case. We’ve proven our skills over the years by recovering tens of millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for injury victims.
If you’re struggling with dog bite injuries, don’t wait too long to take legal action. You can learn more about your legal options by contacting our law offices in Houston, Texas, today at (281) 667 4081 to schedule a free consultation today.
Why Trust Simon & O’Rourke Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers to Help Me Recover Compensation for My Dog Bite Injuries in Houston?
Dogs can be wonderful companions. That said, dog ownership also comes with responsibilities. When dogs become aggressive and dangerous, the owner is responsible for ensuring others aren’t injured. If someone else’s dog injured you, they should be held accountable for all of your losses.
You shouldn’t have to worry about the details. After all, the attack wasn’t your fault. Count on our personal injury attorneys in Houston at Simon & O’Rourke Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers.
While you rest and recover, you’ll have a team to:
- Analyze all of your legal options and identify the best way to proceed
- Interview witnesses and collect the strong evidence you’ll need to back up your case
- Work with your doctors and leading experts as we calculate your case value
- Handle the paperwork and insurance details
- Defend against allegations that you provoked the attack
- Negotiate for a full insurance settlement
- File a lawsuit and seek full compensation at trial if necessary
Our Houston personal injury attorneys have been included in the Texas Verdict Hall of Fame. We’ve also been recognized by Super Lawyers for our skillful legal advocacy. You don’t have to stand up to the insurance companies on your own. Instead, call our trusted team to learn more about how our lawyers can help.
How Common Are Dog Bites in Texas?
Dog bite injuries are extremely common. That’s especially true in Texas. In fact, Houston topped the U.S. Postal Service’s list of most dangerous Texas cities for dog bite injuries. About 4.5 million Americans report dog bite injuries each year, according to the CDC. About 800,000 victims require medical care. Unfortunately, young children are often the victims.
The Insurance Information Institute publishes statistics on the cost of these dog bite injuries. Insurance companies across the U.S. paid over $1 billion in dog bite injury claims in 2023.
Texas ranked number three on the list of states with the most dog bite claims, with over 1,040 dog bite injury claims. Those claims cost insurance companies about $62.3 million.
How Much Compensation Can I Recover By Filing a Dog Bite Injury Claim in Houston?
Some of the factors that will be highly relevant as our Houston dog bite attorneys assess your case value include:
- The type of injuries involved
- Whether your disability is temporary or permanent
- Medical treatment costs
- How much income you have lost due to the injury
- Whether you’ll experience a long-term reduction in earnings
- Your pain and trauma
- Your age at the time of the dog bite
The more serious the injuries, the higher your financial recovery will likely be. That’s because more serious injuries are more expensive and change your life in more dramatic ways. Still, expect the insurance companies to downplay your suffering.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Dog Bite Victims in Houston?
You can seek compensation for both your economic losses and non-economic losses.
Economic losses compensate you for concrete, monetary losses. Examples of the types of economic damages you may have experienced include:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning potential
- Physical therapy
- Reconstructive surgeries
You might also have experienced more intangible losses, and you might be entitled to non-economic losses for things such as:
- Pain and suffering
- Permanent physical disfigurement and scarring
- Emotional trauma and fear
- PTSD
- Anxiety
- Reduced quality of life
If a dog bites you or your child, don’t hesitate to take legal action. Our lawyers in Houston are always ready to discuss your legal options, so contact us today for a free case review.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer in Houston?
Our lawyers at Simon & O’Rourke Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. As with most other law firms, we only take a percentage of your compensation if we do, in fact, recover money in your case.
Can Texas Comparative Fault Laws Impact My Ability to Recover Compensation for Dog Bite Injuries?
Provocation can be a huge issue in dog bite injury cases. The dog’s owner may claim that you don’t deserve compensation because you provoked the dog to bite. Under Texas modified comparative negligence rules, you lose your right to damages if your share of fault is greater than 50%.
Insurance companies often blame injury victims without strong evidence to back up their accusations. If you’re being blamed, contact our lawyers for help fighting back today. You should also be aware that fault may change if there is evidence the person responsible for the dog knew the dog was dangerous or likely to bite, as discussed further below.
We Represent Injury Victims in All Types of Houston Dog Bite Claims
At Simon & O’Rourke Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers, we represent clients in any type of injury case, including those where the victim has suffered:
- Broken bones
- Facial injuries
- Concussions
- Dislocations
- Shoulder injuries
- Infections
- Soft tissue damage
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Internal bleeding
- Organ damage
- Amputations
- Disfigurement
- Wrongful death
Dog bites always have the potential to cause catastrophic and even fatal injuries–especially if the animal wasn’t properly vaccinated. Always seek medical care quickly after an animal attack.
Overview of Texas Dog Bite Laws
Like any car accident victim, you’ll have to establish liability to recover compensation for your dog bite injuries. Most states have detailed laws that tell victims what they must prove to recover damages. Some states follow strict liability laws that generally hold dog owners liable regardless of whether they have any knowledge of the dog’s vicious tendencies.
Texas is different because dog bite injury cases aren’t governed by any specific statute. Instead, the Texas Supreme Court has created a rule that applies statewide. Texas is a “one bite” state. This means that owners can be held strictly liable for animals that they know to be dangerous or which could be dangerous.
What Do I Have to Prove to Win a Dog Bite Injury Case in Texas?
You can recover damages under the “one bite” rule if:
- The dog had bitten someone else in the past, so the owner knows the dog is dangerous, or,
- The dog hasn’t bitten in the past, yet there is evidence to prove the dog was vicious
Either way, you’ll generally have to prove:
- The dog had, in some way, demonstrated that it had vicious and aggressive tendencies
- The dog’s owner knew of the danger or reasonably should have known
- The dog actually harmed you and caused damages
If the dog injured someone in the past, it’s also possible that the dog may be classified as a dangerous dog. Owners of dangerous dogs have enhanced responsibilities. Owners of dangerous dogs in Texas must keep the dog fully restrained and purchase additional liability coverage. Failure can even lead to criminal penalties.
Can Negligence Theories Be Relevant to My Houston Dog Bite Injury Case?
Yes. Texas strict liability laws don’t prevent you from recovering compensation based on general negligence theories. Under Texas law, everyone has a duty to exercise reasonable caution to keep others safe. If the dog owner ignored their duty, they can be held liable regardless of whether they knew the dog was a threat or not.
Some possible examples of negligent behavior in dog bite injury cases include:
- Failing to keep the dog on a leash in violation of Houston leash laws
- Allowing the dog to roam freely
- Training the dog to fight or be aggressive
Note that in Texas, anyone who is responsible for the pet can be held liable. Depending on the facts, that means owners, dog walkers, and even businesses.
How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit After Suffering a Dog Bite Injury in Texas?
In Texas personal injury cases, the statute of limitations is two years in most cases. Wait longer than two years from the date of your dog bite injury, and you’ll lose your right to seek compensation. Call our law firm in Houston as soon as possible after you get hurt. Making a claim for compensation requires evidence–and it can take time to locate the strong evidence you deserve.
Call a Trusted Houston Dog Bite Lawyer for a Free Consultation Today
Contact our team at Simon & O’Rourke Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers after a dog bite in Houston. You may be entitled to significant compensation. An experienced Houston dog bite lawyer can handle the legal battle and fight for the full financial recovery you deserve.
Visit Our Personal Injury Law Office in Houston, TX
Simon & O’Rourke Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers
440 Louisiana St Suite 2300-A, Houston, TX 77002
(281) 667 4081
Monday – Friday
8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
