Dog attacks can lead to serious, traumatic injuries, often resulting in costly medical bills, lost wages, and emotional distress. If you’ve been injured in a dog attack, understanding your rights is crucial. A dog bite lawyer at the Louisville Injury Law Firm can help you identify who may be liable for your injuries and guide you through your options for seeking compensation.
Are Owners Liable for Dog Bites in Louisville?
Under Kentucky dog bite laws, owners bear strict liability for dog bite injuries, even if their dog has not bitten or acted aggressively before. However, there are some limited circumstances reducing this level of responsibility, such as if the person who was bitten was trespassing at the time of the incident or was provoking the dog. In these cases, a court may find the victim to be partially at fault for their injuries, thus reducing their compensation.
It is important to note that dog owners are not the only party that can be held liable for a bite. For example, landlords can also bear responsibility if they knew a tenant’s dog was dangerous but did nothing to address it. Establishing who is responsible and where the dog bite occurred is one of the most critical elements of a dog bite claim. Working with a dog bite lawyer at the Louisville Injury Law Firm can ensure your claim is filed against the right parties.
What Dog Bite Damages Can Victims Recover?
Dog bite victims in Louisville can file a claim to pursue compensation for both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages cover losses with a clear dollar value, such as a bill for an ER visit. Non-economic damages compensate for harder-to-quantify losses, such as emotional suffering.
A dog bite lawyer at Louisville Injury Law Firm can help you identify all the damages you may be eligible to recover, such as:
- Medical expenses already incurred and those likely to arise in the future.
- Emotional damages, such as pain, suffering, anxiety, PTSD, depression, or loss of enjoyment of life.
- Lost earnings from missing work or being unable to perform your job while recovering.
- Scars or permanent injuries that cause embarrassment.
- Future scar revision or plastic surgery to address visible injuries.
How Much Is a Dog Bite Claim Worth in Louisville?
The value of a dog bite claim in Louisville depends on several factors, including the severity of your injuries and their long-term impact. For example, if you sustained severe injuries requiring extensive medical treatment, long recovery periods, or resulting in permanent scarring, you could be entitled to a higher settlement. Similarly, the emotional toll of a dog bite, such as long-term PTSD or anxiety, can also increase the compensation you may receive.
Accurately determining the value of your claim can be challenging, but our firm can help you assess all these factors carefully to ensure you pursue the maximum compensation you’re eligible to recover.
How Our Louisville Dog Bite Lawyer Can Help
Being attacked by a dog is frightening, and the aftermath can be just as overwhelming. You may be dealing with medical treatments, trauma, or even pressure from an insurance company to settle quickly. At the Louisville Injury Law Firm, our goal is to relieve that burden. Here’s how we support dog bite victims throughout the legal process:
- Conduct a thorough investigation into the incident, including gathering witness statements, photos, and records from animal control or local authorities.
- Determine liability, whether it’s the dog’s owner, a landlord, or another responsible party.
- Handle communications with insurers, so you don’t have to deal with adjusters or confusing paperwork alone.
- Consult medical professionals to understand the full scope of your injuries—both physical and emotional—and what your recovery may require.
- Build a strong case for compensation by documenting lost wages, treatment costs, and any long-term impact, like scarring or PTSD.
- Negotiate on your behalf, aiming for a settlement that truly reflects the harm you’ve suffered.
Louisville Dog Bite Statistics
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, about 4.5 million people across the U.S. are bitten by dogs each year, with approximately 800,000 needing medical attention. Although dog bites can occur anywhere, some areas rank more dangerous than others. In fact, the United States Postal Service ranks Louisville within the top 20 cities in the U.S. based on the number of dog attacks. In 2023, the city saw a total of 28 incidents.
Between January 2020 and January 2024, the Louisville Metro Animal Services conducted over 1,300 dog bite investigations, which involved over 3,200 responses by animal control officers. Pit bulls accounted for 46% of the responses, which is significantly higher than other breeds involved in dog bite incidents. Additionally, male dogs were more frequently involved in these incidents than female dogs, representing 71% of the responses.
Common Types of Dog Attack Injuries in Louisville
While some dog attacks only result in minor punctures, scrapes, and bruises, in severe cases, they can cause victims to suffer from lasting complications that require intensive treatment. Injuries can be the result of not just bites, but a victim being knocked or pulled to the ground, or pushed into an object. Serious dog attack injuries may include:
- Spinal Cord Injuries: These injuries can be extremely debilitating, including partial or complete paralysis, loss of sensation, and loss of mobility.
- TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury): Injuries to the head can result in concussions and other cognitive impairments, memory loss, behavioral changes, and chronic headaches.
- Broken Bones or Fractures: Broken bones and fractures can require multiple surgeries. They may also limit a victim’s mobility and necessitate missing work for an extended period.
- Tissue or Muscle Damage: These types of injuries can cause significant pain and have long recovery times. Physical therapy is often required.
- Scarring or Disfigurement: Disfiguring dog bites can require a lengthy series of medical procedures and surgeries to restore one’s appearance.
- Crush Injuries: These injuries occur when the body is subject to a high degree of pressure and may include broken bones, nerve damage, and other internal trauma that necessitates surgeries and long-term treatments.
- Other Injuries and Conditions: Dog attack victims may suffer from a variety of other injuries and complications, such as rabies, infections, face injuries, back and neck pain, and more.
In addition to physical injuries, a dog attack victim may experience extreme emotional distress that makes performing daily activities difficult.
What to Do if a Dog Bites You in Louisville
Being bitten by a dog can be incredibly stressful, but knowing what steps to take next can help put your mind at ease. These three steps are critical to embarking on the road to recovery:
- Observe: Record notes on the dog owner’s actions before, during, and after the incident. Were they surprised? Did they behave abusively toward their dog? This information can help support an official investigation.
- Question: If there are witnesses, ask for their contact information and their account of what happened.
- Report: Seek medical attention promptly. If you visit a clinic or hospital, the medical staff will report the dog bite. If you elect not to see a healthcare professional, you must call the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness to report the incident.
Louisville Dog Bite Lawyer: FAQs
How bad does a dog bite have to be to sue?
Minor dog bites do not qualify for litigation in most circumstances. Factors like the severity of the wound, depth of injury, location of the injury, disfigurement, scarring, and permanent disability all impact the likelihood of a successful dog bite personal injury claim. Considerations are also made for pain, suffering, emotional distress, dog bite supportive therapy, and lost wages.
What is the dog bite statute of limitations in Kentucky?
In Kentucky, dog bites fall under the same statute of limitations as personal injury claims, meaning that victims have one year to file a suit. Because of this limited time window, it is vital to speak with a dog bite attorney as soon as you are able to after a dog attack.
How long does it take for a dog bite settlement?
A dog bite injury settlement can take several months to over a year, depending on the complexity of the case. The process may involve an investigation, documentation, discovery, and negotiations with the insurance company and other involved parties.
How long do you have to report a dog bite in Kentucky?
Dog bites should be reported within 12 hours in Kentucky. Medical personnel will report the bite if you seek medical attention. However, you should report the dog bite if you don’t receive medical care. This is a public health safety issue, and it is vital to establish a record of the incident, the dog’s vaccination records, ownership of the dog, and other factors.
Do you have a dog bite lawyer near me?
The Louisville Injury Firm office is conveniently located at 717 Executive Park, St Matthews, KY 40207, and can be reached via Interstate 65 or the 29 Eastern Parkway bus route. We are located near Mall St. Matthews and Norton Healthcare St. Matthews.
Get in Touch With Our Dog Bite Lawyer at Louisville Injury Firm for a Free Consultation
If you have been the victim of a dog bite, contact Louisville Injury Firm. Our dog bite lawyer can help you protect your rights and seek justice by guiding you through the complicated process of dog-related injury litigation. Contact us for a free consultation, and let us walk you through our process with respect and transparency.
