Steps to Take After a Dog Bite Injury: A Legal Guide for Victims

Suffering a dog bite injury can be traumatic, and taking the right steps immediately protects your health, preserves evidence, and lays the groundwork for a legal claim. Knowing what to do after a dog bite injury makes sure you address medical needs and legal requirements without delay.

Whether the attack happens on a neighbor’s lawn, in a public park, or at a friend’s home, understanding your rights and responsibilities empowers you to seek appropriate care and compensation. The Law Office of Aaron Fonseca is based in McAllen, Texas, and our attorney helps victims recover after serious dog bite injuries. 

Essential Info About Dog Bite Injuries

Dog bite injuries vary from minor punctures to deep lacerations, nerve damage, and infections. These wounds often bleed heavily and may hide tissue damage beneath the skin, which can lead to serious complications if untreated. Recognizing the risks—such as rabies exposure and bacterial infections—makes prompt medical evaluation essential to prevent long-term harm.

Because Texas imposes strict liability on dog owners for bite injuries, demonstrating the severity and cause of your dog bite injury is a critical first step toward holding the owner accountable and securing compensation.

Initial Medical Steps After a Dog Bite Injury

After a dog bite injury, prompt and thorough medical care not only reduces your risk of infection but also creates vital documentation for any legal claim. Make sure to heed the following plan for your own health and safety:

• Clean the wound: Gently wash with soap and water to reduce infection risk

• Apply pressure and bandage: Stop bleeding and protect the area with a sterile dressing

• Seek professional care: Visit an emergency room or urgent care for evaluation, stitches, or rabies shots

• Follow wound-care instructions: Keep dressings clean and monitor for signs of infection, such as redness or fever

Prompt treatment not only protects your health but also creates detailed medical records that demonstrate the severity and treatment of your dog bite injury, strengthening any legal claim you pursue. Insurance adjusters and courts rely on this proof to verify the severity of your injury and justify awards for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. 

Documenting Your Injury and the Scene

Accurate records of how and where the attack occurred strengthen your case. Take clear photographs of your wounds at multiple stages—from the moment of injury through healing—and capture images of the location, the dog, and any visible hazards that contributed to the bite.

Writing down details while they’re fresh, such as the dog’s behavior, time of day, and any witnesses, preserves critical evidence. This documentation helps your lawyer reconstruct the incident and proves liability for your dog bite injury.

Reporting the Bite to Authorities

Texas law requires certain dog bites to be reported to local animal control or public health departments. Filing an official report creates a legal record of the attack and may prompt quarantine or vaccination verification for the dog.

Notifying authorities can also reveal the dog’s prior bite history, which supports your claim of negligence. A formal report bolsters your case by showing you followed legal protocols after your dog bite injury.

Filing Insurance Claims And Dealing With Adjusters

Once you’ve treated your injuries and documented the attack, you need to notify the appropriate insurance carriers promptly. Contact the dog owner’s homeowners’ or renters’ insurer and, if your health plan or auto policy applies, inform your own carrier.

Providing clear, timely information sets the stage for a smoother claims process:

• Report the incident: Submit the claim number, date, location, and details of your dog bite injury as soon as possible

• Provide documentation: Attach medical records, photos of your wounds, and the animal control report to support your losses

• Keep communication records: Log adjuster names, dates of conversations, and summaries of what was discussed or promised

• Review coverage limits: Understand policy maximums, exclusions, and deductibles so you know the claim’s potential value

Staying organized and proactive with insurers prevents common delays and lowball offers. Suppose an adjuster undervalues your claim or denies coverage. In that case, your personal injury attorney can step in to challenge their decision and negotiate a settlement that fully compensates your dog bite injury.

Seeking Legal Advice Promptly

After you’ve tended to your wounds and reported the bite, consult a qualified lawyer experienced in dog bite injury cases. Your attorney will explain your rights under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 822 and guide you through gathering necessary evidence and filing demands.

Early legal involvement makes sure witnesses are interviewed before memories fade, and evidence, such as surveillance footage or veterinary records, remains available. Timely action maximizes your chances of securing full compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Statute of Limitations and Filing Deadlines

Texas gives bite victims two years from the date of the injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. Missing this deadline typically bars your right to recover damages.

Your personal injury attorney will calculate the exact deadline—especially in cases involving minors, where additional tolling rules may apply—and prepare your petition well before the statute of limitations expires to protect your claim after a dog bite injury.

Liability in Dog Bite Cases

Texas law holds dog owners strictly liable when their animal bites someone, with few exceptions. You must prove that you were legally on the property or in a public place and did not provoke the dog:

• Owner’s responsibility: Liability attaches regardless of the dog’s past behavior or the owner’s knowledge of aggressiveness

• Trespasser exceptions: Owners may avoid liability if the victim was unlawfully on private property

• Provocation defense: If you teased, struck, or threatened the dog, the owner can argue you provoked the attack

• Leash law compliance: Evidence that the owner violated leash or confinement ordinances can strengthen your claim

Demonstrating strict liability and ruling out defenses lets your lawyer focus on proving injury severity and damages rather than owner intent.

Calculating Damages After a Dog Bite Injury

Accurately calculating your damages after a dog bite injury requires accounting for all economic and personal losses. Here’s what you should remember so you can track and organize a clear record of your financial and personal setbacks:

• Medical expenses: Hospital bills, surgeries, rehabilitation, and prescribed medications

• Lost wages: Income you missed due to medical appointments, recovery time, or long-term disability

• Pain and suffering: Physical pain, emotional distress, and quality-of-life impact from scarring or disfigurement

• Replacement services: Costs for housekeeping, childcare, or other services you couldn’t perform during recovery

A comprehensive summary helps your lawyer negotiate aggressively with insurance companies or opposing counsel. Clearly itemized damages reduce disputes and minimize opportunities for insurers to undervalue your claim.

Being prepared with organized evidence increases the likelihood of achieving fair compensation for your dog bite injury.

Working With Insurance Companies

Dealing with homeowners’, renters’, or personal liability insurers often starts with submitting medical records and a detailed demand letter. Insurers may offer lowball settlements, hoping you accept quickly.

Your personal injury attorney will handle all communications, reject unfair offers, and, if necessary, file a lawsuit to push for fair compensation. Experienced legal counsel prevents insurer tactics from undermining the value of your dog bite injury claim.

Compassionate Legal Advocacy

If you’ve suffered a dog bite injury in Texas, our personal injury attorney at The Law Office of Aaron Fonseca can help you pursue recovery for medical costs, lost income, and pain and suffering. We serve clients throughout Edinburg, McAllen, Mission, and the Rio Grande Valley areas. Reach out now for a free consultation to protect your rights and secure compensation.