Austin is a city that loves its pets. Whether you are walking through Zilker Park or spending a sunny afternoon at a patio on Rainey Street, you are likely to see plenty of dogs enjoying the outdoors with their owners. Most of these interactions are pleasant, but sometimes a dog may act in an unexpected and aggressive way. If a dog attacks you or a loved one, an Austin dog bite lawyer can help you understand your rights and move toward recovery.
When a dog owner is not careful, their animal can cause serious physical and emotional harm. Texas dog bite laws allows people injured by animals to seek payment for their medical bills and other losses.
Our team at Lorenz & Lorenz, PLLC, understands how a sudden injury can disrupt your daily routine and your peace of mind. We believe that owners must be held accountable when their pets hurt others. We are here to help you seek the financial support you need to get your life back on track.
Why Choose Lorenz & Lorenz, PLLC, for Your Austin Dog Bite Claim?
Choosing the right legal team is a vital step in your recovery. At Lorenz & Lorenz, PLLC, we treat our clients like family. We know that you are going through a stressful experience, and we want to make the legal process as simple as possible for you. Since 2001, our firm has focused strictly on personal injury cases, which means we spend all our time staying current on the laws that affect people who have been hurt by others.
Our firm offers several benefits to help you during this time:
- Availability: We are here for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year.
- Accessibility: If you cannot come to our office, we will come to your home or hospital room to meet with you.
- Experience: Our attorneys have recovered over $500 million in settlements for our clients since we opened our doors.
- Dedicated Focus: We only handle personal injury cases, including car accidents, truck accidents, and dog bites.
- No Upfront Costs: You do not owe us any fees unless we win your case.
We pride ourselves on providing personal attention to every person who walks through our doors or calls our office. You will always work directly with an attorney who understands the details of your situation. This commitment to our clients helps us build strong cases that aim for the best possible results.
Does Texas Have a One-Bite Rule?
Some states have laws on the books that say a dog owner can be liable for any injuries caused by a dog bite, regardless of that dog’s history of aggression. Others, including Texas, say that an owner isn’t automatically responsible for a dog’s violent behavior the first time around.
Instead, under the one-bite rule, an owner is liable only if they knew that the dog had dangerous or vicious propensities.
In other words, the owner can avoid liability for the dog’s first bite. After that, the owner knows that the dog has a tendency to bite and has an obligation to try to prevent that from happening again.
If they’re not successful and the dog bites another person, the owner can be held liable for the resulting injuries and damages.
Negligence Vs. Strict Liability in Austin Dog Bite Cases
If you’ve been injured because of a dog bite in the Austin area, you may be entitled to compensation. There are two ways to frame your dog bite lawsuit. You can base your case on either negligence or strict liability.
Negligence
A dog owner might be liable for dog bite injuries if their own negligence contributed to the attack. Negligence occurs when:
- A person breaches a duty of care to others, and
- That breach causes an injury
Owners have a responsibility to limit the potential harm their dog could cause others. If an owner fails to control their dog, keep them in a fenced yard, or secure them on a leash, they may be considered negligent. When that negligence is a substantial factor in an injury or attack, the owner can be at fault and responsible for damages.
Strict Liability
Owners can also be strictly liable for injuries caused by their dog. Strict liability means that liability exists even when dog owners take precautions to control their dogs and keep others safe. Victims don’t have to prove that the owner was negligent. Instead, the victim just has to show:
- They were injured because of a dog bite or attack, and
- The dog’s owner knew – or should have known – about the dog’s history or propensity to be vicious.
If a dog has been violent or attacked someone in the past, the owner can be strictly liable for all future attacks.
It’s important to note that your ability to recover compensation may be limited if you provoked the dog or contributed to your injury in some way. These exceptions may not apply if the dog bite victim is a young child.
Austin Dog Bite Statute
In many Austin neighborhoods, from the quiet streets of Mueller to the busy sidewalks of South Congress, local ordinances also play a big role. Austin has "leash laws" requiring dogs to be on leash in most public places.
If a dog owner lets their pet run free in an area where leashes are required and that dog bites you, the owner’s failure to follow the local law can be used as evidence that they were being careless. These local rules are meant to keep everyone safe while enjoying our city's beautiful outdoor spaces. exceptions may not apply if the dog bite victim is a young child.
Proving Negligence in a Dog Attack Case
When we talk about negligence in a legal sense, we are talking about a lack of ordinary care. For a dog bite case, this usually means the owner failed to do something they should have done to prevent the bite. For example, if an owner knows their dog is scared of strangers but brings the dog to a crowded event at Lady Bird Lake without a muzzle or a short leash, they might be considered negligent.
To prove negligence, our team looks for several key elements:
- The person owned or was responsible for the dog at the time of the bite.
- The owner had a duty to act carefully to keep others safe.
- The owner failed in that duty (for example, by letting the dog roam off-leash).
- This failure directly caused your injuries.
Proving these points often requires a thorough investigation. Lorenz & Lorenz, PLLC, uses an in-house investigator to gather evidence, such as witness statements, photos of the scene, and animal control records.
We look into the dog's history to see if there have been previous complaints or calls to the Austin Animal Services regarding that specific animal. This information helps us build a clear picture of why the owner should be held responsible for your medical bills and pain.
Compensation Available for Dog Bite Victims
In Texas, the money you receive after an injury is called "damages." There are two main types of damages you can seek: economic and non-economic. Economic damages are the bills you can easily count, like your hospital visits and the money you lost because you could not go to work. Non-economic damages are for things that do not have a specific price tag, like your physical pain or the loss of enjoyment of your favorite hobbies, like jogging along the Greenbelt.
When we calculate the value of your claim, we look at several factors:
- Past and future medical expenses related to the bite.
- Lost wages from time missed at work.
- Potential loss of future earnings if the injury causes a permanent disability.
- Physical pain and mental suffering.
- Costs for physical therapy or specialized medical equipment.
Lorenz & Lorenz, PLLC will look at every detail of your life that has changed because of the attack. We want to make sure that the settlement or jury award you receive actually covers what you have lost. We use our experience with thousands of cases to estimate a fair value for your claim and fight for that amount during negotiations.
The Timeline for Filing a Dog Bite Lawsuit in Texas
It is important to act quickly after a dog bite. Texas has a law called the "statute of limitations," which sets a deadline for how long you have to file a dog bite lawsuit. According to Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003, you generally have two years from the day of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. If you wait longer than two years, the court will likely refuse to hear your case, and you will lose your right to seek compensation.
While two years might seem like a long time, it passes quickly when you are focusing on surgeries and recovery. Starting the process early allows Lorenz & Lorenz, PLLC to collect evidence while it is still fresh. Witnesses might move away or forget details, and physical evidence at the scene might change. By contacting us early, you give your case the best chance of success.
The Importance of Experienced Legal Representation
Some people think they don’t need a lawyer to handle a dog bite claim. They might believe that because the owner is a neighbor or a friend, the insurance company will play fair. Unfortunately, that is rarely the case. Insurance companies have teams of lawyers whose job is to pay out as little as possible. By hiring Lorenz & Lorenz, PLLC, you level the playing field.
We provide the resources necessary to go up against large insurance corporations. This includes hiring medical experts to testify about the severity of your injuries or accident reconstructionists to show how the attack happened. We take care of the paperwork, the phone calls, and the negotiations so you can focus on your health.
Our firm is built on the idea that every injured person deserves high-quality legal help. We do not pass your case off to assistants; an attorney will manage your claim from start to finish. This ensures that no detail is overlooked and that you always have an advocate who knows exactly what is happening with your case.
Austin Dog Bite Case FAQs
When you are dealing with a dog bite injury, you likely have many questions about what happens next and how the law protects you.
What if the dog that bit me belongs to a friend or family member?
This is a common situation, and it can be awkward to think about taking legal action against someone you know. It is important to remember that in most cases, you are not suing your friend personally; you are making a claim against their homeowners’ insurance policy. This is why people pay for insurance—to cover accidents like this. Your friend’s insurance is there to help pay for your medical bills so that your friendship does not have to suffer under the weight of financial stress.
Can I still seek compensation if there were no "Caution" signs on the property?
Yes, the absence of a warning sign does not mean the owner is not responsible. In fact, owners are often required to keep their pets secured regardless of whether they have signs posted. If the dog was able to reach you and bite you, and you were legally allowed to be where you were, the owner may still be liable for your injuries. Signs like "Beware of Dog" can sometimes even be used as evidence that the owner knew the dog was dangerous.
What happens if the dog bite occurred at an apartment complex?
In some cases, the apartment complex or property management company might also be held responsible. If the landlord knew that a tenant had a dangerous dog and did nothing to remove it or protect other residents, they could be considered negligent. We will investigate the property’s rules and any past complaints made to management to see if multiple parties share the responsibility for what happened to you.
Do I have to go to court for a dog bite case?
Most personal injury cases are settled outside of court through negotiations with the insurance company. This is often faster and less stressful for the injured person. However, if the insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement, Lorenz & Lorenz, PLLC is prepared to take your case to trial. We will always discuss these options with you and make the decision that best serves your interests.
How much does it cost to hire an Austin dog bite lawyer?
At Lorenz & Lorenz, PLLC, we work on a contingency fee basis. This means we do not charge you any hourly rates or upfront costs. Our payment is a percentage of the money we recover for you at the end of the case. If we do not win your case and get you money, you do not owe us any attorney fees at all. This allows everyone to have access to a lawyer, regardless of their current financial situation.
Contact a Trusted Austin Dog Bite Attorney from Lorenz & Lorenz, PLLC, Today
If you or a loved one has been hurt by a dog in Austin or the surrounding areas, you do not have to handle the bills and the stress on your own. At Lorenz & Lorenz, PLLC, we are dedicated to helping our neighbors get the compensation they deserve after an unexpected injury. We are on top of it, and we are ready to start working on your case today.
Call Lorenz & Lorenz, PLLC at our Austin office to schedule your free, confidential consultation. We are available 24/7 to take your call and listen to your story. Remember, there is a limited amount of time to file a claim, so do not wait to get the legal help you need. Let us fight for you while you focus on your recovery.