Were you bitten by a dog in Fort Worth, Texas? Call Trial Tribe at (817) 400-5000 to discuss your legal options. During a free consultation, an experienced Fort Worth dog bite lawyer can help you understand your right to seek compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain, trauma, and more.
If a dog attack has left you dealing with financial expenses, missed work, or lasting physical or emotional pain, you don’t have to navigate the process alone. Reaching out as soon as possible can help protect your rights and provide clarity about what steps to take next.
Why Choose the Team at Trial Tribe To Help Me Recover Compensation After a Dog Bite in Fort Worth?
Make no mistake: your lawyer’s proven track record of success matters in any personal injury case. Insurance companies don’t hand over fair settlements without a fight. Someone may even be trying to pin the blame on you. That’s why you need Trial Tribe on your side.
Here’s why clients in Fort Worth, TX, choose us:
- Our attorneys have over 50 years of combined experience advocating on behalf of injured clients like you. We are ready to put our experience to work for you.
- We’ve recovered over $30 million in settlements and verdicts.
- For our efforts, we secured one of the largest jury verdicts in the state of Texas in 2024.
- When you hire us, you’re telling the insurance companies you won’t back down without a fight–and you won’t settle for a lowball settlement that fails to truly compensate for your losses.
It’s never too early to start fighting for the money you deserve. Call our Fort Worth personal injury attorneys today to schedule a free consultation and learn about your legal options.
Are Dog Bites Common in Texas?
By some estimates, roughly 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs in the U.S. each year. According to the CDC, approximately 334,000 dog bite victims require emergency room treatment annually.
Not surprisingly, dog bites are also common in Texas. When it comes to dog bite insurance claims, Texas insurance companies paid out over $90 million to dog bite victims in a recent year.
How Much Is My Fort Worth Dog Bite Case Worth?
Most homeowner’s policies cover dog bite injuries. Still, you’ll have to prove how much compensation you deserve to walk away with a fair deal.
The value of any personal injury case depends heavily on the facts, including:
- The nature of your dog bite injuries
- Your age at the time of the attack
- Whether your doctor thinks you’ll recover or suffer a long-term injury
- The pain and trauma you have experienced
- Your current medical costs
- The cost of reasonably expected future medical care
- The amount of income you’ve lost during recovery
- Whether provocation is a legitimate issue
Regardless of what the insurance adjuster tells you, there is no precise formula when it comes to calculating a dog bite victim’s damages. Consulting an experienced attorney is the only way to really know how much you deserve.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Dog Bite Injury Victims in Fort Worth?
Damages in a personal injury case are classified according to whether they compensate for financial or non-financial losses. Economic damages cover financial costs. You might be able to recover:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning potential
- Physical therapy
- Property damage
Non-economic damages represent your more intangible damages. Examples of the types of compensation you may be entitled to receive include:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress and trauma
- PTSD
- Diminished quality of life
- Physical disfigurement and scarring
No two victims are exactly the same. Everyone experiences an injury and trauma differently. In all cases, your settlement or verdict should account for all you have experienced.
How Much Does It Cost To Hire a Lawyer To Handle a Dog Bite Claim in Fort Worth?
Trial Tribe, like most personal injury law firms, operates on a contingency fee basis. You only pay if we recover compensation in your case. When we do, we deduct a pre-set percentage of your settlement or verdict.
The cost of legal representation shouldn’t prevent you from seeking justice. When you hire us, you won’t have to worry about covering any initial costs or racking up huge attorneys’ fees with no results.
What Happens to My Ability To Recover Damages if I’m Being Blamed for Provoking a Dog Bite in Texas?
Texas, like many other states, has modified comparative negligence laws. Personal injury victims lose their right to compensation if their share of fault is greater than 50%. If you share some fault, but don’t cross the 50% threshold, your damages are reduced to account for your share of fault.
Provocation is often an issue in negligence-based dog bite cases. If the dog’s owner is blaming you, you don’t automatically lose your right to damages. Instead, call an experienced attorney who can advocate on your behalf.
Our Attorneys in Fort Worth Will Fight To Recover Compensation for All of Your Dog Bite Injuries
Dogs can cause a significant amount of damage. Any breed of dog has the potential to cause serious injury. Unfortunately, some of the worst dog bite injuries are sustained by young children.
At Trial Tribe, we handle any type of personal injury claim in Fort Worth, including those where the victim has suffered:
- Deep cuts and puncture wounds
- Damage to the tendons and ligaments
- Nerve damage
- Broken bones
- Concussions and other traumatic brain injuries
- Joint injuries
- Soft tissue damage
- Spinal cord injuries and other back injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Serious infections, which can lead to sepsis, organ damage, and even amputations
- Paralysis
- Catastrophic injuries
It’s also never too early to reach out for legal advice. Even if you’re still recovering, our attorneys in Fort Worth can begin collecting evidence to build your dog bite injury case. Just give us a call for a free case evaluation today.
What Do I Have To Prove To Recover Compensation After a Dog Bite in Texas?
Most states have their own laws when it comes to dog bites. Unlike most states, Texas doesn’t have any specific dog bite law. Instead, dog bite injury cases are governed by case law precedent developed by the Texas Supreme Court.
Based on this case law, Texas has essentially become a “one bite rule” state. In Texas, dog owners are typically responsible for damages if they knew their dog was dangerous. If the dog had bitten before, the law assumes the owner knew about the dog’s vicious tendencies.
When a dog has never bitten someone before, the victim must prove that the dog was vicious. That means you must prove:
- The dog had previously shown its ability to cause harm or injury
- The dog’s owner knew about the dog’s vicious tendencies
- The dog bit and injured you
Most dogs get “one free bite” in Texas. This one-bite rule, however, does not protect the dog’s owner against negligence claims. If the dog’s owner was negligent, they can be liable for your damages even if you can’t prove they knew the dog was dangerous prior to biting you.
What Is Negligence and How Do I Prove It in a Texas Dog Bite Injury Case?
Someone is negligent when they fail to use the amount of caution that’s reasonably expected in the situation.
The four legal elements of a negligence claim are:
- Duty of care
- Breach of duty
- Causation, meaning the breach caused the injuries
- Damages, or losses suffered by the victim
Owning a dog triggers the duty of care. Dog owners have a duty to use a reasonable amount of caution to prevent their dog from biting others.
Many different scenarios can give rise to a breach of duty. For example, a breach of duty likely occurred if the dog owner allowed their dog to roam at large or failed to adequately secure the dog on a leash.
Can Someone Other Than the Dog’s Owner Be Responsible for My Damages?
Premises liability laws can play a role in dog bite cases. If the dog bit you on someone else’s property, it’s possible that the property owner could be financially responsible. Third-party liability depends entirely on the facts.
For example, if you were bitten in a rental apartment complex and the landlord or manager knew a dangerous dog was present, they may be liable for failing to provide reasonably safe property conditions.
How Long Do I Have To File a Lawsuit After a Dog Bite in Texas?
Under Texas law, you have two years to file a personal injury lawsuit. The two-year period starts on the date the dog attacked you. After two years, you’ll no longer be entitled to sue for damages.
Your lawyer can ensure you don’t miss the deadline–but it’s important to consult an experienced attorney soon after a dog bites you.
Contact a Skilled Fort Worth Dog Bite Lawyer for a Free Consultation
After a dog bite in Fort Worth, Texas, count on the team at Trial Tribe to fight for the full and fair compensation you deserve. Call us today to learn how an experienced Fort Worth dog bite lawyer can help you prove you deserve compensation.
Highly Rated Medical Centers in Fort Worth
- Medical City Fort Worth – 900 8th Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76104
- Medical City Alliance – 3101 N Tarrant Pkwy, Fort Worth, TX 76177
- Kindred Hospital Tarrant County (Southwest) – 7800 Oakmont Blvd, Fort Worth, TX 76132
- Atlas Medical Center – 1301 N Beach St, Fort Worth, TX 76111
- City of Fort Worth Employee Health Center (Riverside) – 100 N Forest Park Blvd #120, Fort Worth, TX 76102