Dog Bite Attorneys in Houston

Results-Driven Advocacy for Dog Bite Victims

A sudden dog attack is terrifying and painful. It can leave you with serious physical injuries, emotional distress, medical bills, and lost income from missed work.

At JJ Law, we pursue fair compensation and accountability for people attacked by dogs. We review what happened, explain your rights and legal options, and keep you informed as you decide how to proceed. Our personal injury attorneys have over 30 years of combined experience, have recovered over $70 million for our clients, and prepare every case as if it’s going to trial. We build claims supported by evidence and pursue the damages available under Texas law.

Do I Have a Dog Bite Claim in Texas?

Texas doesn’t have a specific civil dog bite statute. Instead, liability is generally evaluated under common-law strict liability and negligence rules. Under the Texas “one-bite” rule, an owner is strictly liable for injuries caused by a dog when the owner knew or should have known about the animal’s dangerous tendencies. A prior bite isn’t the only evidence that can establish this knowledge. An attempted bite or other aggressive behavior may also matter.

The following facts can affect a dog bite claim, so consider seeking legal advice if they apply to your case:

• You were bitten by a dog on public property or on private property where you had permission to be.
• You weren’t trespassing when the bite occurred.
• You didn’t provoke the animal into attacking.
• You didn’t threaten or hurt the animal’s owner before the attack.
• The dog’s owner knew the animal had bitten someone before or had a history of aggressive behavior.

Negligent Dog Handling

Even if the dog had never bitten anyone, you may still have a negligence claim. You would need to show that the owner owed you a duty of care, breached that duty, and caused the bite and your resulting injuries.

Examples of negligent dog handling include:

• Failing to keep a dog on a leash in public
• Failing to adequately monitor a dog while off-leash in a designated dog park
• Failing to maintain the dog’s enclosure, allowing the animal to escape
• Failing to secure private property, such as leaving a front door open, and allowing the animal to escape

Texas Filing Deadlines

The personal injury statute of limitations in Texas sets a deadline for filing a dog bite lawsuit. Waiting can also make it harder to preserve photographs, witness information, medical records, and evidence about the dog’s history. We can review how the attack happened and explain which legal options fit the available evidence.

Types of Compensation Available in Dog Bite Cases

The financial impact of a dog bite can be staggering. Emergency care, follow-up treatment, and missed work can quickly strain your finances. JJ Law pursues economic and non-economic damages supported by your injuries, treatment, work impact, and other evidence.

You may be entitled to:

• Medical Expenses: Costs for your ambulance rides, surgeries, medications, and future physical therapy.
• Lost Wages: Income you lose while your injuries keep you away from work.
• Loss of Earning Capacity: Reduced future income if a permanent disability prevents you from returning to your career.
• Pain and Suffering: Compensation for the physical pain and mental anguish caused by the attack.
• Plastic Surgery: Costs associated with reducing visible scarring.
• Punitive Damages: Additional damages in rare cases involving fraud, malice, or gross negligence by the owner.

Not every claim includes every category. The damages available to you depend on your injuries, required treatment, time away from work, long-term effects, and evidence connecting those losses to the attack.

Steps to Take After a Dog Bite

Taking the right steps after a dog bite can protect your health and preserve information for your claim:

1. Seek Medical Attention Immediately: Even minor bites can lead to serious infections.
2. Report the Incident: Contact local animal control or the appropriate authorities.
3. Document the Scene: Take photos of your injuries and the location of the attack.
4. Gather Information: Obtain the dog owner’s contact details and vaccination records if possible.
5. Identify Witnesses: Record the names and contact information of anyone who saw the attack or the dog’s behavior beforehand.
6. Preserve Records: Keep medical records, bills, receipts, photographs, and any animal control report connected to the incident.
7. Contact a dog bite attorney: Our legal team can help you understand your legal options.

Common Dog Bite Injuries

A dog attack can cause puncture wounds, lacerations, abrasions, contusions, infections, and crush injuries. More serious attacks can involve fractures, dislocations, amputations, or avulsions, which occur when skin or other tissue is torn away.

Emergency department data commonly identifies injuries to the arms or hands, legs or feet, and head or neck. Children younger than 4 are especially likely to suffer head and neck injuries because of their height relative to the dog. Medical evaluation documents the nature and extent of your injury.

Houston’s Running-at-Large Rule

Houston prohibits an owner or person possessing a dog from allowing it to run at large without direct physical control. The ordinance includes a defense for dogs within an established off-leash site, such as a city dog park.

An at-large or leash ordinance violation can support a negligence per se argument. Negligence per se means using the violation of a safety law or ordinance to establish a breach of legal duty. A violation doesn’t automatically establish civil liability, so the facts of the incident, causation, and available defenses still matter.

Contact Our Dog Bite Attorney in Houston Today

If you or a loved one has been injured by a dog in Harris County, don’t wait to seek legal help. Evidence can disappear quickly, and witnesses’ memories fade. At JJ Law, we offer a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your case. We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay no legal fees unless we help recover damages.

Our team answers phones 24/7, offers virtual consultations, and provides service in Spanish.