A dog attack can leave you with painful injuries, unexpected medical bills, and emotional trauma that lasts long after your wounds heal. Whether you were bitten while walking through Piedmont Park, visiting a neighbor, or spending time with your family, a dog bite lawyer in Atlanta can help you understand your rights and options for seeking compensation.
At Van Sant Law, we’ve been helping injured Georgia residents since 2008. Our Atlanta dog bite attorneys understand how devastating an animal attack can be, especially when a child is injured. Throughout our history, we’ve recovered over $500 million for clients across our personal injury practice, including dog bite cases.
Our personal injury lawyers in Atlanta provide personalized representation, investigate the circumstances of the attack, and pursue compensation for your physical, emotional, and financial losses.
Common Dog Bite Injuries and Their Long-Term Effects
A dog attack can cause more damage than just the bite itself. There may be deep cuts or puncture wounds, but people also get hurt trying to pull away, protect themselves, or get the dog off of them. And with children, size is another concern. A dog may be able to reach a child’s face or neck much more easily, causing a more serious injury. Common dog bite injuries include:
- Puncture wounds and lacerations: Dog teeth can leave deep punctures or tear the skin and tissue. Depending on the location and depth of the wound, treatment may involve stitches, wound care, or surgery.
- Broken bones: A powerful bite isn’t the only way a fracture can happen. Someone who falls or tries to shield themselves during an attack may suffer broken bones, especially in the hands, wrists, or arms. An Atlanta broken bones lawyer can support your claim in this case.
- Infections: Any time a dog breaks the skin, infection is a concern. The wound may need antibiotics, a tetanus booster, or other treatment. If there’s a concern about rabies, doctors may recommend additional care as well.
- Nerve damage: Some bites go deep enough to injure a nerve. That can mean numbness or weakness, but it can also cause lingering pain or make it harder to move the injured area normally.
- Scarring and disfigurement: Even after the wound closes, a visible scar may remain. This can be especially difficult when the bite involves the face or another noticeable area. More serious injuries sometimes require plastic or reconstructive surgery, and treatment may continue well after the initial wound has healed.
- Emotional trauma: Victims may experience anxiety, nightmares, post-traumatic stress disorder, or a lasting fear of dogs.
Some victims require months of treatment and rehabilitation. Children who suffer facial injuries may need additional procedures as they grow. Severe attacks can also interfere with a person’s ability to work, attend school, socialize, or enjoy everyday activities.
People with serious injuries may receive emergency treatment at facilities such as Grady Memorial Hospital or Piedmont Atlanta Hospital. Prompt medical attention also creates documentation of the injuries and treatment following an attack.
Georgia Dog Bite Laws and Owner Liability
Georgia’s dog bite law is sometimes called a modified one-bite rule. Under O.C.G.A. § 51-2-7, a dog owner or keeper may be responsible when a dangerous dog causes an injury and the other requirements for liability are met. A big part of these cases is figuring out what the owner knew about the dog before the attack and how the animal was being handled or restrained.
A key issue is often whether the owner knew or had reason to know that the dog had dangerous tendencies. Georgia law also establishes dangerousness when an animal was required by a local ordinance to be at heel or on a leash, and the owner failed to comply. The circumstances of the attack, including whether the injured person provoked the animal, can affect a claim.
After a dog attack, one of the first things we look into is whether the owner knew the dog had shown dangerous behavior before. That history can make a significant difference in a Georgia dog bite case. We work to uncover the facts and hold negligent owners accountable.
Why a Dog’s Previous Behavior Matters
Despite the term “one-bite rule,” a previous bite is not necessarily the only evidence that can matter. An investigation may uncover other behavior that helps establish what the owner knew about the animal before the attack. Evidence may come from several places, and sometimes it’s something as simple as a neighbor remembering an earlier incident:
- Previous attacks: Another bite or attack can help show that the dog had already displayed dangerous behavior and that the owner knew about it.
- Animal control records: A previous complaint may have already put the dog on the radar of local authorities. Reports, citations, and investigation records can help fill in that history.
- Witness statements: Neighbors often know more than you might expect. Delivery drivers, apartment residents, maintenance workers, or others who regularly encountered the dog may remember growling, lunging, chasing, or other aggressive behavior.
- Owner communications: Sometimes the evidence is in writing. Texts, emails, social media posts, or messages with an apartment manager may show that concerns about the dog came up before the attack.
- Leash violations: Evidence that the dog was not properly restrained may be relevant under Georgia law and applicable local ordinances.
Documenting this history quickly can be critical. Witnesses can become difficult to locate, surveillance recordings may be overwritten, and memories can fade.
Dog attacks can happen throughout Atlanta, including in public spaces such as Piedmont Park and the Atlanta BeltLine, as well as residential areas of Buckhead and Midtown. Apartment complexes and other shared residential spaces can present additional questions about prior complaints, property management records, and what others knew about a dog’s behavior.
What to Do Within 72 Hours After an Atlanta Dog Attack
The first few days after a dog attack can get hectic. You may be dealing with a painful injury, medical appointments, calls from the dog owner, and questions about what happens next. Still, these first 72 hours are a good time to document as much as you can.
This isn’t a legal filing deadline. It’s simply a period when evidence may be easier to find and when memories are still fresh. Your health comes first, so get the bite checked out as soon as you can.
Ideally, the attack should also be reported within that first day. Take photos while the injuries are fresh, then take more as bruising, swelling, or other changes appear. Hold onto torn or bloody clothing rather than throwing it away. And if someone saw the attack, get their contact information while you still can.
Preserve Evidence Over the Next Few Days
Once the immediate medical concerns are handled, there are a few other things worth saving. Medical paperwork, prescriptions, photos, and messages with the dog owner can all become important later.
The same goes for video. If the attack happened near an apartment building, business, parking lot, or anywhere else with cameras, ask about the footage early. Some systems record over old video pretty quickly.
Insurance is also worth looking into during those first 72 hours. Homeowners or renters insurance may provide liability coverage for a dog bite in some circumstances. Don’t assume there isn’t coverage simply because the attack happened somewhere other than the owner’s home. The policy and facts of the incident need to be reviewed.
Reporting a Dog Bite to Animal Control
If the attack happened in Fulton County, it should be reported to Fulton County Animal Services. Beyond documenting this particular incident, the report may reveal something important about the dog’s history.
There could already be complaints or earlier reports involving the same animal, and that information may matter when determining what the owner knew before the attack. You don’t need to have every detail figured out before making the report. Give Animal Services what you know, including:
- What happened: Give the date and approximate time, where the attack occurred, and a straightforward account of what happened.
- Which dog was involved: Describe the dog’s size, appearance, color, and breed if you know it. Other identifying details can help too.
- Who owns the dog: Share the owner’s name, address, phone number, or whatever information you were able to obtain.
- Who saw the attack: Provide contact information for witnesses. Someone who saw even part of the incident may have useful information.
- How you were injured: Explain where you were bitten or otherwise hurt and provide photographs or other documentation if requested.
Getting a Copy of the Incident Report
Before you finish making the report, ask for the incident or case number and keep it with your other records. You’ll likely need that information when following up with Animal Services about the investigation.
Ask how to obtain a copy of the completed incident report. If it isn’t available through the normal records process, ask whether you need to submit a request under the Georgia Open Records Act.
If the dog is still attacking someone, the injuries are life-threatening, or there is another immediate danger, call 911.
Compensation and Insurance After an Atlanta Dog Bite
The cost of a dog attack can keep growing long after the first trip to the emergency room. Some people need weeks or months of follow-up care. Others may be looking at surgery, therapy, scar treatment, counseling, or medical care they’ll need in the future.
What compensation may cover depends on the injuries and how the attack has affected the victim. Potential damages include:
- Medical expenses: This can include the bills you already have, such as emergency care and hospital treatment, as well as costs that may come later. Surgery, medication, rehabilitation, and other necessary treatment may all be part of the claim.
- Lost income: A claim may include wages lost while recovering and, in serious cases, diminished future earning capacity.
- Scarring and disfigurement: Permanent scars and changes in appearance may be considered when evaluating damages.
- Pain and suffering: Compensation may address physical pain and the emotional effects of an attack.
- Psychological care: Counseling or other treatment may be necessary for PTSD, anxiety, or a lasting fear of dogs.
Homeowners Insurance and Dog Bite Claims
A dog owner may not have to pay a claim entirely out of pocket. Homeowners or renters insurance often comes into the picture, depending on the policy. Coverage isn’t always straightforward, though.
Some policies limit dog-related claims or exclude them altogether, so the policy itself needs to be reviewed before anyone knows what coverage is actually available. The insurance company will usually look closely at what happened, including where the attack took place and who had control of the dog at the time.
The dog’s history may come up too. If there were early signs of aggression or if the policy has an exclusion that applies to the animal or incident, coverage can become another issue. Our Atlanta dog bite lawyers can investigate available insurance, communicate with the insurer, and review coverage issues while developing evidence of liability and damages.
Medical Liens and Subrogation
The settlement amount and the amount a client ultimately receives aren’t always the same. Medical providers or health insurers may have a right to seek payment from the recovery, depending on how the medical bills were paid and the type of coverage involved.
Georgia law addresses certain healthcare provider liens under O.C.G.A. § 44-14-470. Certain health benefit reimbursement and subrogation issues are addressed under O.C.G.A. § 33-24-56.1, although federal law and the terms of a particular health plan can also affect reimbursement rights.
Our attorneys identify applicable liens and reimbursement claims as part of resolving a case. Addressing these issues can be an important part of determining how much compensation the client ultimately receives.
Filing a Dog Bite Lawsuit in Fulton County
Georgia generally gives an injured person two years to file a personal injury lawsuit. That deadline comes from O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33 and usually applies to dog bite injury claims as well.
There are exceptions, though, and some circumstances can change how the deadline is calculated. It’s better not to assume you have the full two years without having your specific situation reviewed.
Filing in Fulton County
Fulton County doesn’t have a separate statute of limitations just for dog bites. If the case is filed in the State Court of Fulton County, it still has to meet Georgia’s filing deadline along with the court’s own procedures. Filing the lawsuit involves more than sending a complaint to the courthouse.
The necessary court documents have to be prepared and filed, applicable fees must be handled, and the defendant must be properly served. Civil cases in Fulton County may also be subject to electronic filing requirements. Waiting until the statute of limitations approaches can create additional problems even when a lawsuit technically remains timely.
Prior animal control reports, apartment complaints, witness testimony, and other evidence can be crucial when establishing that an owner knew or should have known about a dog’s dangerous tendencies. An experienced dog bite lawyer in Atlanta can investigate these issues while evidence remains available and determine the appropriate court and filing procedure.
Contact Our Atlanta Dog Bite Lawyers Today
Founding attorney David M. Van Sant previously represented insurance companies, giving our firm insight into how insurers investigate, value, and defend injury claims. Today, we use that experience to advocate for injured Georgians. Van Sant Law has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for clients across our personal injury practice, including dog bite cases.
We offer free consultations and handle personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, which means we don’t collect an attorney fee unless we recover compensation for you. We’re available 24/7, offer Spanish-language services, provide electronic case signing, and can arrange home or hospital visits when needed.
If you or your child was attacked, contact Van Sant Law to speak with a dog bite lawyer in Atlanta about your legal options. Make the Right Call. We never settle a case unless the client is happy with the result; that is the Van Sant Law client satisfaction guarantee.
