Dogs provide many Texas residents with love and companionship. However, when a dog is agitated or fearful, it can lash out and attack innocent people. Injuries caused from dog bites are often severe and may result in months of medical treatment and rehabilitation.
If you were bitten by a dog, you may file a premises liability suit against the owner of the dog to recover damages. In many states, dog owners are strictly liable for any bite injuries caused by their dog, even if the dog never previously exhibited signs of aggression.
Recovering damages under the one-bite rule
However, under Texas’ “one-bite rule,” dog owners may be strictly liable for injuries caused by their dog if they knew or should have known of their dog’s dangerous propensities prior to the incident (if the dog has shown signs of aggression prior to the incident or had bitten someone else prior to the incident).
Dog owners may also be liable for dog bite injuries under the theory of negligence. Dog owners may be negligent if they fail to take reasonable care to ensure that others do not suffer injury because of their dog. Common forms of dog owner negligence include:
- Failing to follow local leash laws.
- Failing to keep them in a secure area.
- Failing to provide proper supervision.
- Failing to provide proper training.
If you successfully establish that a dog owner is liable for your injuries, you may recover damages to cover your medical bills and lost wages (if you missed work while recovering from your injuries). You may also recover damages for pain and suffering, emotional distress, scarring and disfigurement and other noneconomic damages.
