Common Dog Bite Law Questions

Unfortunately, our office often receives calls from individuals or their family regarding a dog attack or dog bite that they've recently experienced. Texas has seen an increase in dog-related incidents over the past several years, and oftentimes these attacks result in serious and sometimes permanent injury.

Here are answers to several questions our office receives regarding a potential dog bite injury claim:

1. How do I show that the owner of the dog was liable?

ANSWER: Texas is what is referred to as a 'one-bite' state. What this means is that the owner of the dog would have to have known, or at least should have known, of a previous attack/dog bite incident or know that the dog had a propensity to do so.

2. What if I can't show that the dog already had attacked someone else?

ANSWER: In Texas, there several additional ways you may be able to recover in a dog bite claim. First, you may be able to bring an ordinary negligence claim. This may occur in an instance where a pitbull is kept around children at a place of business, and as a result the dog attacks and injures the child. Furthermore, you may have a negligence per se cause of action. This occurs when there is negligence based on a violation of a statute, regulation, or law. This often comes into play in areas where there are leash laws. Several leash laws around the state prevent dogs from leaving their owner's land unless they are on a leash. As a result, oftentimes dog attacks in your own neighborhood may be pursued based on negligence per se.

If you have any questions after you or a family member or friend have been involved in a dog bite or dog attack, please call an experienced Austin dog bite lawyer at Zinda & Davis by calling our office. We compassionately and aggressively represent many dog bite victimes across the state in their attempts to be made whole as a result of their injuries.