Georgia Dog Bites & Animal Attacks

If you were bitten by someone else's dog in Georgia, you may be entitled to compensation from the dog owner, or his or her insurance company to reimburse you for costs related to your dog bite injury.

Strict Liability Laws

Georgia has what are known as strict liability laws when it comes to dog bites.

Strict liability means that the dog owner is responsible for any injury caused by the dog, regardless of whether the dog had a history of biting. However, for a dog-bite victim to be successful in a lawsuit, the dog must have been considered "dangerous" or "vicious" at the time of the attack. This, however, could be as simple as showing that the dog was off the leash in an area that has a leash law.

Other exceptions to strict liability laws mean that a dog owner probably is not responsible if their dog bites:

• A person who is trespassing on their property without permission
• A person who is provoking the dog to respond aggressively

In addition to Georgia, Florida, California, and Illinois are among the states that have strict liability laws when it comes to dog bites.

If You Are a Victim

If you are the victim of a dog bite, you may be able to recover money from the dog's owner (or his or her insurance company) to compensate you for:

• Medical bills, including medication and future treatment for scar reduction
• Mental health counseling
• Lost wages
• Torn clothing
• Pain and suffering

How Long Do You Have to File a Claim?

Georgia law gives you two years from the date of the dog bite to file a claim against the dog's owner. (This is known as the statute of limitations.) If you and your Georgia personal injury lawyer are unable to negotiate a settlement with the other party (or their insurance company), you should consider filing a lawsuit before the statute of limitations runs out.

If your injury claim is for $15,000 or less, you should file your personal injury lawsuit in the Georgia Magistrate Court that has jurisdiction. For injury claims worth more than $15,000, you would file your lawsuit in the appropriate Georgia State Court.

Additional Georgia Dog Bite Resources

Personal injury in Georgia

Georgia Department of Public Health dog bite prevention

The Administrative Office of the Courts of Georgia