Fort Worth Dog Bite Lawyer

Trusted dog bite lawyers with over 12 years of personal injury experience.

If you were recently attacked by a dog in Fort Worth, you may have serious injuries that required immediate medical attention. Our Fort Worth, TX dog bite lawyer has handled animal attack cases across Tarrant County for over 12 years. At Brandy Austin Law Firm, PLLC, we know what these cases are worth and how to prove the owner was negligent, which led to your injuries. Please reach out today for a free consultation.

Dog Bite Lawyer Fort Worth, TX

Texas does not have a straightforward strict liability statute for dog bites. The legal standard generally requires showing the owner knew or should have known the dog had dangerous tendencies. That is not always easy to establish, and insurers know this.

A Fort Worth dog bite attorney builds the evidentiary foundation that makes a claim strong, such as prior incident records, animal control reports, neighbor statements, vet records, even social media posts. Without influential evidence, you are negotiating from a potentially debatable position. A dog bite lawyer in Fort Worth understands how Tarrant County courts handle these claims and what arguments are going to be most effective for our clients.

Types of Dog Bite Cases We Handle in Fort Worth

Not every dog attack incident is the same, and they do not all raise the same legal questions. Some happen at a neighbor’s house, while others involve apartment complex dogs, delivery routes, or off-leash dogs in public spaces. We handle the following types of cases throughout Fort Worth and Tarrant County:

• Severe bite wounds: Puncture wounds and lacerations that break through muscle or damage nerves often require multiple rounds of treatment. We pursue full compensation for those costs and for the time you lost recovering.
• Dog attacks on children: Children are bitten more often than any other age group, and their injuries tend to be more serious relative to their size. There are also psychological effects that can persist long after the physical wounds heal. These cases involve added complexity, and we handle them carefully.
• Attacks by dogs with known histories: When a dog has bitten before, or when an owner has been warned about aggressive behavior and done nothing about it, the liability picture changes significantly. We locate evidence of prior incidents as early as possible in the investigation.
• Off-leash attacks in public areas: Fort Worth parks, trails, and sidewalks see these cases regularly. A violation of local leash ordinances can directly support a negligence argument, and we document those violations from the start.
• Apartment and property owner liability: Landlords and property managers sometimes share responsibility when they know about a dangerous dog on the premises and failed to act. These cases can involve more than one liable party.
• Injuries to workers on the job: Mail carriers, delivery drivers, utility workers, and others who regularly access private property face a disproportionate share of on-the-job injuries from dog attacks. We handle the intersection of workers’ compensation and third-party personal injury claims in these situations.
• Scarring and disfigurement cases: Facial bites and attacks that leave permanent scars often require plastic surgery and long-term follow-up. Compensation in these cases needs to account for future costs, not just what has already been spent.
• Inadequate containment cases: A broken gate, an untrained dog left unsecured in a yard, or a dog walked on a flimsy leash by someone who cannot control it, these are all forms of owner negligence. We document the conditions that allowed the attack to happen.

Why Choose Brandy Austin Law Firm, PLLC for Dog Bites in Fort Worth, TX?

A Track Record That Includes Dog Bite Cases

Brandy M. Austin has been practicing law in Texas since 2008 and founded this firm in 2013 with a $300 investment and a clear idea of what she wanted for her practice. She is admitted to the Texas Bar and to the U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Eastern, and Southern Districts of Texas.

She currently serves as President-Elect of the Tarrant County Trial Lawyers association and holds fellowship in the Texas Bar Foundation. Additionally, Super Lawyers named her a Rising Star from 2015 through 2018 and The National Academy of Personal Injury Attorneys recognized her as a Top 10 Attorney Under 40. Fort Worth Magazine listed her as a Top Attorney the last four years in a row.

Results That Matter

If you are searching for a personal injury lawyer in Fort Worth, TX, you want someone who has actually handled dog bite cases, not just personal injury cases in general. At Brandy Austin Law Firm, PLLC, we have secured millions of dollars for injury clients, including a $1,000,000+ judgment that came specifically from a dog bite case. If you need help after a recent dog bite incident, contact us today. We take dog bite cases on contingency, so there are no upfront costs or fees at all unless we recover for you.

Dog Bite Case Overview

Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Dog Bite Cases

The value of a dog bite claim in Texas depends on several things, including how serious the injuries are, how negligence can be established, and how thoroughly the damages are documented. We pursue both economic and non-economic losses for our clients. Examples of damages you could receive compensation for include:

• Emergency room treatment, hospitalization, and surgery costs
• Ongoing care, such as follow-up visits, wound management, physical therapy
• Current and future medical expenses
• Lost wages during recovery, and lost earning capacity if the injuries are permanent
• Any property that was damaged during the attack
• Pain and suffering and emotional distress
• Disfigurement and scarring
• Loss of enjoyment of life

Important Aspects in Your Dog Bite Case

There are certain aspects of your dog bite incident that we assess, including the following factors we have listed below:

• Medical records are your foundation: Dog bites cause infections, nerve damage, and complications that sometimes do not surface immediately. Seeing a doctor right away creates a documented medical record directly connected to the incident.
• Statute of limitations for the attack: Personal injury claims in Texas are generally subject to a two-year statute of limitations. Cases that wait too long may have issues with evidence, along with the legal deadlines.
• The first settlement offer is rarely right: Insurers move quickly after a dog bite claim is reported. An early offer may seem reasonable, but it almost never reflects the actual value of a serious injury.
• Comparative fault defenses: If an insurer can argue you provoked the dog or were somewhere you should not have been, Texas’s modified comparative fault rules could reduce your recovery. We anticipate those arguments and address them directly.
• Why the dog attacked matters legally. Understanding dog behavior, such as what triggers aggression, what the owner knew, what warning signs existed, can be relevant to both liability and damages.

Dog Bite Case Timeline

No two cases proceed in the exact same way, but here is what the process generally looks like for a dog bite claim in Fort Worth:

• Immediate period: Medical care and evidence preservation. While you focus on treatment, we gather photographs, witness information, animal control records, and any prior complaint history related to the dog.
• Demand phase: Once your treatment is far enough along that we can accurately value your damages, we prepare and send a formal demand to the responsible insurer.
• Negotiation: Most cases resolve during this phase. It can take weeks or several months, depending on the insurer and the complexity of your injuries.
• Filing suit: If negotiations stall or the insurer’s offers are unreasonable, we file in Tarrant County district court, then discovery and depositions follow.
• Trial or resolution: A case that cannot settle may go to trial, and we are prepared to go to court from the very beginning.

What to Bring to Your Dog Bite Consultation

Bring as much of the following information as you can for your meeting with us. The more you have, the more thoroughly we can assess your situation. But you don’t need everything ready to receive a case evaluation:

• Photos of your injuries taken at different points after the attack, including early on when the damage was most visible.
• Contact information for anyone who witnessed the attack.
• Any animal control or police reports filed in connection with the incident.
• Medical records or discharge paperwork from your initial treatment.
• Any written or electronic communications you have already had with the dog owner or their insurer.

Texas Legal Resources for Dog Bites

Texas law governs how dog bite claims are filed, what damages are available, and how long you have to act. The following resources are useful starting points for understanding the legal landscape.

• Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code § 16.003: Two-year deadline to file a personal injury lawsuit from the date of the injury.
• Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code § 95.003: Duty of care owed to persons on property, relevant when a dog bite occurs on a property owner’s premises and negligent maintenance or control of the animal is at issue.
• Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code § 16.0045: Extended limitations period applicable in certain injury cases involving minors; relevant if the dog bite victim is under 18

Reach Out to Brandy Austin Law Firm, PLLC to Schedule a Consultation

If you were recently bitten by a dog and sustained serious injury, we recommend reaching out as soon as possible. At Brandy Austin Law Firm, PLLC, we offer free consultations for dog bite attacks and handle these cases on contingency. This means you pay nothing unless we win compensation for you. Contact us to reserve your appointment with us.