Houston Dog Bite Injury Lawyer

A dog bite may seem like a fairly common incident but in many cases it can result in serious injury and in rare cases even a tragic death. If you or someone you love has suffered a serious injury after being bitten by a dog in Houston or the surrounding area, you deserve to be compensated for your suffering. Unlike in other states, however, a dog bite claim in Texas can be utterly difficult for victims and their families.

Attorney Andrew Cook of the Cook Law Firm can help you bring up an effective dog bite claim. He is well-versed in the complicated Texas rules regarding animal attacks, and skillfully committed in fighting for victims.

Note: Our law firm only handles dog bite claims where serious injury has resulted to a human (We do not handle, nor can we give consultations or advice for dog vs. dog bites)

Texas Has No Dog Bite Statute

A Texas dog bite claim can be challenging. Many other states have specific laws for dog bite cases, usually imposing strict liability on pet owners. In those states, the dog owner is held responsible for the dog’s behavior, regardless of whether the owner could have done anything to prevent it.

But Texas has no such law. This means if you have been bitten by someone’s dog in this state, there is no law that specifically and strictly addresses your situation.

Instead, you may recover damages on the ground of negligence. This adds more protection for the dog owner and more burden on you, as you will first need to prove that the dog owner was negligent before you can be compensated. This generally involves the so called “one bite” rule.

The “One Bite” Rule

Originally, the “one bite” rule meant that a pet owner can be held liable for a dog bite only if that dog has shown a tendency to bite – that is, if it has bitten someone in the past and the owner knew about it. This essentially gave the dog “one free bite” before the owner could get in legal trouble.

Texas adheres to a more modern version of this rule. In a dog bite negligence claim, you need to establish that:

• the dog owner knew that the dog had bitten someone or had acted aggressively in the past, or
• the dog owner negligently failed to reasonably control the dog or prevent the bite.

There are, however, certain cases where Texas courts may apply the strict liability rule, especially if the animal is known to be “vicious, dangerous, or mischievous.” But in most dog bite claims, as well as in other dog-related injury claims, the negligence rule applies.

Texas also imposes strict criminal penalties for irresponsible dog owners. However, such criminal penalties typically do not guarantee compensation for your injury.

Let Cook Law Firm Help You

As discussed above, it can be difficult in our state for you to claim dog bite compensation without a specific statute. Do not lose hope. Let Houston dog bite attorney Andrew Cook help you. With his in-depth knowledge and skillful navigation of the law, he can help serious dog bite victims get the compensation they deserve and back on track after their injuries.

Note: Our law firm only handles dog bite claims where serious injury has resulted to a human (We do not handle, nor can we give consultations/advice for dog vs. dog bites.)