After receiving a dog bite, you or a loved one may be overwhelmed with understanding what to do next. From medical bills to other out-of-pocket expenses, it’s likely that you’re trying not to drown in unexpected losses while still trying to live your day-to-day life.
Injured in Oklahoma City? Call Warhawk Legal at (405) 397-1717 for a free consultation. Our personal injury attorneys work on contingency — you pay nothing unless we win your case.
The good news is that if you’re a victim of a dog bite, you likely can file a claim and collect damages as a result of an insurance settlement or even a court proceeding. So, in this guide, we’re explaining what types of expenses a dog bite claim can help pay for in Oklahoma City. While the financial restitution can pay for many aspects of your dog bite injuries, it cannot cover everything potentially associated with the case.
Upon reading this blog, if you have any questions, our Oklahoma City dog bite lawyer at Warhawk Legal would be more than happy to answer them. Give us a call at (405) 397-1717.
Types Of Compensation That Can Be Received After Dog Bites
It’s important to understand the two major categories of damages that you can receive in a dog bite case. Those are economic and non-economic.
Economic damages are the damages that stem from real-world costs. Non-economic damages have no fixed dollar amount and are largely intangible.
Here are examples and definitions of these areas of compensation.
Compensation for Medical Costs
Medical costs are considered a form of economic damages and are likely the most common when considering a dog bite’s physical impact.
Medical costs as a subset of economic damages can be fairly broad. Specific expenses that fall within this category include doctor’s visits, co-pays, surgery, rehabilitation costs, assistive devices, home accessibility renovations, in-home health care, and long-term care.
Compensation for Lost Wages and Future Earning Potential
Lost wages are also a form of economic damages. Essentially, any uncompensated time away from work attributed to the dog bite can be considered lost wages and can be paid out from a settlement or jury verdict. Additionally, if the dog bite causes long-term problems that prevent the victim from working at their former vocation, they can also claim lost future earning potential since they are unable to return to work.
Compensation for Pain and Suffering
Pain and suffering is an obvious side effect of a dog bite. It’s also a form of non-economic damages. Since no dollar amount can be affixed to the cost of pain and suffering, this is usually awarded at the discretion of a judge or jury.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are awarded during civil court proceedings. This type of damages is typically awarded to punish the defendant for acting with malice or excessive recklessness. As applied to dog bites, this may look like the dog being ordered to attack the victim or if the dog has a repeated history of biting without the owner interfering.
Understanding Damages for Dog Bites
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), insurance companies pay out over $1 million in compensation to dog bite victims, with the average claim in the $50,000 range. If you think filing a claim could help make you financially whole again, our Oklahoma City injury lawyers would love to help.
If you have any questions about the types of damages you could receive from dog bites, contact us at (405) 397-1717.
Pain, Suffering, and Non-Economic Damages in Dog Bite Cases
Beyond the out-of-pocket losses covered by economic damages, Oklahoma law recognizes the full human cost of a dog attack. Non-economic damages compensate for physical pain, emotional distress, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the loss of enjoyment of life. Dog attacks — particularly those involving facial injuries or attacks on children — frequently cause lasting psychological harm that may require ongoing therapy. These damages are not capped in Oklahoma personal injury cases and are evaluated based on the totality of the victim’s experience, including how the injuries affect daily activities, relationships, and quality of life going forward.
Oklahoma Strict Liability and Owner Responsibility
Oklahoma applies strict liability to dog bite cases under Oklahoma Statutes Title 4, Section 42.1. This means a dog owner is liable for bite injuries regardless of whether the dog had any prior history of aggression and regardless of whether the owner knew the dog was dangerous. The only exceptions are if the victim was trespassing or provoked the dog. This is a significant legal advantage for victims compared to states that apply a “one-bite rule” — in Oklahoma, there is no free first bite. Anyone who was lawfully in a public place or on private property with permission at the time of the bite has a strong legal foundation for a claim.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dog Bite Compensation
What if the owner says their dog never bit anyone before? Prior history is irrelevant under Oklahoma’s strict liability statute — the owner is liable regardless of the dog’s past behavior. How long do I have to file a dog bite claim? Oklahoma’s general two-year statute of limitations applies from the date of the bite. What if the dog owner has no homeowner’s insurance? Many dog bite claims are covered by the owner’s homeowner’s or renter’s insurance — an attorney will investigate available coverage before assuming there is none. Contact Warhawk Legal to discuss your options at no cost.
Learn more from our contact us for a free consultation. Call us for a free case review.
Learn more from our personal injury attorney in Oklahoma City. Call us for a free case review.
If you or a loved one has been injured, contact our experienced Oklahoma City dog bite attorney at Warhawk Legal. We offer free consultations and only get paid when you win.