If you were bitten by someone else’s dog in Port St. Lucie, FL, you may be entitled to compensation. An experienced Port St. Lucie dog bite lawyer at Graves Thomas Rotunda Injury Law Group can help you maximize your financial award. Contact us online or call (772) 677-0373 to set up a free consultation.
Dog bite injuries can leave you struggling with pain, medical bills, and a sudden loss of income. Our top-rated attorneys have over 50 years of experience handling personal injury cases. We have already recovered hundreds of millions of dollars on behalf of injury victims and their families.
To discuss your legal options, call our Port St. Lucie personal injury attorneys to schedule a free consultation today.
Why Choose Graves Thomas Rotunda Injury Law Group for Help With a Port St. Lucie Dog Bite Injury Claim?
Insurance companies have countless tricks up their sleeves. The red tape can quickly become overwhelming. To get the most out of your claim, it’s important to hire an experienced law firm.
Clients have trusted our Port St. Lucie personal injury lawyers with their future since we opened our doors two decades ago. Since then, we’ve helped countless injury victims get the money they need to get back on their feet again.
When you hire Graves Thomas Rotunda Injury Law Group in Port St. Lucie, Florida, you gain a team with:
- A Super Lawyers rating
- A National Trial Lawyers “Top 100” designation
- Over 130 five-star Google reviews
We’ve also earned the Martindale-Hubbell lawyer rating service’s highest rating, AV-Preeminent, for our excellent legal services.
Most importantly, we’ve recovered not just millions of dollars, but hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts. You can count on our Port St. Lucie dog bite attorneys to make a difference in your case.
Get in touch today by calling or using our online contact form to schedule a free consultation.
How Common Are Dog Bites in Florida?
Roughly 4.5 million Americans are bitten by dogs every year. Florida is ranked second for the number of dog bite injuries reported yearly.
Most dog bite injuries are covered by homeowners’ and renters’ insurance policies. According to an Insurance Information Institute study, 1,821 Florida dog bite victims filed insurance claims in 2024. Florida insurance companies paid over $101 million to settle those claims.
What is My Port St. Lucie Dog Bite Case Worth?
The amount of money you can recover will depend heavily on:
- How severely you were injured
- Whether the dog attack caused any permanent or long-term injury
- Lost earnings during recovery
- How much you’ve spent on medical care, therapies, and assistance
- Your likely future need for ongoing treatment and rehabilitation (and the cost)
- How the injury has changed your lifestyle and quality of life, considering physical and mental trauma
- Whether provocation or any other defenses against you are legitimate
To learn more about how we can help you fight for the maximum compensation you deserve, call our Port St. Lucie dog bite attorneys for a free consultation today.
What Kinds of Compensation Are Available to Dog Bite Victims in Port St. Lucie?
Two primary classes of compensatory damages exist under Florida law: economic damages and non-economic damages.
The kinds of compensation you recover will depend on your exact losses and may include:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning potential
- Reconstructive surgeries
- Rehabilitation
- Mental health counseling
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional trauma
- Physical disfigurement and scarring
- Anxiety
- PTSD and fear
- Diminished quality of life
Punitive damages in dog bite injury cases are very rare. They’re only available to punish particularly shocking behavior. For example, if the owner trained the dog to attack and injure, we may pursue punitive damages as punishment.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer in Florida?
Our injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. That’s important because many clients worry about racking up large legal bills. You won’t pay anything to hire us initially. You’ll only pay if, and when, we recover compensation in your case.
Best of all, our fees are entirely based on how much money we recover in your case.
Can I Recover Compensation If the Dog’s Owner Is Blaming Me for Provoking a Dog Bite in Florida?
Possibly. Provocation is a common defense. If you did something that a reasonable person would expect to provoke a dog attack, your compensation can be reduced, sometimes all the way to $0.
Florida has a modified comparative negligence law. If the other side proves you were more than 50% responsible for your injuries, you may lose your right to damages. When you share a lesser degree of fault, your compensation is typically reduced to account for your share of blame.
We’ll Fight to Recover Compensation for All of Your Dog Bite Injuries in Port St. Lucie, FL
Some common examples of dog bite injuries include:
- Deep puncture wounds and gashes
- Broken bones
- Concussions
- Dislocations
- Eye injuries
- Facial injuries
- Soft tissue damage, including torn muscles, ligaments, and tendons
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Severe infections, which can lead to amputations and organ damage
- Paralysis
- Catastrophic injuries and wrongful death in the most extreme cases
Insurance exists exactly for situations like this—when people are injured because of someone else’s actions or failures. The dog’s owner failed to keep their dog under control. There’s no reason for their insurance company to hold back on covering your expenses.
Unfortunately, that’s probably what they’ll try to do. Even if they offer a settlement, don’t count on it to be fair. While you rest and recover, our lawyers will be dedicated to fighting for every dollar you deserve.
What Do I Have to Prove to Win a Dog Bite Injury Claim Under Florida Dog Bite Laws?
Dog bite cases in Florida can be complicated.
Your case will likely be governed by one of two legal theories:
- Strict liability
- Negligence theories
Often, what you have to prove will hinge on whether the dog’s owner has an available defense.
Florida Strict Liability Dog Bite Cases
Florida dog bite laws generally impose strict liability on dog owners. That means you may not have to prove the dog’s owner was negligent to recover compensation.
The dog’s owner is automatically deemed to be responsible for your injuries if:
- The defendant’s dog bit you.
- You were on public property or legally on private property when the bite occurred.
- You suffered injuries or damages as a result.
When strict liability laws apply, it doesn’t matter whether the dog has bitten or shown aggressive behavior in the past. A dog’s owner is responsible for the dog’s actions regardless of their prior knowledge of viciousness.
When Can Negligence Laws Apply to a Dog Bite Injury Claim?
Strict liability laws don’t protect dog injury victims in all cases.
You may have to prove negligence if the dog’s owner claims:
- You did something to provoke the dog to bite.
- They posted a “bad dog” sign in an obvious location, and the victim was at least six years old.
- You were trespassing on the dog owner’s private property.
The strict liability law also only applies if the dog actually bit you. Say the dog attacked you and caused injuries. You may have to prove the dog’s owner was negligent to recover damages.
Proof of Negligence in Florida Dog Bite Injury Cases
A dog’s owner is negligent if they failed to exercise the caution that a reasonable person would use under the same circumstances.
The four elements required to prove negligence are:
- Duty of care (all dog owners have a duty to take reasonable precautions to control their animal)
- Breach of duty
- Causation
- Damages
For example, a dog’s owner may be proven negligent if:
- They ignored local leash laws and allowed the dog to roam freely.
- The dog had been classified as a dangerous dog because it had injured someone in the past, and the owner failed to take special precautions.
- The owner knew the dog had vicious tendencies and failed to keep it in a secure location.
Because dog bite cases can quickly get complicated, it’s important to have a lawyer working on your behalf. Our Port St. Lucie dog bite lawyers have the tools to locate the strongest possible evidence, regardless of the legal basis for your claim.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Dog Bite in Florida?
In Florida, you typically have two years from the date of your dog bite injury to file a lawsuit. After two years have passed, you can usually no longer pursue compensation.
Exceptions exist for minor children. If your child was bitten, they get their own statute of limitations if you don’t sue on their behalf. That two-year clock starts to run on their 18th birthday.
Contact Our Port St. Lucie Dog Bite Lawyer for a Free Consultation
Dog bites can cause a shocking amount of damage. If you were injured, count on our award-winning team at Graves Thomas Rotunda Injury Law Group to fight for you. Call to arrange a free consultation with a Port St. Lucie dog bite lawyer who can help.
