Can I Sue Homeowners Insurance If I Was Bitten by a Dog?

There are certain situations where a dog bite victim might not feel comfortable filing a claim against the dog’s owner, such as if the liable party is a close friend, family member, or neighbor. However, dog bite injuries can cause steep medical expenses and severe, sometimes permanent damages such as chronic pain, emotional or mental distress, and scars. In this situation, a person injured in a dog bite accident on another person’s property can decide to forge through and file an injury claim against the dog’s owner, take the financial hit from the accident, or file a claim against the liable party’s homeowners insurance to recoup some of the financial losses of the accident.

Does Homeowners Insurance Always Cover Dog Bite Accidents?

In most situations, homeowner’s insurance will cover dog bite injuries that happen on A dog owner’s property. Homeowners insurance is designed to protect homeowners from unexpected accidents and expenses that might occur on their property, whether inflicted by the homeowner, an animal that they care for, or an unpreventable source. According to the Insurance Information Institute, in 2018, homeowners insurance paid for $675 million in claims related to dog bites and other dog-related injuries.

Filing a claim against the liable party’s homeowner’s insurance requires proof of your injuries from the accident (photos, a medical report), a witness report of the situation, and information about the dog’s owner, the dog’s breed/age/vaccination records. Once a claim is submitted against the dog owner’s insurance policy, an investigation of the claim will begin. If the investigation is successful, you could recover approximately $30,000 in damages for your injuries, according to the 2012 average for dog owner liability claims.

What Damages Can I Recover from Homeowners Insurance If a Dog Bites Me?

While most homeowner policies accept claims that involve dog bite or dog-related injuries, not every insurance policy covers these types of accidents. Additionally, if a dog-related injury claim has been made against the liable party’s homeowner’s insurance in the past, the insurance company might not be able to approve a second claim. Most homeowners insurance policies have a coverage limit for different types of damage – the average liability coverage limit is around $300,000, but varies depending on the homeowner’s assets and estate. Typically, dog bite victims can recover compensation from a negligent dog owner’s homeowners insurance policy for the following damages:

  • Medical expenses
  • Lost wages from the accident
  • Pain and suffering that occurred because of the dog bite accident
  • Personal property damage, such as damage done to their clothes, phone, or other belongings on their person during the accident

Speak with a Dog Bite Lawyer Today

If you don’t know if you are eligible to sue homeowners insurance after being bitten by another person’s dog, or are unsure what damages you can claim from the accident, an experienced lawyer can help. A lawyer can quickly assess the situation, determine your right to file a claim against the liable party’s homeowner’s insurance policy, and develop a compelling claim to recover compensation for your injuries and financial losses from the accident.

Christopher Dixon and the Dog Bite Lawyers at the Dixon Injury Firm understand how traumatic dog bite accidents can be, and know that the steep medical expenses and lost wages that often accompany dog bite injuries can be devastating. Our St. Louis Dog Bite Lawyers are ready to offer support during this trying time and will fight for the most compensation for your harm and losses from the negligent party. The Dixon Injury Firm has won more than $38,000,000 in settlements for personal injury victims and is always looking for ways to improve their legal services to obtain the maximum amount of damages for their clients.

If you are interested in finding out more about how the St. Louis Dog Bite Lawyers at the Dixon Injury Firm can help you sue homeowners insurance for your dog bite injuries, call (314) 208-2808 or contact the Dixon Injury Firm today to schedule a free consultation.