Maryland Dog Bite Lawyer for Dog Bite Injury Claims
Dog bites can cause serious physical and emotional harm. Even a bite that looks small at first can become infected, leave permanent scars, damage nerves, or require emergency medical care. When the victim is a child, the trauma can be especially severe.
If you or your child was bitten or attacked by a dog in Maryland, The Law Offices of Alex Poberesky, P.A. can help you understand your rights and pursue compensation. Our Maryland dog bite lawyers handle claims involving dog attacks, serious bite wounds, scarring, infections, emotional trauma, and insurance disputes.
Call (410) 484-0400 today to schedule a free case review with a Maryland dog bite lawyer.
Maryland Dog Bite Lawyers for Dog Attack Injury Claims
Dog bites can cause serious physical and emotional harm. Even a bite that looks small at first can become infected, leave permanent scars, damage nerves, or require emergency medical care. When the victim is a child, the trauma can be especially severe.
If you or your child was bitten or attacked by a dog in Maryland, The Law Offices of Alex Poberesky, P.A. can help you understand your rights, investigate the circumstances of the attack, and pursue compensation. Our Maryland dog bite lawyers handle claims involving dog attacks, serious bite wounds, scarring, infections, emotional trauma, and insurance disputes.
Call (410) 834-4292 today to schedule a free case review with a Maryland dog bite lawyer.
How Our Maryland Dog Bite Lawyers Can Help
After a dog bite, you may be dealing with medical bills, pain, missed work, scarring, or pressure from an insurance company. Our legal team can handle the claim while you focus on recovery.
We can help you:
- Investigate how the dog bite happened
- Identify the dog owner, landlord, property owner, or other responsible party
- Gather medical records, photos, witness statements, and animal control reports
- Determine whether Maryland dog bite law supports your claim
- Handle insurance company communications
- Pursue compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain, suffering, and scarring
- Prepare your case for settlement or litigation if needed
Maryland Dog Bite Law: What Victims Should Know
Maryland dog bite law can help injured victims in several ways. When a dog causes personal injury or death, Maryland law may create a rebuttable presumption that the dog owner knew or should have known the dog was dangerous. In simple terms, the law may presume the owner had knowledge of the dog’s dangerous behavior, but the owner can try to prove otherwise.
Maryland law may also hold a dog owner responsible when a dog is running at large and causes injury, death, or property loss. However, the facts matter. The owner or insurance company may argue that the victim was trespassing, committing a crime, or provoking the dog.
Because these defenses can affect your case, it is important to speak with a Maryland dog bite lawyer as soon as possible after the attack.
Maryland’s One-Bite Rule and Dog Attack Claims
People often call Maryland a “one-bite state,” but that label oversimplifies the law and can be misleading. Under Maryland’s Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article, when a dog causes a personal injury, the law creates a rebuttable presumption that the owner knew or should have known the dog had dangerous tendencies. A victim does not have to prove that the dog had previously bitten someone before bringing a claim.
That presumption is not automatic proof of a winning case. The dog’s owner can try to overcome it with evidence that the dog had no history of aggression, and other facts, such as provocation or trespassing, can still affect the outcome. Whether a specific incident supports a viable claim depends on the full circumstances, not on a single rule of thumb.
For a closer look at how this presumption works and what it means if the dog has no bite history, see our article on Maryland’s one-bite rule.
Strict Liability and Negligence in Dog Bite Cases
Dog bite cases in Maryland may involve strict liability, negligence, or both.
- Strict liability: This may apply when a dog causes injury while running at large and no legal exception applies.
- Negligence: This may apply when the dog owner failed to use reasonable care, such as failing to leash, restrain, control, or warn others about the dog.
Our attorneys can review the details of your case and determine which legal theory may apply.
Common Dog Bite Injuries
Dog bites can cause more than a simple wound. Many victims need emergency care, stitches, antibiotics, follow-up treatment, or scar revision. Children are especially vulnerable because dog bites often affect the face, head, neck, arms, and hands.
Common dog bite injuries include:
- Puncture wounds
- Deep cuts and lacerations
- Nerve damage
- Infections
- Broken bones
- Facial injuries
- Permanent scarring
- Disfigurement
- Emotional trauma
- Fear of dogs or anxiety after the attack
If the attack caused visible scarring, you may also have a claim involving disfigurement or permanent injury.
Common Situations That Lead to Dog Bite Claims
Not every attack happens the same way, and the circumstances often shape whether a claim is worth pursuing. Situations we commonly see include:
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An unprovoked attack in a yard, park, or public sidewalk
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A dog that escaped a yard, leash, or enclosure
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A bite involving a child
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A dog with a known history of aggression or a prior complaint
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Inadequate fencing, restraint, or supervision by the owner
None of these situations automatically proves liability; an attorney still has to look at the facts.
Who May Be Responsible for a Dog Bite Injury?
In most Maryland dog bite cases, the dog’s owner is the party responsible for an injury. Depending on the facts, other parties may also share responsibility, including property owners and landlords.
In some cases, a landlord may be responsible for a tenant’s dog if the landlord knew the dog was dangerous and failed to take reasonable steps to protect people in areas the landlord controlled, such as a common hallway, stairwell, parking lot, or shared yard.Read our blog on a landlord’s liability for a tenant’s dog to know more about this scenario.
These cases can be more complicated than an owner claim, so it is important to have an attorney review the facts before assuming who is responsible.
Evidence That Can Support a Maryland Dog Bite Claim
Evidence can make a real difference in a dog bite claim, especially when an insurance company disputes what happened or how serious the injury is. Depending on your case, useful evidence may include:
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Photos of the injury, the dog, and where the attack happened
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Medical records and bills from every provider you saw
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Animal control or police reports, where available
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Witness contact information
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Information identifying the dog and its owner
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Documentation of missed work and other losses
Not every case needs every type of evidence. Getting medical care quickly and documenting what you can early still helps your claim.
Compensation After a Dog Bite in Maryland
A dog bite injury claim may include compensation for both financial losses and personal harm. The value of a case depends on the severity of the injury, the medical treatment required, the amount of scarring, lost income, emotional trauma, and available insurance coverage.
Compensation may include:
- Emergency room bills
- Hospital treatment
- Stitches or wound care
- Infection treatment
- Rabies shots or vaccinations
- Plastic surgery or scar revision
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Future medical care
For a sense of how these cases have resolved in Maryland, see our overview of average dog bite settlement amounts in Maryland. Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee a future outcome.
What Should You Do After a Dog Bite?
What you do after a dog bite can affect your health and your legal claim. Take these steps if possible:
- Get medical care immediately.
- Report the bite to animal control or the proper local authority.
- Identify the dog owner and get contact information.
- Ask whether the dog has vaccination records.
- Take photos of the bite, torn clothing, location, and dog if safe.
- Get witness names and contact information.
- Keep medical bills, prescriptions, and follow-up records.
- Avoid giving a recorded statement to the insurance company before speaking with a lawyer.
Can a Landlord Be Liable for a Dog Bite?
In some cases, a landlord may be responsible for a tenant’s dog if the landlord knew the dog was dangerous and failed to take reasonable steps to protect people in areas the landlord controlled.
This may matter if the bite happened in a common area, hallway, stairwell, parking lot, shared yard, or other area controlled by the landlord. These cases can be more complicated, so it is important to have an attorney review the facts.
How Long Do You Have to File a Dog Bite Claim in Maryland?
In many Maryland dog bite cases, the injured person has three years from the date of the attack to file a civil lawsuit. However, some situations may involve different rules or deadlines.
You can read more in our article on Maryland’s dog bite statute of limitations and the exceptions that can apply.
Waiting too long can hurt your claim. Witnesses may become harder to find, photos may be lost, and the insurance company may argue that the delay weakens your case.
Dog Bite Resources and Related Information
These articles go deeper into specific dog bite topics we do not cover in full above:
26 Years Representing Injury Victims in Maryland, Virginia, and D.C.
The Law Offices of Alex Poberesky, P.A. has represented injured people throughout Maryland, Virginia, and D.C. for more than 26 years, including dog bite and animal attack claims as part of our broader personal injury practice. We know how traumatic a dog attack can be, especially when a child is involved.
Our team can investigate the attack, gather evidence, deal with the insurance company, and fight for compensation that reflects the full impact of your injuries.
Contact our office today at (410) 484-0400 to schedule a free consultation with a Maryland dog bite lawyer.
Frequently Asked Questions About Maryland Dog Bite Claims
What if the dog owner says I provoked the dog?
Provocation can be a defense in a Maryland dog bite case. However, the dog owner or insurance company must support that argument with facts.
Can I still file a claim if the dog has never bitten anyone before?
Yes, that is possible. Maryland’s rebuttable presumption law does not require proof of a prior bite, though the owner can try to rebut that presumption with evidence about the dog’s history. See the one-bite rule section above for more on how this works.
Can I file a claim if I was bitten by a dog on someone else’s property?
Possibly. Responsibility can depend on who owned or controlled the property, whether that person knew the dog was dangerous, and the specific facts of the incident. An attorney can review the details and identify who may be responsible.
Who pays for my medical care while my claim is pending?
Often your own health insurance or medical payments coverage, while you keep records so those costs can go into your claim later. Talk to an attorney before agreeing to any settlement involving unpaid medical bills.
Does the dog’s breed affect a Maryland dog bite claim?
Not under current Maryland law; the rebuttable presumption applies regardless of breed. If a pit bull bit you, our guide on what to do if you’re bitten by a pit bull covers questions specific to that situation.
Talk With a Maryland Dog Bite Lawyer Today
If you or your child was hurt in a dog attack in Maryland, The Law Offices of Alex Poberesky, P.A. can talk through what happened, review your injuries, and help you understand who may be liable and what legal options may be available. We do not guarantee a particular outcome, but we can give you a clear picture of where your case stands.
Call (410) 834-4292 now to schedule your free case review.
