A dog bite can puncture or tear the skin, injure tendons or joints and leave significant scarring. Children are more likely than adults to be bitten by a dog, and their injuries tend to be more severe, according to the CDC.
Minnesota holds dog owners liable for the full amount of the injury when a dog attacks without provocation, with no need to prove the dog was dangerous before. Our Minneapolis-area personal injury office handles dog bite claims on a contingency fee, which means you pay no attorney fee unless we recover money for you.
Minnesota’s Dog Bite Law
Minnesota’s dog bite statute is short, and its words matter. It says: “If a dog, without provocation, attacks or injures any person who is acting peaceably in any place where the person may lawfully be, the owner of the dog is liable in damages to the person so attacked or injured to the full amount of the injury sustained” (Minn. Stat. § 347.22).
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This is called strict liability: you do not have to prove that the dog had bitten anyone before, or that the owner was careless in how they handled it. Minnesota’s statute does not give a dog one free bite.
What the statute requires
To recover under the statute, the facts need to show four things:
- The dog acted without provocation
- You were acting peaceably
- You were in a place where you could lawfully be
- The dog attacked or injured you
Save witness names, photos of the scene and your own notes about what happened.
Full recovery for the injury
The statute makes the owner liable for the full amount of the injury sustained (Minn. Stat. § 347.22). That is why we review your damages, from the first emergency visit to scar treatment and counseling.
Deadlines for Dog Bite Claims
Filing deadlines in Minnesota depend on the type of claim, and some are much shorter than others.
Minnesota pauses many filing deadlines while an injured person is under 18, but the pause has limits (Minn. Stat. § 541.15). Even so, act early: photograph the wounds as they heal and write down what neighbors remember about the dog.
How Dog Bites Happen
Dogs that get loose
The CDC says responsible pet ownership, including using a leash in public, can help prevent dog bites, and it advises calling animal control about a dog running loose.
Visits to a home with a dog
Most dog bites to young children happen during everyday activities and with dogs they know, according to the CDC.
Dogs guarding food, toys or territory
The CDC says any dog can bite, especially when scared, nervous, eating, playing, or protecting toys or puppies.
Dog Bite Injuries and Compensation
Bites can cause puncture wounds, tears in the skin and tendon or joint injuries, and numbness and tingling can follow. Bites that break the skin put you at risk for infection, and deep or extensive wounds may result in significant scarring.
A review of research on children bitten by dogs found post-traumatic stress disorder was the most common psychological effect, with symptoms such as recurrent nightmares and anxiety. The losses we document in a dog bite claim often include:
- Emergency care, stitches and follow-up visits
- Treatment for infection or nerve damage
- Future care for scarring
- Counseling for anxiety or trauma
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Why the details matter
We look for anything that shows how the attack happened and who was responsible for the dog: animal control reports, statements from neighbors and mail carriers, and anything the owner said at the scene. Write down what the owner said as soon as you can.
What to Do After a Dog Bite in Minneapolis
- Wash the wound and get medical care the same day
- Get the owner’s name, address and phone number
- Ask the owner for the dog’s vaccination records
- Report the bite to animal control or police
- Photograph the wounds now and as they heal
- Photograph the place where it happened, including any gate or fence
- Collect names and numbers from witnesses
- Keep torn or bloody clothing as evidence
- Hold off on statements to the owner’s insurer until you get advice
How 844-SEE-MIKE Helps After a Minneapolis Dog Bite
When you call 844-SEE-MIKE, you talk with our team about what happened, and there is no cost to find out where you stand. If we take your case, we negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf and gather the records and evidence for your claim.
- Free consultation, available 24/7
- No fee unless we recover money for you
Các câu hỏi thường gặp
Who is responsible if someone else was watching the dog?
Under the statute, the term “owner” includes any person harboring or keeping a dog, but the legal owner is primarily liable (Minn. Stat. § 347.22). Someone who was harboring or keeping the dog may be part of the claim along with the owner.
What if I was bitten while working?
If you were bitten on the job, workers’ compensation can pay benefits without regard to who was at fault (Minn. Stat. § 176.021, subd. 1). You may also have a separate claim against the dog’s owner, because an injured worker can bring a claim against another party who is legally liable, even while receiving benefits (Minn. Stat. § 176.061, subd. 5). We can look at both together (see our Minneapolis workers’ compensation page).
What if I do not know who owns the dog?
Start with what you know: where the attack happened, what the dog looked like and which way it went. Ask animal control, neighbors and mail carriers whether they know where the dog lives.
Should I talk to the dog owner’s insurance company?
Be careful. Get advice first, and do not guess about things like whether the dog was provoked.
What does a dog bite lawyer cost?
The consultation with 844-SEE-MIKE is free, and we work on a contingency fee. You pay no attorney fee unless we recover money for you.
If a fall or another hazard on someone’s property caused your injury instead, see our Minneapolis slip and fall page.
If you or someone you love was hurt in Minneapolis, contact 844-SEE-MIKE anytime for a free, no-pressure consultation. You pay nothing unless we recover money for you.
This information is general and is not legal advice. Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee a future outcome.
