Fort Lauderdale Dog Bite Lawyer

A dog bite in a Broward County backyard, condo courtyard, or neighborhood park can leave a wound that needs surgery and a scar that stays for life, and the first call that comes in afterward is often from the owner’s insurance adjuster. Spencer Morgan Law handles personal injury claims for people hurt in and around Fort Lauderdale, across Broward County and the rest of Florida, and works with clients who need a Fort Lauderdale dog bite lawyer to deal with insurers while they focus on healing.

Dog attack claims are different from most injury cases because the person who owns the dog is frequently someone you know: a neighbor, a landlord, a friend whose dog you have met a dozen times. That relationship makes people hesitant to pursue a claim, but in most of these cases the money comes from a homeowner’s or renter’s liability policy, not from the owner’s pocket. Understanding who is responsible, which policy applies, and how fault gets argued is where a dog bite claim is won or lost.

Florida’s dog bite rules also work in an unusual way. The state has a statute that makes owners strictly responsible for bites in many situations, regardless of whether the dog ever bit anyone before, and that is quite different from the “one free bite” idea many people still carry around.

Common Dog Bite and Animal Attack Situations in Broward County

• Attacks in Shared Residential Properties: Condominium complexes, apartment communities, and townhome developments across Fort Lauderdale put leashed and unleashed dogs in close quarters. A bite in a common area can involve the dog’s owner, and sometimes a landlord or association that knew about a dangerous animal and did nothing.
• Bites on Someone Else’s Property: Delivery drivers, utility workers, guests, and neighbors are bitten after entering a yard or home. Whether you were lawfully on the property matters to how Florida’s liability rules apply, so the circumstances of your entry are part of the claim.
• Attacks in Public Spaces: Parks, sidewalks, beach access points, and dog-friendly outdoor areas around Fort Lauderdale are common settings. Unleashed dogs and failures to control an animal in public can support a claim against the owner.
• Serious Facial and Hand Injuries: Bites to the face, hands, and arms often require reconstructive or plastic surgery, nerve repair, and long recovery. Scarring and disfigurement are significant parts of the damages in these cases.
• Child Victims: Children are frequently bitten on the face and neck because of their height. Beyond the physical injuries, many suffer fear and anxiety around animals, and a claim for a minor involves additional steps and court oversight of any settlement.
• Infection and Medical Complications: Dog bites carry real infection risk, and rabies precautions, antibiotics, and wound care add up quickly. Complications that show up days after the bite belong in the claim.
• Multiple Dog or Repeat Offender Cases: When a dog has been reported before, or when several animals attack together, the evidence of prior complaints and the owner’s failure to restrain the dog can change how liability is argued.
• Claims Involving Local Government: When an animal control failure or a public property condition is involved, special rules and tighter caps apply to claims against a government entity.

Why Choose Spencer Morgan Law for a Fort Lauderdale Dog Bite Claim

The people who come to Spencer Morgan Law after a dog attack are usually dealing with something they did not expect to need a lawyer for: a bite from a familiar dog, an insurance adjuster asking for a recorded statement, medical bills arriving before the wounds have closed. The firm works on a contingency basis, so you do not pay unless we recover, and consultations are confidential. Spanish-language services are available for clients who prefer to work in Spanish.

Results matter more than slogans in this kind of case, so here is what the firm’s record shows. The firm has recovered $1,000,000 in both a semi-truck crash and an auto accident settlement, $850,000 in a slip and fall case, and $800,000 in a maritime accident. Its file also includes a $325,000 settlement for a young man struck by flying debris and a $50,000 recovery after a child fell through a faulty railing. These are not dog bite results, and we do not suggest otherwise. They show a firm that takes serious injuries to the point of real negotiation with insurance companies, which is exactly what a significant bite claim requires.

Clients consistently describe prompt communication and a staff that answers questions, along with the sense of being treated like family rather than a file number. The firm also helps clients with practical problems that pile up after an injury, including getting medical care arranged and resolving medical bills fairly. For someone with a bite wound that needs specialist care, that hands-on help is often as valuable as the legal work.

What to Do After a Dog Bite in Fort Lauderdale

Get medical attention first, and do it the same day if you can. Dog bites can look minor and turn serious, and a documented medical visit also creates the record your claim depends on. If your treatment involves your own auto policy for any reason, note that Florida’s personal injury protection rules require initial care within 14 days of an accident for those benefits to apply, though that rule governs car crashes and not bites. For a dog attack, your own health insurance is typically the immediate source of payment while the liability claim proceeds, and any provider treating you on a promise of payment from a future settlement is subject to Florida’s letter of protection disclosure rules, which require you to hand over the arrangement and who referred you when you claim those bills.

Next, report the bite. Broward County animal control handles reports of dangerous and biting animals, and a report creates an official record that the dog bit someone, which also triggers the dog’s quarantine for rabies observation. Get the owner’s name, address, and contact information, and ask for their homeowner’s or renter’s insurance details. If there are witnesses, collect their names and numbers while memories are fresh.

Take photographs of the wounds right away and keep taking them as they heal, along with images of the location, the dog, any fence or gate, and torn clothing. Keep every medical bill, prescription receipt, and note about missed work. Write down what happened in your own words while you still remember the details, and avoid posting about the attack on social media.

Be careful with the insurer. The owner’s insurance company will contact you, often quickly and with a friendly tone, and may ask for a recorded statement or offer a fast payout. Anything you say can be used to argue that you provoked the dog or that your injuries are minor. You are not required to give a recorded statement, and speaking with a personal injury attorney before you do so is the safer course.

Deadlines are the other thing to watch. Florida cut the general negligence filing period from four years to two for claims that arose on or after March 24, 2023, so a bite claim generally must be filed within two years. Claims against a government entity add a written notice requirement and strict damage caps of $200,000 per person and $300,000 per incident, so those cases need prompt attention. Civil suits in Broward County are heard in the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit, with its main courthouse in Fort Lauderdale. Higher-value injury cases belong in circuit court, while smaller claims fall to the county court.

How Florida Law Assigns Responsibility for a Dog Bite

Florida’s dog bite statute makes the owner liable for damages when the dog bites someone who is in a public place or lawfully on private property, regardless of whether the owner had any warning the dog was dangerous. That strict liability rule is the core of most bite claims here, and it explains why the old “first bite is free” notion does not describe Florida law. The statute also reduces the owner’s liability if there is a visible “Bad Dog” sign posted, though that sign does not protect an owner when the victim is a child under six or when the owner was negligent in some other way.

Fault is still part of the picture. Florida follows a modified comparative fault rule: if a jury finds you more than 50 percent responsible for your own injuries, you recover nothing, and at 50 percent or less your recovery is reduced by your share. In a dog bite case, that comes up when the defense argues you teased the dog, reached over a fence, or ignored a warning. Each party is responsible only for its own percentage of fault, so if a landlord, a property manager, or a second person shares blame with the owner, the damages are divided accordingly.

Who actually pays is often a question of insurance. Homeowner’s and renter’s policies commonly cover bites, but some carriers exclude certain breeds or specific dogs, and policy limits can cap what is available. Finding the right policy, and any other coverage that applies, early in the case shapes the whole strategy. Damages in a bite case include medical expenses, future surgeries, lost income, scarring and disfigurement, and the pain and emotional impact of the attack.

Premises-based claims add another layer. A landlord who knew a tenant kept a dangerous dog, or a property that failed to maintain a secure fence, may share responsibility, and the evidence of what they knew and when becomes important. Complaints to animal control, prior incidents, and lease terms can all become exhibits.

Dog Bite Questions Fort Lauderdale Residents Ask

How long do I have to file a dog bite lawsuit in Florida?

For bites that happened on or after March 24, 2023, the general negligence deadline is two years. Claims that accrued before that date kept the older four-year period. Because the cutoff turns on the date of the bite, confirm your deadline early rather than assuming you have years.

Does Florida have a “one bite” rule?

No. Florida’s dog bite statute makes owners liable for bites in public places and on private property where the victim is lawfully present, even when the dog has never bitten anyone before. The owner’s knowledge of dangerousness matters in other kinds of claims, but it is not required under the bite statute.

What if the dog belongs to a friend or family member?

Many bite victims hesitate for this reason, but the claim is typically paid by the owner’s homeowner’s or renter’s insurance, not out of pocket. Pursuing the insurer does not usually mean suing your friend in a way that costs them personally, though your attorney can explain how it works in your situation.

Can I still recover if I was partly at fault?

Yes, as long as you were not more than 50 percent at fault. If you were found 50 percent or less responsible, your damages are reduced by your percentage. If you were found more than 50 percent responsible, Florida law bars recovery altogether, so how fault gets described matters a great deal.

Do I need a lawyer for a minor bite?

Even bites that seem minor can cause infection, nerve damage, or scarring that appears over time, and insurers often make early offers that do not account for that. A consultation costs nothing and helps you decide whether the claim is worth pursuing before you accept any payment.

What if the owner has no homeowner’s or renter’s insurance?

That limits the sources of recovery, but it does not end the claim. Other policies, a landlord or property owner who shares fault, or coverage you hold yourself may be available. An attorney can investigate every potential source before deciding how to proceed.

Will my health insurance cover bite treatment while the claim is pending?

Generally yes, and many people use it. If you are instead treated on a promise of payment from a future settlement, Florida law requires disclosure of that arrangement and of who referred you, and it also affects what evidence of medical costs a jury sees. That is worth discussing before you choose a treatment path.

What if a child was bitten?

Children can recover for physical injury, scarring, and emotional harm, and the “Bad Dog” sign defense does not shield an owner when the victim is under six. Settlements for minors usually require court approval, so the process has extra steps designed to protect the child.

How long does a dog bite case take in Broward County?

Straightforward claims where liability is clear and treatment has finished can settle within months, while cases involving surgery, disputed fault, or multiple insurers take longer and may require filing suit in the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit. Timing depends mostly on how long it takes to reach a stable medical outcome, since settling before you know the full extent of your injuries is a common and costly mistake.

Can I sue if the dog attacked me on public property or a government-run space?

Possibly, but claims against government entities follow different rules, including written notice before suit, a waiting period for the agency to respond, and damage caps of $200,000 per person and $300,000 per incident. Anything above the cap requires a claim bill passed by the Legislature, so these cases need careful handling from the start.

What happens to the dog after a bite?

Animal control typically requires the dog to be quarantined to monitor for rabies, and a bite report can trigger further measures if the dog is deemed dangerous. Those administrative outcomes are separate from your injury claim, but the records they generate can be useful evidence.

Serving Dog Bite Clients Across Fort Lauderdale and Broward County

Spencer Morgan Law represents dog bite victims from Fort Lauderdale and throughout Broward County, including the neighborhoods around Las Olas, Victoria Park, Rio Vista, Coral Ridge, and Flagler Village. We serve families in Wilton Manors, Oakland Park, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Pompano Beach, and Lighthouse Point, and in Hollywood, Hallandale Beach, Dania Beach, and Davie. Clients in Plantation, Sunrise, Tamarac, Coral Springs, Deerfield Beach, Pembroke Pines, and Miramar also turn to the firm after bite injuries at home, at work, or in public.

The firm’s reach extends beyond Broward to the greater Miami area and the State of Florida, so if you were bitten while visiting or you live in a neighboring community, we can discuss your situation. Whether the attack happened in a condo courtyard, a fenced yard, or a public park, the same questions apply: who owned the dog, what insurance is available, and what your injuries will require over time.

Speak With a Fort Lauderdale Dog Bite Attorney Today

If a dog has injured you or your child, a conversation with a Fort Lauderdale dog bite attorney at Spencer Morgan Law can clarify where you stand before you talk to any insurance company. Consultations are confidential, and you pay nothing unless we recover. Call us to schedule a time to talk through what happened, and we will tell you plainly what your claim looks like and what comes next.