A dog bite can leave deep wounds, nerve damage, and scars that last long after the stitches come out. Children are often hurt the worst. A dog bite lawyer in La Porte can help you hold the owner responsible and cover the cost of healing.
Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers has represented thousands of clients since 2008, and dog bite cases are part of the work we do as a personal injury lawyer in La Porte. Often, the owner’s homeowners or renters insurance pays for animal attack claims. Get Brian, and we’ll help you fight for compensation.
How Our Dog Bite Lawyers in La Porte Help After an Attack
First, we get the bite report from La Porte Animal Control, which is part of the La Porte Police Department, and we identify the dog’s owner and any insurance policy that covers the home where the dog lives.
With the owner identified, we look into the dog’s history. Prior complaints, earlier bites, or neighbors who saw the dog lunge at people can change the legal standard in your favor, as the next section explains. We also check whether the dog was already declared dangerous, since that status comes with its own insurance requirement.
Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers runs this work from our main office in Houston, home of our Houston personal injury lawyer team. That gives La Porte families the same trial-ready lawyers who handle cases across the region.
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Does Texas Have a One-Bite Rule?
Texas doesn’t have a strict one-bite rule; under Marshall v. Ranne (Tex. 1974), an owner is strictly liable when they knew or should have known the dog had dangerous tendencies, whether or not it had bitten before. A prior bite is one way to show that, but it isn’t the only way.
That’s why the “one free bite” idea is misleading. Growling and lunging at people, a history of escaping, or a warning from a neighbor can all show the owner should have known the dog was dangerous.
And even with no history at all, you may still have a claim. The same case recognizes that an owner can be liable for negligent handling, such as letting the dog run loose or failing to control it at a public spot like Sylvan Beach Park.
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What to Do After a Dog Bite in La Porte
Your health comes first, and the steps that protect it also protect your claim. After a dog bite, try to:
- Get medical care the same day, since bites carry a high risk of infection
- Report the bite to La Porte Animal Control or call 911 if the dog is still loose
- Get the owner’s name, address, and the dog’s rabies vaccination status
- Photograph your wounds, torn clothing, and the place where the attack happened
- Write down the names of anyone who saw the attack
Reporting matters for more than your claim. Texas law requires a possible rabies exposure to be reported to the local rabies control authority under Tex. Health & Safety Code § 826.041, and that report starts the observation period that tells your doctor whether you need rabies shots.
A report can also lead animal control to declare the dog dangerous. Once that happens, the owner must restrain the dog and carry at least $100,000 in liability insurance or financial responsibility within 30 days, under § 822.042.
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How Much Do Dog Bite Claims Cost?
Dog bite claims often cost far more than people expect: in 2025, U.S. insurers paid $1.86 billion on 28,450 dog-related injury claims, according to the Insurance Information Institute.
Those totals reflect what serious bites involve. Depending on your injuries, a claim may include:
- Emergency care, surgery, and plastic surgery for scarring
- Physical therapy for nerve, tendon, or hand injuries
- Lost wages while you recover
- Disfigurement and permanent scarring
- Fear, anxiety, and other mental anguish after the attack
Children’s claims often need careful valuation, because a facial scar may require several surgeries as the child grows. We work to account for that future care before any settlement is signed.
Insurance limits shape what a claim can recover, too. Homeowners and renters policies typically cover dog bite liability up to limits of $100,000 to $300,000, according to the Insurance Information Institute, so a severe injury may call for looking at every policy that applies.
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Who May Be Responsible for a Dog Bite?
The dog’s owner is the usual defendant, but not always the only one. A person keeping the dog at the time of the attack, such as a dog sitter or relative, may also share responsibility. So may a business that had the dog in its care, such as a kennel, groomer, or dog day care.
Insurance coverage follows the same logic. If the owner rents, a renters policy may apply, and if the bite happened at a business, the business’s liability policy may come into play.
Owners sometimes argue that you provoked the dog or were trespassing. Under Texas’s proportionate responsibility law, § 33.001, you can still recover if you were 50% or less at fault, though your award would be reduced by your share.
How Long Do You Have to File a Dog Bite Claim in Texas?
The deadline to file a dog bite lawsuit in Texas is generally two years from the date of the bite under Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003(a).
Children get more time. For a child who was bitten, the two-year clock generally doesn’t start until the child turns 18 under § 16.001, though waiting that long makes evidence much harder to find.
Parents also have their own claim for the medical bills they pay on a child’s behalf, and that claim may follow the standard two-year deadline. Acting early protects both claims.
Why Families Trust Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers With Dog Bite Cases
Brian White is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, and he brings more than 20 years of experience to every case. That experience motivates insurers to pay a fair amount of compensation.
We also make the process easier on your family. Our team offers services in Spanish and can visit you at home. You can read more about Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers before you call.
Contact a La Porte Dog Bite Attorney
A dog bite claim depends on records that can fade quickly, from animal control reports to neighbors’ memories of the dog. Our dog bite lawyers in La Porte can gather that proof while you and your family recover.
You’ll reach a real person 24/7 when you call. Talk to our team for a free consultation, and we’ll explain your options and the next steps.
Call or Text (713) 500-5000 or Complete a Case Evaluation Form