Blog

A Dog Attacked Me! What Now?

According to the old saying, dogs are man’s best friend. That can be true, but dogs can also be their fiercest foe if the dog decides to attack. The most recent data from the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control reports that dog bites were one of the top ten leading causes of nonfatal emergency room visits for children ages one through 4[1].

Dog bites can cause lacerations; infections that can lead to sepsis; rabies; severe injuries to muscles, bones, tendons, and nerves; disfigurement; and psychological trauma. If you or a loved one has been attacked by a dog, seek medical care immediately. Follow all of your health professional’s advice about cleaning and treating your wounds. Photograph your wounds and take down contact information for any witnesses. It’s also important to save any ripped clothing and photograph any damaged property that the dog attack caused. This can all be used to prove the severity of the attack. Then, contact the Palm Beach County Animal Control department to report the incident so they can begin an investigation to determine if the dog is up-to-date with all its vaccinations and check if the dog has already been classified as a “dangerous dog”.

A dangerous dog is defined as one that:

• “Has aggressively bitten, attacked, or endangered or has inflicted severe injury on a human being on public or private property;
• Has more than once severely injured or killed a domestic animal while off the owner’s property; or
• Has, when unprovoked, chased or approached a person upon the streets, sidewalks, or any public grounds in a menacing fashion or apparent attitude of attack, provided that such actions are attested to in a sworn statement by one or more persons and dutifully investigated by the appropriate authority.”[2]

If the dog has been classified as a dangerous dog, Florida has a new law that requires its owners to take multiple steps to safeguard the public from it. These include:

• Housing the dog in a secure enclosure
• Posting warning signs on the property
• Inserting a microchip into the dog
• Carrying a minimum of $100,000 in liability insurance

The liability insurance requirement means that dog attack victims will be able to access compensation to help cover their medical bills, rehabilitation costs, psychological care, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

If you or a loved one were attacked by a dog in South Florida, contact ECanter Lawyers to hold the dog owner responsible for their actions. We will fight for you to receive every penny you deserve for your injuries.

---

[1] CDC. 10 Leading Causes of Nonfatal Emergency Department Visits, United States : 2021, All Injuries, Disposition: All cases, Both Sexes, All Races, All Ages. Accessed October 7, 2025.

[2] Online Sunshine. Statutes & Constitution :View Statutes : Online Sunshine. Accessed October 7, 2025.