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Level 3 Dog Bite Settlement Amounts

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How a Dog Bite Settlement Is Calculated

Medical billsER, surgery, rabies shots, follow-up care
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Lost wagesMissed work & lost earning capacity
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Pain & sufferingPhysical pain, emotional trauma
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ScarringPermanent scars, disfigurement
Total case valueWhat your dog bite claim is worth — driven by injury severity, scarring, medical bills, lost wages, and your state’s law.
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A Level 3 dog bite, on the Dunbar dog bite scale, is one to four punctures from a single bite with none deeper than half the length of the dog’s canine tooth. These are the most common bites that lead to a claim — and while they’re less severe than a Level 4, a Level 3 bite to the face or one that leaves a permanent scar can still be worth a great deal.

What is a Level 3 dog bite worth?

Examples of Level 3 cases our firm has resolved range from about $22,500 to $275,000 — proof that a “lower-level” bite can still pay significantly when it leaves a scar.

  • $275,000 — Chihuahua bite to the lip that left permanent scarring
  • $50,000 — moderate bite with visible scarring
  • $22,500 — single bite requiring an ER visit and follow-up care

Every case is different. What raises the value most is not the bite “level” itself but the lasting harm: scarring and disfigurement, surgery, nerve or joint damage, the victim’s age, lost wages, and how strong your state’s dog-bite law is.

These are real results our firm has obtained; they are examples, not a guarantee — past results do not guarantee a future outcome, and every case turns on its own facts.

Where this sits: the dog bite severity scale

Doctors and courts often describe bite severity using Dr. Ian Dunbar’s six-level scale. Here’s how the levels compare:

The Dunbar Dog Bite Scale

A clinical scale (Dr. Ian Dunbar) grading a bite by wound severity. It measures injury, not dollar value.
1
Level 1 — No skin contactObnoxious or aggressive behavior but no skin-contact by teeth.
2
Level 2 — Skin contact, no punctureSkin-contact by teeth but no skin-puncture; may be slight nicks and bleeding from teeth moving against skin.
3
Level 3 — Shallow puncturesOne to four punctures from a single bite, none deeper than half the length of the dog’s canine teeth.
4
Level 4 — Deep puncturesOne to four punctures from a single bite with at least one deeper than half a canine tooth; deep bruising or lacerations from the dog holding on or shaking.
5
Level 5 — Multiple deep bitesA multiple-bite incident with at least two Level 4 bites, or a multiple-attack incident — severe, often permanent injury.
6
Level 6 — FatalVictim died — a wrongful-death claim.
Source: Dr. Ian Dunbar, Dog Bite Scale (official authorized version), Association of Professional Dog Trainers.

Levels 1 and 2 rarely lead to a lawsuit; Levels 3–5 are where most claims fall, and Level 6 is a fatal attack (wrongful death).

Compare dog bite settlements by injury level

Case values rise with severity. See how other injury levels compare:

Level 4 settlements · Level 5 settlements · minor bite settlements. Your state’s law also affects value — see dog bite settlement amounts by state, or get an instant estimate with our dog bite settlement calculator.

What affects how much your dog bite case is worth

  1. Severity of your injuries. Puncture wounds, broken bones, nerve damage, and infections all raise a claim’s value.
  2. Scarring and disfigurement. Permanent or visible scars — especially on the face — significantly increase compensation.
  3. Medical bills and future care. Surgeries, reconstructive procedures, and ongoing treatment are all recoverable.
  4. Lost wages. Time missed from work, and any lasting impact on your ability to earn.
  5. Emotional trauma. Anxiety, PTSD, and fear of dogs are real injuries the law recognizes.
  6. Insurance coverage. Most dog bite claims are paid by the owner’s homeowner’s or renter’s insurance. If the owner has no insurance, recovering money becomes much harder.
  7. Your state’s dog bite law. “Strict liability” states (like Illinois) make it far easier to recover than “one-bite” states.

Two cases that sound similar can settle for very different amounts. The biggest factors are:

How to find out what your dog bite case is worth

Try our Dog Bite Settlement Calculator for an instant ballpark based on your injuries.

Talk to us directly. A free case review gives you a far more accurate picture than any calculator — because we’ll look at the specifics insurance companies care about.

You don’t have to guess. There are two easy ways to get a real estimate:

Bitten by a dog? Find out what your case is worth.

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Level 3 Dog Bite Settlement FAQs

A Level 3 bite (Dunbar scale) is one to four punctures from a single bite, none deeper than half the length of the dog’s canine tooth — real punctures that break the skin, but shallower than a Level 4.

There’s no single average — it depends on scarring, medical treatment, and your state’s law. Level 3 cases our firm has resolved have ranged from about $22,500 to $275,000, with facial scarring driving the higher figures.

Using Dr. Ian Dunbar’s Dog Bite Scale, which grades a bite from Level 1 (no skin contact) to Level 6 (fatal). Level 3 sits in the middle — punctured skin, but no deep tissue damage.

Yes. Location matters more than level — a Level 3 bite to the face or lip that leaves permanent scarring can settle for six figures, as one of our results shows.

It’s worth a free consultation. Insurers routinely undervalue scarring, and a lawyer levels the field. You pay nothing unless we win.