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Minor 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 minor dog bite — Level 1 or 2 on the Dunbar dog bite scale, and the lower end of Level 3 — involves little or no puncture: skin contact, shallow nicks, or a single small bite that heals without lasting injury. These claims are smaller, but they’re still worth pursuing, especially if you needed medical care or the bite left any scar.

What is a minor dog bite worth?

Minor dog bite cases our firm has resolved generally range from about $5,000 to $22,500, depending on medical treatment and any scarring.

  • $22,500 — single bite requiring an ER visit and follow-up care (upper end of “minor”)
  • $5,000–$10,000 — minor bite treated and healed without lasting injury

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 3 settlements · Level 4 settlements · Level 5 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.

Our team is available 24/7. Contact us via call, email, text, or chat.

Minor Dog Bite Settlement FAQs

A minor bite is Level 1–2 on the Dunbar scale (and the lower end of Level 3): skin contact, shallow nicks, or a single small puncture that heals without lasting injury.

Minor bites typically settle for less than serious ones — examples our firm has handled range from about $5,000 to $22,500, driven mainly by medical bills and whether any scar remains.

Often yes. Even a minor bite can leave a small scar or require rabies shots and follow-up care, and those costs are compensable. A free consultation costs nothing to find out.

By Dr. Ian Dunbar’s Dog Bite Scale, from Level 1 (no skin contact) to Level 6 (fatal). Minor bites fall at Levels 1–2 and the low end of Level 3.

Not always, but insurers still lowball unrepresented victims. Since our consultation is free and there’s no fee unless we win, it’s worth a quick call before you accept any offer.