Available 24/7
Available 24/7
In Indiana, most dog bite cases are governed by common-law rules rather than blanket strict liability. A dog’s owner can be held responsible if they knew (or should have known) that the dog might be dangerous, or if they failed to use reasonable care to control it. Indiana law imposes strict liability in one narrow situation: when the victim was carrying out a duty required by law, such as a letter carrier delivering mail. Our attorneys know how to build the right theory for your case. Learn more in our Indiana dog bite laws guide.
Economic damages are the direct, measurable financial losses caused by the attack. These include emergency room bills, hospitalization costs, surgery fees (including reconstructive or plastic surgery for scarring), follow-up medical appointments, prescribed medications, wound care, and physical therapy or rehabilitation. If injuries require ongoing treatment, future medical expenses are also recoverable.
Lost wages cover income you missed during recovery. If the injuries affect your ability to work long-term, for example, nerve damage to your hands, or PTSD that prevents you returning to your previous role, loss of future earning capacity can also be claimed. These figures are typically supported by employer records, tax returns, and expert testimony.
Non-economic damages cover the human cost of the attack. Pain and suffering accounts for the physical discomfort experienced during and after the injury. Emotional distress covers anxiety, depression, nightmares, and the lasting fear of dogs that many victims develop, particularly children. PTSD is common after dog attacks and has real, documentable medical value in a claim.
Permanent scarring or disfigurement carries significant weight, especially when it is visible on the face, neck, or hands. Loss of enjoyment covers activities the victim can no longer participate in due to physical or psychological limitations. Loss of consortium may be claimed by a spouse or family member when the attack meaningfully disrupts the victim’s relationships and family life.
If the victim is a minor, parents or legal guardians can file on their behalf for both economic and non-economic damages. Claims involving children often reach higher values due to the long-term duration of disfigurement and the psychological impact that can follow a child into adulthood.
With dog bite cases, punitive damages do not apply. They are reserved for situations where the dog owner’s conduct was especially reckless or malicious. For example, knowingly keeping a dog with a documented history of attacks without any precautions, or allowing an aggressive dog to roam free in a populated area after prior warnings. When punitive damages are available, they can significantly increase total recovery above compensatory amounts.
Several factors shape the final settlement value. The severity of the injury such as a deep facial wound requiring multiple surgeries, can settle for far more than a bite that heals cleanly. The visibility of scarring, the victim’s age, available insurance coverage, quality of medical documentation, and strength of the liability argument all play a role.
Our team has recovered over $1M in individual dog bite settlements. See real case results including a $505,000 settlement for a facial bite and a $295,000 recovery for a three-year-old victim. For a quick estimate of your own case value, use our dog bite settlement calculator.
The steps you take in the first 24 to 48 hours after a dog bite directly affect your ability to recover full compensation. Evidence disappears fast and early mistakes can be used against you.
Contact a Indiana dog bite lawyer before accepting any settlement offer. Early offers typically undervalue long-term medical costs and non-economic damages. Once you accept, you generally cannot reopen the claim.
Indiana gives dog bite victims two years from the date of the injury to file a personal injury lawsuit (Ind. Code § 34-11-2-4). If you miss that window, the court will almost certainly bar your claim. Evidence (veterinary records, the dog’s history, and witness memories) fades fast, so it is best to talk to a lawyer soon after the attack. Not sure what your case is worth? Try our dog bite settlement calculator.
Dog bite settlements are paid through the dog owner’s homeowners or renters insurance policy. Standard homeowners policies typically include personal liability coverage between $100,000 and $300,000, and that coverage applies to dog bite incidents even when the attack happens away from the insured property. If the bite occurred at a rental property, the landlord’s policy may also apply.
Insurance companies will work to minimize what they pay. They may claim the bite was provoked, challenge the severity of injuries, or dispute liability. Having a dog bite lawyer handle all communication with the insurer protects your claim from being undervalued before you fully understand the scope of your damages.
Indiana uses two main theories of liability. First, common-law liability: an owner is responsible if they knew or should have known the dog had dangerous propensities (from a prior bite, aggressive behavior, or the dog’s nature) and failed to protect others. This blends the “one-bite” rule with ordinary negligence. Second, a narrow statutory strict-liability rule under Ind. Code § 15-20-1-3 applies when a dog attacks someone who is acting peaceably and is somewhere they are required to be to carry out a duty imposed by law: most often postal and utility workers. For those victims, no proof of the dog’s prior viciousness is needed.
Because Indiana is primarily a knowledge-based state, evidence that the owner had reason to know the dog was dangerous is often decisive: prior complaints, a bite history, “Beware of Dog” signs, or the dog lunging at a leash. Even without prior knowledge, an owner who fails to use reasonable care to restrain the dog (Ind. Code § 15-20-1-4) can be liable in negligence. And if you were bitten while performing a legally required duty on the property, the § 15-20-1-3 strict-liability rule may apply outright.
For a full breakdown of Indiana dog bite law (the one-bite rule, the statutory strict-liability exception, and more) see our Indiana dog bite laws guide, or review real case results we have won for bite victims.
An Indiana owner may avoid liability if the victim provoked the dog, was trespassing or committing a crime, or knowingly and unreasonably exposed themselves to the risk. And because the statutory strict-liability rule is limited to people performing a legal duty, most visitors must proceed under the common-law knowledge or negligence theories: which makes early investigation of the dog’s history important.
Liability in Indiana can reach anyone who owned, kept, or harbored the dog, including a person who was watching it or, in some cases, a landlord who knew a dangerous dog was on the premises. Identifying every responsible party and their insurance is often the key to a full recovery.
Common defenses include provocation, trespass, incurred risk, and comparative fault. Indiana follows modified comparative fault with a 51% bar (Ind. Code § 34-51-2-6): your damages are reduced by your percentage of fault, and you recover nothing if you are found more than 50% at fault. Insurers often argue that the victim provoked or approached the dog to reduce what they owe.
Dog attacks are a serious and rising cost nationwide: about $1.86 billion across 28,450 dog-related injury claims, an average of roughly $65,450 per claim, and more than 5,200 postal workers were attacked by dogs in 2025. Indiana sees this firsthand: insurers logged 824 dog-bite claims and about $44M in payouts in a recent year: the 9th-highest claim count in the country (average $53,396 per claim); Indiana recorded 159 postal-worker dog attacks in 2025, 10th among all states, led by Indianapolis (35) among the worst U.S. cities for carrier attacks.
Indiana sees hundreds of serious dog bite claims each year and ranks among the higher states for dog bite insurance payouts (Insurance Information Institute / State Farm data). Indianapolis (one of the nation’s busiest metros for postal-worker dog attacks) reports the most incidents in the state.
Dog Bite Laws is led by Michael Agruss, Managing Partner and personal injury attorney with a track record of results in dog bite cases. He is supported by Michael Bertucci, Taylor Kosla Unterberg, and Zara Saiyed, a team that handles dog bite cases across Indiana and multiple other states.
The firm has recovered millions of dollars for dog bite victims. These results reflect the firm’s approach: identify every liable party, document every dollar of damages, and push for a full settlement before resorting to trial.
The team is available 24/7 and takes every case on a contingency basis. There are no upfront legal fees and no costs unless we win.
Read more client testimonials or contact us directly for a free, confidential case review.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to file a dog bite claim in Indiana?
Two years from the date of the injury (Ind. Code § 34-11-2-4).
Do I have to prove the dog bit someone before?
Usually yes: Indiana generally requires showing the owner knew or should have known the dog was dangerous, unless you were bitten while performing a legal duty (such as delivering mail), where strict liability may apply.
What if I was partly at fault?
Indiana uses a 51% bar. You can still recover if you were 50% or less at fault, but your damages are reduced by your share, and you recover nothing if you were more than 50% responsible.
What does a dog bite lawyer cost?
Nothing up front. We work on contingency: you owe no fee unless we recover money for you. Start a free case review or call 866-592-4837.
"*" indicates required fields
"*" indicates required fields
Contact us via call, email, text, or chat to discuss your case.