The most comprehensive source of information about dog bite law in the USA, updated daily by Attorney Kenneth M. Phillips, the nation's leading legal expert in the subject. Over 1 million people per year read dogbitelaw.com, numerous legal publications cite it as authority, and thousands of web sites link to it.
Meet your host
Kenneth M. Phillips is the only attorney in the USA who does nothing other than represent people who have been seriously injured by dogs. Widely recognized as the nation's leading authority on dog bite law, he has earned tens of millions of dollars for dog bite victims all over the USA. He has been a frequent guest on CNN, NBC, CBS, ABC, MS-NBC, and Fox News, and has been called "the dog bite king" (Today Show and Lawyers Weekly), "a leading expert in dog bite law" (Good Housekeeping), and "the nation's best known practitioner of terrier torts" (Los Angeles Times).
Send him E-mail. He welcomes questions and comments from all visitors to this website. He responds personally and answers general questions for free. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to write to him and receive his personal reply within hours (his E-mail address is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ). Read more about him at Meet Kenneth M. Phillips.
Overview of Dog Bite Law
Most American states make dog owners liable for all dog bites when a person is bitten, based simply on owning the dog that did the biting. A minority requires the victim to prove that the dog was vicious or that the dog owner or another party caused the incident through negligence or by violating an animal control law (like a leash law). Fortunately the victim's legal damages are covered by most homeowners and renters insurance policies purchased by dog owners, and by general liability policies that insure businesses and public entities.
Only 16,000 dog bite victims receive such insurance payments per year, however, even though about 5 million Americans are bitten. For that reason, the services of Attorney Kenneth M. Phillips and other lawyers who represent victims are rendered without charge unless and until money is recovered. For more information about getting a lawyer, read Does an Adult Need a Lawyer for a Dog Bite Claim? or Should Parents Get a Lawyer for Their Injured Child?
To learn more if you are a dog bite victim, read Plain English Overview of Dog Bite Law. Dog owners, attorneys, canine professionals and others should click "Articles" at the top of this page. To quickly find the law of your state, enter its name in the Google search box at the top of any page on this site.
The Dog Bite Law Bookstore
What To Do If Your Dog Is Injured Or Killed by Attorney Kenneth M. Phillips is a legal self-help book that tells a dog owner how to get reimbursed for vet bills, and compensated for your anguish when your dog is wrongfully injured or killed. Download immediately and use today.
Pleadings, interrogatories, admissions, document production, a 50-topic deposition outline, and much more. Save hours of work with Mr. Phillips' Dog Bite Litigation Forms. Only for plaintiffs' lawyers. Good in all states. Cheaper than the cost of typing them. Download immediately and use today.
Tips and tricks that cannot be found anywhere else. Anatomy of a Dog Bite Case is a video of Mr. Phillips' 2-1/2 hour seminar for plaintiffs' lawyers. Learn strategies and tactics, the new causes of action, how to overcome all of the common defenses, how to settle your case, and more. Inexpensive. Good in all states.
Avoiding Liability When You Train, Shelter or Adopt Out is an all-in-one self-help package for trainers, rescue groups, and shelters. Includes ready-to-use contracts, waivers and other legal documents by Mr. Phillips, and his 1-1/2 hour video seminar explaining everything in simple language. The Q&A sessions on this DVD are fun and illuminating. It will pay for itself by preventing trouble before it begins!
The dog bite problem and the rights of victims, with Attorney Kenneth M. Phillips.
News
The highest court in Maryland has established "a strict liability standard in respect to the owning, harboring or control of pit bulls and cross-bred pit bulls in lieu of the traditional common law liability principles." The court has ruled that pit bulls are inherently dangerous as a breed, making their owners and harborers strictly liable for injuries inflicted by these dogs. This is a historic decision that is certain to be adopted by courts around the USA. The Maryland Court of Appeals is the highest court in the state (commonly called the Supreme Court in other states). (Click here to read the court's decision.)
Animal control departments in at least 24 U.S. states report that pit bulls are biting more than all other dog breeds. See the details at DogsBite.org.
The USA death count from dogs in 2012 has reached 7. Details and other interesting news about dog bites and the law can be found in our News Archive. Your concerns about dogs and the law are being discussed now at the Dog Bite Law Group on Facebook - become a member! Up-to-the-minute reports about the most serious attacks are @ DogBiteLaw on Twitter.
Most Read Articles
- Dog bite statistics
- The breeds most likely to kill
- If Your Dog Bites Someone
- Dangerous and Vicious Dogs
- Why Dogs Bite People
- Legal Rights of Dog Bite Victims in the USA
What people write to Attorney Phillips...
"Your valuable information on Dog Bite Law and our private conversations inspired a governing authority and protected the career of a bright young public servant. Your hard work was properly sited and credited at the end of my speech. IPBO Local 702 owes you a debt of gratitude."
Sincerely in your debt,
Joe E.
