
If you’ve been bitten by a dog in Huntsville, AL, don’t hesitate to call Belt, Bruner & Barnett Personal Injury Lawyers. Dog bites can be catastrophic; you shouldn’t have to deal with the consequences alone. Our Huntsville dog bite lawyers can help you bring a legal claim against the dog’s owner and other liable parties, fighting to get you compensation for your medical bills, disability, and emotional distress.
For decades, dog bite victims and families in Huntsville have turned to Belt, Bruner & Barnett Personal Injury Lawyers for help during the most devastating times in their lives. Our compassionate, client-focused representation, backed by 93 years of combined experience, sets the stage for life-changing results. Taking on powerful corporations, government agencies, and negligent parties, we’ve successfully recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in monetary awards.
Call our law office today at (256) 666-4660 to discover how our top-rated legal team can help you fight for top-tier case results. Your first consultation is free.
How Belt, Bruner & Barnett Personal Injury Lawyers Fights For Dog Bite Victims in Huntsville, AL

Even friendly dogs can bite. When the victim is a child or elderly, the consequences can be particularly catastrophic and affect nearly every aspect of a person’s life. While the opportunity to seek compensation from the dog’s owner or another liable party might arise, winning a civil dog bite claim can be a challenge.
That’s where our Huntsville personal injury attorneys can help.
At Belt, Bruner & Barnett Personal Injury Lawyers, we’re award-winning Alabama trial attorneys who bring over 93 years of collective experience to the cases we handle. Recognized for our excellence in civil litigation by respected organizations, including The National Trial Lawyers, Best Lawyers, Martindale-Hubbell, the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, the Alabama Association for Justice, and the National Lawyers Guild, we’ve helped everyday people win hundreds of millions in jury verdicts and settlement agreements.
You can benefit from our unrivaled legal representation, too. When you ask us to handle your dog bite claim, we’ll handle all aspects of the case on your behalf, giving you the time you need to recover.
You’ll be able to rely on us to:
- Investigate your dog bite case
- Gather evidence related to your claim, including medical records, veterinary records, police reports, witness statements, video footage, photographs, and forensics reports
- Identify who, other than the dog’s owner, might be liable for your dog bite injuries
- Bring in experts in veterinary science, animal behavior, medicine, rehabilitation, and other specialties to consult with our legal team
- Determine what your dog bite claim is likely worth, given the extent and severity of your injuries
- File your dog bite claim with the local Madison County, Limestone County, or Morgan County court clerk
- Utilize smart negotiation tactics as we fight to get a maximum settlement offer on your behalf
- Explain your legal rights and provide easy-to-understand advice throughout the claims process
- Bring your dog bite lawsuit to trial if the dog’s owner, their insurance company, or another liable party won’t offer a meaningful settlement
You’ll have one opportunity to seek compensation for your dog bite injuries. Make the most of it by trusting our award-winning Huntsville dog bite attorneys in Huntsville to fight for you. We handle claims on a contingency fee basis. Our fees are directly linked to the results we achieve. No win, no fee – that’s our promise to you.
Contact our law office in Huntsville, Alabama today to schedule a free consultation.
Does Alabama Have a One Bite Rule?
Some states have a “one bite” rule that protects dog owners the first time their animal is aggressive. Alabama operates under a hybrid rule, embracing elements of the one-bite rule and strict liability.
Alabama’s dog bite law, which can be found in Section 3-6-1 of the Alabama Code, provides that a dog’s owner can be liable when their dog, without provocation, bites or injures another person if the attack:
- Takes place on the dog owner’s property, OR
- Happens directly after the dog chases the victim off of those premises.
Under other circumstances, a one-bite rule applies. The one-bite rule doesn’t mean that the dog’s owner will always escape liability for a dog’s first bite. Instead, it means they won’t be strictly liable if, for instance, the dog bite happens on public property. However, the dog’s owner can still be liable if their negligence contributed to the dog bite, even if this was the dog’s first attack.
If a dog has a history of aggression, the dog’s owner can then be strictly liable for all subsequent bites and injuries.
What Do I Have to Prove to Win a Dog Bite Lawsuit in Huntsville?
It depends on the circumstances of your dog bite and the cause of action on which your legal claim is based.
Strict Liability
If your dog bite claim is based on strict liability, you must prove:
- You were bitten by a dog on the property owned by the dog’s owner while being pursued by the dog, or by a dangerous dog, AND
- You suffered damages.
The dog’s owner might argue that you provoked the dog, so it might also be necessary to discredit these allegations.
Negligence
Negligence-based dog bite claims can be brought against a dog’s owner or, in some cases, a property owner if the case is a matter of premises liability.
Negligence means that a dog’s owner (or another party) owed you a duty of care, breached it in some way, and that their conduct was a direct and proximate cause of your injuries.
Common Dog Bite Injuries
More than 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs every year. Half of them are children. Regardless of your age, a dog bite can inflict serious physical wounds, some of which might even be life-threatening.
At Belt, Bruner & Barnett Personal Injury Lawyers, we represent Huntsville dog bite victims and families who’ve suffered all types of dog bite injuries, including:
- Broken bones
- Puncture wounds
- Cuts and lacerations
- Crush injuries
- Soft tissue injuries
- Infections and disease
- Nerve damage
- Spinal cord injuries
- Back injuries
- Leg injuries
- Neck injuries
- Internal organ damage
- Amputation injuries
- Degloving injuries
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death
Make sure you seek medical attention as soon as you can after you or your child is bitten by a dog, and ensure that a report is filed with the local police. Then, contact our dog bite attorneys in Huntsville to arrange a time for a free consultation to discover how we can help you fight for monetary justice.
What Types of Damages Can Be Awarded to Huntsville Dog Bite Victims?
When you file a dog bite lawsuit in Huntsville, you can request compensatory damages from the dog’s owner, their insurance company, or another responsible party.
Compensatory damages can include two types of awards, each of which is designed to help you deal with different aspects of your dog bite case.
Economic damages are intended to help you handle the burdensome financial costs and losses you experience when you’re bitten by a dog, including, but not limited to:
- Hospitalization, medication, medical devices, surgery, and other current medical bills
- Future medical expenses
- Lost wages and disability
- Diminished earning capacity
- Property damage
- Nursing care
- Rehabilitation
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Funeral expenses if a dog bite is fatal
Non-economic damages are intended to help you cope with more difficult-to-value trauma, such as:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of consortium
- Embarrassment
- Physical disfigurement
- Scarring
- Reduced quality of life
- PTSD
- Chronic physical pain
Our dog bite attorneys in Huntsville, AL, will work closely with trusted experts to fully understand the ways in which your life has changed since you got hurt. We’ll build a strong legal claim that forces the dog’s owner and other liable parties to take accountability. If they refuse, our top-rated civil trial attorneys will have laid the foundation to bring your dog bite lawsuit to court.
How Long Do I Have to File a Dog Bite Lawsuit in Alabama?
Alabama applies a two-year statute of limitations to most dog bite lawsuits. So, you’ll have until the second anniversary that you were bitten by a dog or suffered the wrongful death of a family member to seek compensation for your losses.
There may be limited exceptions, particularly when a child is injured by a dog bite. However, these exceptions are rare. If you miss the filing deadline, you’ll lose the right to recover compensation from those at fault.
Schedule a Free Case Review With a Skilled Huntsville Dog Bite Lawyer
Make the most of your dog bite claim by turning to Belt, Bruner & Barnett Personal Injury Lawyers for help. The dog’s owner should be held accountable for your medical bills, loss of income, and distress. Our Huntsville dog bite lawyers have the knowledge and experience you’ll need to win top results.
Backed by over 93 years of collective experience, we’ve helped our clients win hundreds of millions of dollars in life-changing financial awards. Today, we’re ready to be your biggest advocate, too. Schedule a free consultation by calling our Huntsville law office now.