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Your Dog Attack Injury Attorneys

Georgia Dog Bite Lawyers

We Don’t Back Down.

A dog attack happens in seconds and leaves wounds — physical and emotional — that last for years. Children, delivery workers, and neighbors bear the worst of it. Morrison & Hughes holds negligent owners and their insurers accountable for serious bite injuries across Georgia. We fight to make you whole.

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Injury cases: no fee unless we win
Trial-tested advocates
6 office locations
0M
Dog Bites Each Year
In the U.S. annually (CDC / AVMA)
0
ER Visits in One Year
2022 — an all-time high (CDC WISQARS)
$0
Avg. Claim Payout
2024 average (Triple-I / State Farm)
$0B
Paid in Claims
U.S. dog-injury payouts, 2024 (Triple-I)
Representing Dog Attack Victims Across Georgia

When a Dog Owner’s Carelessness Scars You, We Make Them Answer.

A serious dog bite is not “just a nip.” Powerful jaws cause crush injuries, deep puncture wounds, nerve damage, and infections — and the scars and post-traumatic stress can last a lifetime, especially for children. Nearly half of all dog-bite victims are kids, and the youngest are most often bitten on the face, head, and neck.

Morrison & Hughes Law Firm represents dog attack victims throughout Georgia — from Atlanta and the metro counties to LaGrange and beyond. We identify every responsible party, pin down the owner’s homeowners or renters insurance coverage, document the full extent of the harm, and prepare every case as though it will be tried before a jury. That is how we maximize what you recover.

Tell Us What Happened
A large dog bares its teeth — dog attack injuries can be severe in Georgia
The Reality of Dog Attacks

Dog Bite Injury Statistics

The numbers below come from the CDC, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), and the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I) with State Farm. They show why dog attacks are a serious — and increasingly costly — public-safety problem.

U.S. Dog-Injury Claim Costs by Year

Total insurer payouts for dog-related injury claims ($ billions)
Source: Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I) & State Farm — U.S. dog-related injury claim payouts reached $1.57B in 2024, up about 86% over a decade.

Who Gets Bitten

Share of dog-bite victims by age group
Source: AVMA / CDC — roughly half of all dog-bite victims are children, and children under 12 make up the largest share.

Average Cost Per Claim

Average U.S. dog-bite insurance claim, by year ($)
Source: Triple-I / State Farm — the average cost per claim rose 18%, from $58,545 in 2023 to $69,272 in 2024.

From Bites to the Emergency Room

Annual U.S. dog bites vs. those needing medical care
Source: CDC / AVMA — about 4.5M dog bites occur each year; roughly 800,000 require medical attention and ~395,000 are treated in ERs (2022).
What Victims Are Up Against

Common Dog Bite & Attack Injuries

A dog’s bite force, combined with shaking and dragging, produces injuries far more serious than the surface wound suggests. Many require emergency surgery, reconstructive procedures, and long-term care.

Puncture Wounds & Lacerations

Canine teeth drive deep, narrow punctures that seed bacteria below the surface. Tearing lacerations often require stitches, staples, or surgical closure.

Facial Injuries & Scarring

Young children are most often bitten on the face, head, and neck. The result is permanent, disfiguring scarring that may need years of reconstructive and plastic surgery.

Nerve & Muscle Damage

Deep bites sever nerves and tendons in the hands, arms, and legs, causing loss of function, weakness, and chronic pain that can be permanent.

Infection & Sepsis

Capnocytophaga, Pasteurella, MRSA, and rabies exposure are real risks. An infected bite can lead to hospitalization, IV antibiotics, and life-threatening sepsis.

Crush & Bone Injuries

Large dogs can fracture fingers, hands, and limbs and crush soft tissue. Children and the elderly are especially vulnerable to knock-down and crush trauma.

Emotional Trauma & PTSD

Survivors — particularly children — develop lasting anxiety, nightmares, and a fear of dogs. Psychological injury is real, compensable harm under Georgia law.

Who Is Responsible

Who Can Be Held Liable for a Georgia Dog Attack

More than the dog’s owner may be on the hook. The recovery almost always flows through homeowners or renters insurance — which is why identifying every responsible party matters.

Dog Owners

The owner is the primary defendant under O.C.G.A. § 51-2-7 — liable when the dog was dangerous and carelessly managed, or when a leash/at-large ordinance was violated.

Property Owners & Keepers

Anyone who keeps or harbors a dangerous dog — not just the legal owner — can be liable, including landlords who knew of a dangerous animal on their property.

Landlords

A landlord aware of a tenant’s dangerous dog and able to remove it may share responsibility when that dog injures a visitor or passerby.

Homeowners & Renters Insurers

Dog-bite liability is usually covered under homeowners or renters policies — typically $100,000 to $300,000 in coverage. This insurance, not the owner’s wallet, is the real source of recovery.

Dog Walkers & Caretakers

A walker, sitter, or kennel that had control of the dog when it attacked — and managed it carelessly — may also bear legal responsibility.

Commercial & Business Owners

Businesses that allow dangerous animals on the premises, or whose own guard or work dogs attack a customer, can face premises-liability claims.

Free Case Evaluation

Do You Have a Dog Bite Case?

Answer a few quick questions. We’ll tell you whether you have a potential case, and a Morrison & Hughes attorney will call you. Free, confidential, no obligation.

Step 1 of 6

Were you or your child bitten or injured by a dog?

Bites, knock-downs, scratches, and chase-related falls all count.

Tell us why you are seeking legal advice

A few words about your situation helps us point you to the right attorney. There’s no obligation.

Was it someone else’s dog?

A neighbor’s, friend’s, landlord’s, or stranger’s dog — anyone other than your own household pet.

When did the attack happen?

Georgia’s statute of limitations is generally two years (O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33).

Did you receive medical treatment?

ER visit, urgent care, stitches, antibiotics, surgery, or therapy — anything counts.

Are you currently represented by another attorney for this attack?

If yes, please contact your attorney first.

One last step — send this to our team

Your answers are already written into the message below. Add your contact details, tell us anything else in your own words, and press Send Message. Nothing is sent until you do.

Know the Statutes

Georgia Dog Bite Laws That Affect Your Case

Georgia’s dog-liability statute is unusual: there is no automatic “strict liability” for a first bite. What you can recover — and how long you have to act — turns on the rules below. Missing a deadline or misreading the statute can end your case before it starts.

O.C.G.A. § 51-2-7

Georgia’s Dog Liability Statute

An owner or keeper of a vicious or dangerous animal who, by careless management or by letting the animal run at large, injures an innocent (unprovoking) person may be liable for damages. This is the core statute for every Georgia dog bite claim.

O.C.G.A. § 51-2-7 (leash provision)

Leash / At-Large Ordinance Violations

The statute provides a powerful shortcut: it is sufficient to show a local leash or “at-heel” ordinance required restraint and the dog was loose at the time of the attack. A leash-law violation can establish liability without proving the owner knew the dog was dangerous.

“First Bite” vs. Vicious Propensity

The Knowledge Requirement

Outside the leash-ordinance route, Georgia generally requires proof the owner knew or should have known of the dog’s dangerous tendencies — prior bites, lunging, snapping, or aggressive behavior. We investigate the dog’s history, animal-control records, and witness accounts to prove it.

O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33

Modified Comparative Negligence

You can recover if you are less than 50% at fault, with your award reduced by your share. Provocation or trespassing can be raised against you — we defend aggressively against fault-shifting and “the victim teased the dog” tactics.

Homeowners & Renters Insurance

Where the Recovery Comes From

Most dog-bite compensation is paid through the owner’s homeowners or renters liability coverage — typically $100,000 to $300,000. The 2024 average U.S. payout was $69,272. We locate and pursue every applicable policy.

O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33

Two-Year Statute of Limitations

You generally have two years from the date of the attack to file a personal injury lawsuit in Georgia. A minor child’s deadline may be tolled, but evidence fades fast. Government-owned dogs or animal-control claims can carry much shorter ante litem deadlines.

Your First 72 Hours

What to Do After a Dog Attack in Georgia

What you do in the first hours and days after a bite directly affects what you can recover — and your health. Take these steps as soon as you safely can. Don’t let the insurance company get a head start. Let us help you protect your case from the very beginning.

1. Get Medical Care Immediately

Even a “small” puncture can cause deep infection. Go to the ER or urgent care. The medical record is the foundation of your case and your recovery.

2. Identify the Dog & Owner

Get the owner’s name, address, and any proof of rabies vaccination. Note where the dog is kept. This determines whose insurance pays.

3. Report to Animal Control

File a report with local animal control or police. The official record documents the attack — and any prior complaints about the same dog.

4. Document Everything

Photograph the wounds (repeatedly, as they heal), the scene, the dog, and any leash, fence, or gate. Get witnesses’ names and numbers.

5. Don’t Talk to the Insurer

The owner’s homeowners insurer may call quickly with a lowball offer. Anything you say is recorded and used to reduce your claim. Refer them to your attorney.

6. Call Morrison & Hughes

The earlier we are involved, the more evidence we preserve — including the dog’s history of aggression and any leash-ordinance violation that proves liability.

Common Questions

Dog Bite FAQs — Georgia

Does Georgia have a “one-bite rule”?
In effect, partly. Georgia is not a pure strict-liability state. Under O.C.G.A. § 51-2-7, you generally must show the owner knew or should have known the dog was vicious or dangerous — which a prior bite or aggressive history can establish. But there’s an important exception: if a local leash or at-large ordinance required the dog to be restrained and it wasn’t, you can prove liability without showing the owner knew the dog was dangerous. That second path makes many “first bite” cases winnable.
How long do I have to file a dog bite claim in Georgia?
Under O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33, you generally have two years from the date of the attack to file a personal injury lawsuit. If the victim is a minor, the deadline may be tolled until adulthood for the child’s own claim — but a parent’s claim for medical expenses runs sooner, and evidence disappears quickly. If a government entity or animal-control agency is involved, much shorter ante litem notice deadlines may apply. Talk to a lawyer early.
Who pays for a dog bite injury in Georgia?
In most cases, the dog owner’s homeowners or renters insurance pays — not the owner personally. These policies typically include $100,000 to $300,000 of liability coverage for dog-bite claims. The 2024 nationwide average payout was $69,272, and U.S. insurers paid out $1.57 billion in dog-injury claims that year. We identify every applicable policy and pursue the full coverage available.
What if a leash law was being broken when the dog attacked?
That can be the strongest part of your case. The leash provision of O.C.G.A. § 51-2-7 says it is sufficient to show that a city, county, or consolidated-government ordinance required the dog to be leashed or at heel and the dog was not restrained at the time. A violated leash or at-large ordinance can establish liability even where you can’t prove the owner knew the dog was dangerous. We pull the local ordinance and the animal-control record to prove it.
Can I recover if I was partly at fault — or the owner says I “provoked” the dog?
Usually yes. Georgia follows modified comparative negligence (O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33): you can recover as long as you are less than 50% at fault, with your award reduced by your share. Insurers routinely claim the victim teased, cornered, or trespassed on the dog. We investigate and push back hard on these defenses — especially when a child is involved.
My child was bitten in the face. Is the case different?
Children are the most common dog-bite victims, and the youngest are most often bitten on the face, head, and neck — leading to permanent scarring that may require years of reconstructive surgery as they grow. These cases carry higher damages for disfigurement, future medical care, and emotional trauma. A minor’s claim can also have a longer filing window, but acting early preserves the evidence that proves liability and value.
Is it free?
We work on a contingency fee — you pay no attorney’s fees unless we recover compensation for you. The initial consultation is free and confidential. There is no risk in calling.
From the Morrison & Hughes Blog

Dog Bite & Animal Attack Resources

Practical guidance for Georgia dog-attack victims, written by attorneys who fight for them. Read the blogs below before you talk to an insurance adjuster.

Related Reading

Visit the Morrison & Hughes Blog

Service Areas: Find Your Local Dog Bite Attorney

We handle dog bite cases statewide. Six office locations across Georgia.

Marietta Alpharetta & Roswell Decatur Hiram Fayetteville LaGrange All Service Areas

Related Practice Areas

Practice Area

Catastrophic Injuries

Severe dog attacks cause permanent disfigurement, nerve damage, and life-altering trauma. Catastrophic-injury claims require lifetime damage modeling and the right experts.

Learn more →
Practice Area

Slip & Falls / Premises Liability

Dog attacks are a form of premises liability. When a property owner allows a dangerous animal on the premises, the same legal principles often apply.

Learn more →
Practice Area

Wrongful Death

When a dog attack is fatal — most often to a child or elderly victim — surviving family members have rights under Georgia’s Wrongful Death Act. We pursue full value of the life.

Learn more →

Bitten by a Dog in Georgia? Call Now.

Free, confidential consultation — 24/7. We’ll listen, tell you what your case is worth, and walk you through what comes next. No fees unless we recover for you.

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