A Colorado Springs dog bite lawyer represents people injured by dogs and evaluates whether an owner or another responsible party may be liable under Colorado law.<\/p>\n
Colorado allows qualifying victims of bites that cause serious bodily injury or death to seek economic damages from a dog owner without proving that the dog previously attacked someone.<\/p>\n
Other dog-related injuries may support a negligence claim, depending on what happened and who had responsibility for the animal.<\/p>\n
Springs Law Group represents dog bite injury victims in Colorado Springs, CO, and El Paso County and offers a free initial consultation.<\/p>","_litigation_personal_injury_discription_new_copy":"
Dog bites can leave puncture wounds, torn tissue, infections, broken bones, nerve damage, and scars requiring medical treatment long after the attack.<\/p>\n
Colorado's dog-bite statute has different requirements and available damages than an ordinary negligence claim.<\/p>\n
Our <\/strong>Colorado Springs personal injury attorneys<\/strong><\/a> handle dog bite claims involving disputed responsibility, substantial injuries, and insurance coverage questions.<\/strong><\/p>\n If an animal attack caused significant injuries, contact Springs Law Group for a free consultation or use the chat feature on this page to discuss your legal options.<\/strong><\/p>","_litigation_video_url_new":"","add_button":"[elementor-template id=\"19898\"]"},"_header_sub_header_content_new":[{"_hsc_header_new":"Springs Law Group Represents People Injured in Dog Attacks","_hsc_sub_content_new":" A successful dog bite claim requires evidence of the attack, a clear understanding of Colorado liability laws, and an accurate assessment of the injured person's losses.<\/p>\n Springs Law Group represents dog bite victims in Colorado Springs and throughout El Paso County, handling investigations, insurance negotiations, and personal injury litigation.<\/p>\n Our attorneys bring experience in personal injury law, insurance disputes, and courtroom litigation to claims involving serious injuries and disputed liability.<\/p>\n Our legal team includes:<\/strong><\/p>\n Springs Law Group has secured significant compensation for people injured in accidents throughout Colorado Springs and across the state.<\/strong><\/p>\n Our firm's case results<\/a> include settlements of $515,000, $245,000, and $200,000, along with numerous other recoveries for clients facing serious injuries, disputed liability, and insurance coverage challenges.<\/p>\n Our personal injury attorneys use their combined experience to establish liability, document financial and personal losses, negotiate with insurance companies, and pursue full compensation available under Colorado law.<\/p>","hsc_add_button":"[elementor-template id=\"19900\"]"},{"_hsc_header_new":"Who Can File a Dog Bite Injury Claim in Colorado Springs?","_hsc_sub_content_new":" A claim may arise when an aggressive dog escapes its yard, bites someone on a sidewalk, or attacks an invited guest or worker who is lawfully present.<\/p>\n Situations that may involve a dog bite or related injury claim include:<\/strong><\/p>\n Whether the victim's injuries support statutory strict liability or another claim depends on their severity and how the attack occurred.<\/p>","hsc_add_button":"[elementor-template id=\"19898\"]"},{"_hsc_header_new":"How Does Colorado Dog Bite Law Determine Liability?","_hsc_sub_content_new":" Colorado recognizes statutory dog-bite liability and other claims based on negligent or intentional conduct.<\/p>\n Under Colorado Revised Statutes section 13-21-124<\/a>, a dog owner can be strictly liable for economic damages<\/strong> when a dog bites someone who is lawfully on public or private property and the bite causes serious bodily injury or death, subject to statutory exceptions.<\/p>\n The statute includes people who own, possess, harbor, keep, control, or have custody of the dog.<\/p>\n Colorado uses the definition of serious bodily injury in section 18-1-901(3)(p)<\/a>, which includes fractures and injuries involving a substantial risk of death, serious permanent disfigurement, or prolonged impairment of bodily function.<\/p>\n A puncture wound does not automatically meet that threshold, even when it requires medical attention.<\/p>\n A person may be lawfully present on their own property, by invitation, or while performing a legally required duty.<\/p>\n Colorado's statutory strict liability does not follow a one bite rule<\/strong> requiring proof of the dog's past behavior or a prior attack.<\/p>\n A lesser bite may still support negligence if someone breached a duty of care and caused injury.<\/p>\n Negligence can also apply when a dog knocks someone down without biting.<\/p>\n Evidence may show an owner failed to secure a gate, allowed an aggressive dog to roam, or ignored previous complaints about its behavior.<\/p>\n Fright alone does not establish liability; the owner's conduct and foreseeable risk matter.<\/p>\n Where an injury occurs on someone else's property, the relationship between the claimant, the property owner, and the dog may also require analysis under Colorado premises liability law<\/a>.<\/p>\n Section 13-21-124 identifies circumstances in which the statutory claim against the dog owner does not apply.<\/p>\n The statutory exceptions include bites occurring under the following circumstances:<\/strong><\/p>\n Whether the victim knowingly provoked the dog or a posted warning sign qualifies as a defense depends on the circumstances and statutory requirements.<\/p>","hsc_add_button":"[elementor-template id=\"19900\"]"},{"_hsc_header_new":"Colorado Springs Leash Laws and Dangerous Dogs","_hsc_sub_content_new":" Colorado Springs Municipal Code section 6.7.107<\/a> requires owners and keepers to restrain dogs from running at large in city parks and other public places and to prevent dogs from becoming dangerous to people or property or trespassing onto another person's property.<\/p>\n A violation can help establish how the owner failed to control the animal, although liability requires separate analysis.<\/p>\n Within city parks, section 9.9.302<\/a> generally prohibits loose dogs except in designated dog parks or off-leash areas, where the animal must remain under control.<\/p>\n The city also regulates attacks and threats under section 6.7.108<\/a>, with specified defenses and enforcement procedures.<\/p>\n A 2026 study of 1,116 reported dog bite incidents in El Paso and Pueblo counties<\/a>, using 2019-2021 animal law enforcement records, found that younger and older human victims had an increased likelihood of severe reported injuries compared with middle-aged victims.<\/p>","hsc_add_button":"[elementor-template id=\"19898\"]"},{"_hsc_header_new":"What to Do After a Dog Bite in Colorado Springs","_hsc_sub_content_new":" Seek medical attention promptly for deep wounds, heavy bleeding, or bites near the face, hands, or joints.<\/p>\n The CDC recommends prompt evaluation<\/a> for deep bites, signs of infection, and uncertainty about the dog's rabies vaccination status.<\/p>\n After a dog bite, the following steps may help protect your health and document the incident:<\/strong><\/p>\n El Paso County Public Health states that Colorado requires animal bites to humans to be reported and uses those reports to assess possible rabies exposure.<\/p>\n The health department does not act as an animal control agency; concerns about a dangerous domestic animal can be reported to Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region Animal Law Enforcement<\/a>.<\/p>","hsc_add_button":"[elementor-template id=\"19900\"]"},{"_hsc_header_new":"Common Dog Bite Injuries and Medical Complications","_hsc_sub_content_new":" Bacteria in a dog's mouth can enter tissue through puncture wounds and cause infections, including rare serious infections from Capnocytophaga<\/em> bacteria<\/a>.<\/p>\n Punctures and lacerations can damage muscles, tendons, and nerves, sometimes causing lasting weakness or loss of sensation.<\/p>\n Bites involving the hands can interfere with grip and fine movement, and injuries involving the face may lead to permanent scars or reconstructive treatment.<\/p>\n An animal attack can also cause emotional trauma, including fear of dogs, disturbed sleep, or anxiety, although individual symptoms require clinical assessment.<\/p>\n Medical treatment may include infection care, tetanus prevention<\/a>, and a rabies exposure assessment.<\/p>\n The American Veterinary Medical Association estimates that more than 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs annually in the United States<\/a>, although the number of bites requiring medical treatment is lower.<\/p>\n Children may be especially vulnerable when a dog reaches their face, scalp, or neck.<\/p>\n A bite involving a child's face may require plastic surgery, scar management, or later treatment as the child grows.<\/p>\n An adult may bring a child's claim, but authority to file and requirements for a minor's settlement must be evaluated separately.<\/p>\n The child's age alone does not establish the filing deadline because Colorado has specific rules for minors and court-appointed representatives.<\/p>\n A fatal dog attack may give rise to a claim under Colorado's wrongful death laws in addition to questions under the dog-bite statute.<\/p>\n Who can file a wrongful death action depends on family relationships and statutory priority rules.<\/p>\n Springs Law Group also represents eligible families pursuing wrongful death claims in Colorado Springs<\/a>.<\/p>","hsc_add_button":"[elementor-template id=\"19898\"]"},{"_hsc_header_new":"What Compensation Is Available in a Colorado Dog Bite Case?","_hsc_sub_content_new":" Available damages depend on the applicable legal claim.<\/p>\n For a qualifying claim under section 13-21-124, statutory strict liability permits recovery of economic damages<\/strong> rather than every category of personal injury damages.<\/p>\n Economic damages may include medical bills, lost wages, future medical treatment, and diminished earning capacity attributable to the bite.<\/p>\n When negligence or another legally recognized theory is established, non-economic damages may also be available, subject to Colorado law and the circumstances of the case.<\/p>\n An experienced dog bite lawyer may seek compensation for physical pain, suffering, emotional trauma, and scarring when a viable negligence or other claim supports those losses.<\/p>\n Evidence used to assess the financial and personal effects of a dog attack may include:<\/strong><\/p>\n Dog bite injury victims may also seek punitive, or exemplary, damages in an appropriate civil claim if the owner's conduct meets Colorado's standard for fraud, malice, or willful and wanton conduct<\/a>; reckless behavior is not enough unless the statutory standard is met.<\/p>\n A dog owner's insurance may cover a bite through homeowners or renters liability coverage, including some attacks away from the home.<\/p>\n Whether a particular policy covers dog bites depends on its terms, limits, exclusions, and who is insured.<\/p>\n Unlike a car accident claim usually involving auto liability coverage, a bite claim may involve a homeowner's or renter's policy.<\/p>\n Review a settlement release carefully, especially when a victim may need future reconstructive treatment.<\/p>\n Springs Law Group's insurance claims experience<\/a> may be relevant when the dog owner's insurance carrier disputes coverage or the value of a claim.<\/p>","hsc_add_button":"[elementor-template id=\"19900\"]"},{"_hsc_header_new":"How Long Do You Have to File a Dog Bite Lawsuit in Colorado?","_hsc_sub_content_new":" Under C.R.S. section 13-80-102<\/a>, Colorado generally allows two years to file a dog bite lawsuit<\/strong> after the claim accrues, subject to exceptions.<\/p>\n The two-year statute of limitations commonly begins when the injury and its cause are known or reasonably should be known, often when the bite happened.<\/p>\n\n
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Strict Liability for Serious Bodily Injury or Death<\/h3>\n
Negligence Claims for Other Dog-Related Injuries<\/h3>\n
Exceptions to Colorado's Dog Bite Strict-Liability Statute<\/h3>\n
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Dog Bite Injuries Involving Children<\/h3>\n
Dog Attacks That Cause Death<\/h3>\n
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Can Homeowners or Renters Insurance Cover a Dog Bite?<\/h3>\n