Colorado Springs Dog Bite Lawyer

Springs Law Group Represents People Injured in Dog Attacks

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.

Springs Law Group represents dog bite victims in Colorado Springs and throughout El Paso County, handling investigations, insurance negotiations, and personal injury litigation.

Our attorneys bring experience in personal injury law, insurance disputes, and courtroom litigation to claims involving serious injuries and disputed liability.

Our legal team includes:

• Christopher Nicolaysen, Founder and CEO: Christopher founded Springs Law Group after practicing law in Colorado Springs and clerking for Judge David L. Shakes in Colorado’s Fourth Judicial District. He leads the firm’s personal injury practice, which represents people injured in motor vehicle accidents, pedestrian accidents, and other incidents involving negligence.
• David Hinkle, Pre-Litigation Attorney: David spent more than 20 years handling injury claims for personal and commercial insurance carriers before becoming an attorney. His experience provides valuable insight into how insurers investigate liability, evaluate injuries, negotiate settlements, and challenge compensation demands.
• Julia Avellaneda, Pre-Litigation Attorney: Julia brings more than 13 years of paralegal experience and additional experience in family law to her personal injury practice. She has completed specialized negotiation training and represents English- and Spanish-speaking clients during the claims process.
• Megan Nicolaysen, Litigation Attorney: Megan handles personal injury litigation, including legal research, case preparation, and courtroom advocacy. She previously served as an editor of the University of Louisville Law Review and worked with personal injury firms throughout law school.
• Gretchen Nicolaysen, Litigation Attorney: Gretchen represents clients in personal injury and insurance disputes. Having worked in nearly every department at Springs Law Group since shortly after its founding, she brings extensive knowledge of the firm’s claims process, from initial investigations and negotiations to litigation.

Springs Law Group has secured significant compensation for people injured in accidents throughout Colorado Springs and across the state.

Our firm’s case results 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.

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.

Who Can File a Dog Bite Injury Claim in Colorado Springs?

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.

Situations that may involve a dog bite or related injury claim include:

• A pedestrian or cyclist bitten by a dog that escaped confinement.
• A delivery worker bitten while lawfully carrying out work duties.
• A visitor bitten at the dog owner’s home or another private property.
• A child bitten while playing or visiting someone with a dog.
• A person knocked to the ground by a dog, even without a bite, when a legally recognized duty was breached.
• An eligible family member pursuing a wrongful death claim after a fatal attack.

Whether the victim’s injuries support statutory strict liability or another claim depends on their severity and how the attack occurred.

How Does Colorado Dog Bite Law Determine Liability?

Colorado recognizes statutory dog-bite liability and other claims based on negligent or intentional conduct.

Strict Liability for Serious Bodily Injury or Death

Under Colorado Revised Statutes section 13-21-124, a dog owner can be strictly liable for economic damages 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.

The statute includes people who own, possess, harbor, keep, control, or have custody of the dog.

Colorado uses the definition of serious bodily injury in section 18-1-901(3)(p), which includes fractures and injuries involving a substantial risk of death, serious permanent disfigurement, or prolonged impairment of bodily function.

A puncture wound does not automatically meet that threshold, even when it requires medical attention.

A person may be lawfully present on their own property, by invitation, or while performing a legally required duty.

Colorado’s statutory strict liability does not follow a one bite rule requiring proof of the dog’s past behavior or a prior attack.

Negligence Claims for Other Dog-Related Injuries

A lesser bite may still support negligence if someone breached a duty of care and caused injury.

Negligence can also apply when a dog knocks someone down without biting.

Evidence may show an owner failed to secure a gate, allowed an aggressive dog to roam, or ignored previous complaints about its behavior.

Fright alone does not establish liability; the owner’s conduct and foreseeable risk matter.

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.

Exceptions to Colorado’s Dog Bite Strict-Liability Statute

Section 13-21-124 identifies circumstances in which the statutory claim against the dog owner does not apply.

The statutory exceptions include bites occurring under the following circumstances:

• The injured person was unlawfully on public or private property.
• The bite occurred on the dog owner’s property, which was clearly and conspicuously posted with a qualifying “Beware of Dog” or “No Trespassing” sign.
• The person knowingly provoked the dog.
• The dog was being used by a peace officer or military personnel in the performance of their duties.
• The injured person was performing certain professional duties as a veterinary worker, groomer, humane agency employee, professional handler, trainer, or dog show judge.
• The dog was working as a hunting, herding, farm, ranch, or predator-control dog under the conditions described by the statute.

Whether the victim knowingly provoked the dog or a posted warning sign qualifies as a defense depends on the circumstances and statutory requirements.

Colorado Springs Leash Laws and Dangerous Dogs

Colorado Springs Municipal Code section 6.7.107 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.

A violation can help establish how the owner failed to control the animal, although liability requires separate analysis.

Within city parks, section 9.9.302 generally prohibits loose dogs except in designated dog parks or off-leash areas, where the animal must remain under control.

The city also regulates attacks and threats under section 6.7.108, with specified defenses and enforcement procedures.

A 2026 study of 1,116 reported dog bite incidents in El Paso and Pueblo counties, 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.

What to Do After a Dog Bite in Colorado Springs

Seek medical attention promptly for deep wounds, heavy bleeding, or bites near the face, hands, or joints.

The CDC recommends prompt evaluation for deep bites, signs of infection, and uncertainty about the dog’s rabies vaccination status.

After a dog bite, the following steps may help protect your health and document the incident:

1. Get medical attention. Wash the wound with soap and water, control bleeding, and obtain emergency help for uncontrolled bleeding or other urgent symptoms.
2. Identify the animal. Record the dog owner’s name and contact details, the animal’s description, and any available rabies vaccination information without putting yourself in further danger.
3. Photograph the injuries. If safe and possible, take pictures on the same day the bite happened, then document healing, damaged clothing, and any open gate or warning signs.
4. Identify witnesses. Preserve the names and contact information of people who saw the bite or the circumstances immediately before it.
5. Report the bite. Submit the required information to El Paso County Public Health and contact animal law enforcement when appropriate.
6. Keep treatment and wage records. Save medical bills, specialist recommendations, prescription receipts, photographs of scarring, and proof of lost wages.

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.

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.

Common Dog Bite Injuries and Medical Complications

Bacteria in a dog’s mouth can enter tissue through puncture wounds and cause infections, including rare serious infections from Capnocytophaga bacteria.

Punctures and lacerations can damage muscles, tendons, and nerves, sometimes causing lasting weakness or loss of sensation.

Bites involving the hands can interfere with grip and fine movement, and injuries involving the face may lead to permanent scars or reconstructive treatment.

An animal attack can also cause emotional trauma, including fear of dogs, disturbed sleep, or anxiety, although individual symptoms require clinical assessment.

Medical treatment may include infection care, tetanus prevention, and a rabies exposure assessment.

The American Veterinary Medical Association estimates that more than 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs annually in the United States, although the number of bites requiring medical treatment is lower.

Dog Bite Injuries Involving Children

Children may be especially vulnerable when a dog reaches their face, scalp, or neck.

A bite involving a child’s face may require plastic surgery, scar management, or later treatment as the child grows.

An adult may bring a child’s claim, but authority to file and requirements for a minor’s settlement must be evaluated separately.

The child’s age alone does not establish the filing deadline because Colorado has specific rules for minors and court-appointed representatives.

Dog Attacks That Cause Death

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.

Who can file a wrongful death action depends on family relationships and statutory priority rules.

Springs Law Group also represents eligible families pursuing wrongful death claims in Colorado Springs.

What Compensation Is Available in a Colorado Dog Bite Case?

Available damages depend on the applicable legal claim.

For a qualifying claim under section 13-21-124, statutory strict liability permits recovery of economic damages rather than every category of personal injury damages.

Economic damages may include medical bills, lost wages, future medical treatment, and diminished earning capacity attributable to the bite.

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.

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.

Evidence used to assess the financial and personal effects of a dog attack may include:

• Hospital and specialist bills, prescription costs, and rehabilitation records.
• Photographs documenting wounds, scars, or changes in appearance over time.
• Medical opinions concerning nerve damage, reconstructive surgery, and future care needs.
• Wage records showing time away from work or restrictions on employment.
• Records of counseling or other treatment for documented psychological symptoms.

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; reckless behavior is not enough unless the statutory standard is met.

Can Homeowners or Renters Insurance Cover a Dog Bite?

A dog owner’s insurance may cover a bite through homeowners or renters liability coverage, including some attacks away from the home.

Whether a particular policy covers dog bites depends on its terms, limits, exclusions, and who is insured.

Unlike a car accident claim usually involving auto liability coverage, a bite claim may involve a homeowner’s or renter’s policy.

Review a settlement release carefully, especially when a victim may need future reconstructive treatment.

Springs Law Group’s insurance claims experience may be relevant when the dog owner’s insurance carrier disputes coverage or the value of a claim.

How Long Do You Have to File a Dog Bite Lawsuit in Colorado?

Under C.R.S. section 13-80-102, Colorado generally allows two years to file a dog bite lawsuit after the claim accrues, subject to exceptions.

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.

Colorado’s limitations provisions for minors and other persons under disability can change when time begins to run, including when a qualifying legal representative has been appointed.

Claims involving government defendants can present separate immunity and notice issues, and the facts should be reviewed before relying on a general deadline.

An insurance claim or ongoing settlement discussion does not ordinarily suspend the court filing deadline.

How Springs Law Group Handles Dog Bite Claims

A lawyer can help dog bite injury victims assess who is responsible, document losses, and seek compensation without guaranteeing an outcome.

The firm’s work on a qualifying claim may include:

1. Case evaluation: Reviewing the attack, medical diagnosis, potential responsible parties, and applicable statutory exceptions.
2. Evidence assessment: Identifying useful photographs, witness accounts, animal-control information, property conditions, and insurance documents.
3. Loss evaluation: Assessing medical expenses, lost work, ongoing care, and the legal categories of damages supported by the claim.
4. Settlement negotiations: Presenting a supported demand and addressing disputes over responsibility, coverage, or the extent of the losses.
5. Litigation when warranted: Filing an action within the applicable deadline and preparing disputed issues for resolution through the courts.

Like many Colorado personal injury lawyers, Springs Law Group handles qualifying cases on a contingency fee basis: attorney fees generally depend on obtaining a recovery, whether through settlement or judgment, with expenses and other obligations governed by the written agreement.

Contact a Colorado Springs Dog Bite Attorney

Dog bite injury victims may face severe injuries, medical bills, and disputed responsibility while treatment is ongoing.

Our law firm serves injury victims throughout Colorado Springs, CO, and El Paso County, with a Colorado Springs office at 1880 Office Club Pointe, Suite 200, and another at 2 S Wahsatch Avenue, Suite 210E.

Contact Springs Law Group for a free initial consultation or use the chat feature to discuss fair compensation for your injuries and your legal options.