Tampa Dog Bite Lawyer
Legal Help After a Serious Dog Bite Injury
Dog attacks can happen suddenly and leave lasting physical and emotional scars. You may be dealing with painful wounds, infection concerns, missed work, and a child or loved one who is now afraid of dogs. In the middle of this, insurance questions and medical bills can feel overwhelming.
Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers helps injury victims in the Tampa Bay area pursue accountability after dog bites and other serious injuries. Our firm has represented local families since 1955 and focuses its practice on personal injury and wrongful death cases. We offer free consultations and work on a contingency fee basis, so you do not pay attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you.
Call (727) 591-3354 to request a free case review and speak with our team.
Florida Dog Bite Law
Florida follows a “strict liability” rule for dog bite incidents. This means a dog owner may be held legally responsible if their dog bites someone—regardless of whether the dog had shown aggressive behavior in the past.
Under Florida Statutes § 767.04, a dog owner can be liable if the bite occurs:
- In a public place, or
- Lawfully on private property (including the dog owner’s property)
Victims do not have to prove that the owner knew the dog was dangerous. However, there are certain defenses dog owners may raise, such as:
- The victim was trespassing
- The victim provoked the dog
- A visible “Bad Dog” sign was posted (in some circumstances)
Our Tampa dog bite attorney can evaluate your case, determine how the law applies, and build a strong claim for compensation.
Florida's Dangerous Dog Designation Process
Beyond a civil injury claim, a serious dog attack in Florida can trigger a separate legal process through local animal control. Under Florida Statute § 767.12, a dog may be formally classified as "dangerous" following an unprovoked attack that causes severe injury, and repeated attacks can lead to a dog being declared dangerous or even ordered euthanized in extreme cases.
This designation process is handled separately from your personal injury claim, but the two can intersect. Animal control investigation records, prior complaint history, and any dangerous dog classification can serve as valuable evidence supporting your civil case — particularly when an owner knew, or should have known, about a dog's aggressive history. Our attorneys routinely request these records as part of building a dog bite claim.
Homeowners and Renters Insurance: How Coverage Actually Works
Most dog bite settlements are paid through the dog owner's homeowners or renters insurance policy, rather than out of pocket. However, insurance coverage for dog bites isn't always straightforward:
- Some insurers exclude coverage for specific breeds regardless of the individual dog's behavior history
- Policies may have a per-incident payout cap that's insufficient for serious injuries
- An insurer may attempt to cancel or refuse to renew a policy after a bite claim, which can complicate settlement negotiations
- If the dog owner is uninsured or underinsured, your own policies — including umbrella coverage — may need to be explored
Because insurance coverage often determines how much compensation is actually available, our attorneys investigate every applicable policy early in the case, rather than assuming the homeowner's primary coverage is the only source of recovery.
Dog Bites Involving Children: Special Legal and Medical Considerations
Children make up a large share of serious dog bite victims, largely because of their height, which puts facial and neck injuries at greater risk during an attack. Facial bites in children often require plastic surgery, and scarring that develops during childhood can change in appearance as a child grows — sometimes requiring multiple future procedures.
For this reason, dog bite claims involving children often need to account for:
- The likelihood of future reconstructive or revision surgeries as the child ages
- Long-term psychological effects, including fear of dogs or anxiety following the attack
- The involvement of a parent or legal guardian, and potentially court approval, when settling a minor's claim in Florida
Our attorneys work with pediatric specialists and mental health professionals when needed to make sure a child's settlement reflects the injury's full future impact, not just its immediate treatment.
Animal Control and Leash Law Violations in Hillsborough County
Local ordinances in Tampa and Hillsborough County require dogs to be leashed or otherwise controlled in public and require owners to prevent dogs from roaming freely. When a dog that caused an injury was off-leash, unconfined, or roaming in violation of local ordinance, that violation can support a finding of negligence in addition to Florida's strict liability dog bite statute.
We treat you like family.
If you can’t come to us, we’ll come to you.
Representing Accident Victims in Tampa Bay since 1955
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“Friendly knowledgeable and kept me informed about my case. Any offer, bill or question was readily answered. Would definitely recommend and refer people to Bryan Caulfield and his team!!”- Betty B.
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“Mrs Bryant works her butt off to make sure you get what is do to you in medical and beyond! They won’t take your case if they don’t feel you haven’t been wronged.”- Christine R.
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“Working with Mark Perenich on my auto injury case was an absolute game-changer. From the very beginning, he brought a level of professionalism, expertise, and care that immediately put us at ease.”- Kerry B.
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“Lorrie and Allyson are phenomenal. I highly recommend them to anyone. It seemed like a never ending journey but I can’t thank them enough for diligently fighting my case with the greatest integrity, support and prayers.”- Former Client
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“Allyson has been so helpful with navigating the disability process for my husband!”- Kaitlyn S.
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“It honestly couldn’t have gone better. Pretty much perfect.”- Andreas B.
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“From the first day we met this law group I felt very comfortable and knew we would be well taken care of. This was our first experience filing for SSD, and was not disappointed. The lawyers are awesome and very professional.”- Shari J.
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“Very nice they worked with you. Never ignored me with my case. Always on top to work with you. Thank you so much for all that you have done to help me! Very highly recommend.”- Margarita O.
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“My appointed attorney was Jacqueline, Bryant. She is very compassionate about her client and work. When it comes to negotiation, she's a Beast and she gets the job done.”- Alaina J.
We’ve been proudly serving Clearwater, St. Petersburg, and the Tampa Bay area for generations. As the first personal injury law firm in Clearwater, our dedicated legal team brings over 300 years of combined experience to each and every case. If you’ve been injured and need support, please reach outtoday for a free consultation, we are here to help you.
