Once you’re safe from the dog in question:

• Seek medical treatment from a medical professional. Even if your bite seems minor, infections and complications from an animal attack can develop days later. Return to your healthcare professional if you notice redness, swelling, fever, numbness, or if the wound isn’t healing properly. Keeping up with medical appointments not only protects your health but also builds important documentation for your dog bite injury claim.
• Report the bite to local animal control. This creates an official record, helps track dangerous dogs, and could protect others. This is also important for determining non-economic losses.
• Get the dog owner’s contact information and verify rabies vaccinations.
• Take photos of your injuries, the location of the attack, and the dog if possible.
• Keep all medical bills and records.

Call a dog bite lawyer to discuss your legal options. Avoid speaking to insurance companies without representation—they often try to minimize payouts on dog bite claims.

Some states follow a “bite rule,” which shields a dog owner from liability the first time their dog bites, assuming they had no reason to believe the dog was dangerous.

Indiana does not.

Instead, Indiana’s dog bite laws hold owners responsible when they fail to use reasonable care to control their dog—even if it has never bitten anyone before. This means you often don’t have to prove the dog had a history of aggression to seek compensation from the owner or their insurance company through a dog bite lawsuit.

Yes, but Indiana’s leash laws vary by county and city.

Nearly every municipality requires that dogs be on a leash or under strict control when in public. If a dog owner violates local dog bite laws by letting their dog roam freely, it becomes much easier to prove negligence. Indianapolis requires all dogs be restrained by a leash, cord, or chain.

If you were bitten by a loose dog in violation of these laws, it strengthens your case considerably. Your experienced lawyer will investigate local ordinances to help establish the dog owner’s liability.

Dog bite injuries are often more serious than people expect. Some common and devastating outcomes the dog bite lawyer team at Crossen Law Firm have handled include:

• Deep Puncture Wounds: These allow bacteria to spread beneath the skin, potentially causing infections like cellulitis or sepsis.
• Torn Muscles or Ligaments: A powerful bite can shred soft tissue, sometimes requiring reconstructive surgery.
• Broken Bones: Larger dogs can easily break hands, arms, or legs, especially if they knock you down.
• Permanent Facial Scars: A bite to the face may require multiple plastic surgeries, and the emotional impact of disfigurement can be profound.
• Nerve Damage: Even small bites to the hands can sever nerves, leading to loss of feeling or function.
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): This is an emotional injury beyond initial pain and suffering. Many victims—especially children—suffer nightmares, or new fears that affect their daily life.
• Permanent Disability: Some victims never fully recover their previous range of motion or ability to work. Your dog bite injury claim should account for all these issues—not just your immediate medical treatment, but also the long-term impact on your life and livelihood.

More and more retail establishments like outdoor restaurants or big-box hardware stores permit leashed dogs on their property. While you can’t always predict a dog attack, you can lower your risk. For instance, never approach an unfamiliar dog without asking the owner first. You should stay still if a dog seems aggressive—running may trigger a chase.

It is important to avoid eye contact with an angry dog and that includes keeping your hands by your sides and slowly back away if you feel threatened.

If you have children, teach them to be cautious and always ask before petting someone else’s dog. Still, no amount of care can prevent a bite if a negligent owner fails to control their dog. That’s why owner liability is central to Indiana dog bite laws.

Children are naturally curious, playful, and often unaware of the warning signs that a dog may be anxious or ready to attack. Kids tend to make sudden movements, squeal, or run, all of which can trigger a dog’s prey drive.

They also may approach dogs to hug or kiss them, actions that can be misinterpreted by even friendly pets as threatening. Because of their height, children’s faces and necks are typically at the same level as a dog’s mouth, making them especially vulnerable to dog bite incidents that can leave permanent facial scars.

Beyond the physical injuries, the emotional impact on a child can be profound. Many young dog bite victims develop long-lasting psychological trauma, including nightmares, anxiety, and a deep fear of dogs that can affect social activities and overall well-being.

Pursuing fair compensation is critical to ensure families can cover future therapy, counseling, and any additional surgeries and medical bills needed to address these injuries.

In most dog bite cases, the owner is legally responsible for controlling their pet and preventing a dog attack. If they failed to leash their dog, allowed it to roam freely in violation of local ordinances, or ignored prior signs of aggression, they are likely liable for a victim’s injuries.

But liability doesn’t always stop with the dog owner. In some situations, property owners, landlords, or even businesses can also share responsibility if they knowingly allowed a dangerous dog on the premises without proper precautions. For instance, a landlord who ignores tenant complaints about an aggressive dog might be held partly responsible for a later dog attack.

Determining liability often requires a careful investigation of the circumstances surrounding the dog bite, local leash and containment laws, and any past incidents with the animal. Also, the owner might argue that the victim was negligent and therefore caused their own injuries.

If someone else’s dog bit you, our experienced dog bite lawyers can piece all of this together, gather evidence, and ensure all responsible parties are held accountable so you receive the compensation you deserve.

Dog bite victims in Indiana can seek financial compensation for a wide range of personal injury damages, including:

• Medical bills: From your initial ER visit to follow-up appointments, physical therapy, and any required surgeries or medical attention.
• Future medical expenses: If you’ll need additional treatment or cosmetic procedures.
• Lost wages: If your injuries prevent you from working during recovery. Keep copies of all bank statements and pay stubs for any lost wages or future lost earnings.
• Reduced earning capacity: If permanent injuries limit the kind of work you can do, a personal injury case related to the dog bite is the best chance to recover them.
• Property damage: Replacing items like torn clothing, eyeglasses, or phones damaged during the attack.
• Pain and suffering: For the physical pain and emotional suffering caused by the dog attack.
• Emotional distress: Including anxiety, nightmares, or new fears of going outside.
• Permanent disability or disfigurement: Scars or injuries that forever change how you live or look.

A skilled attorney will gather medical records, work history, and expert opinions to prove the value of your dog bite injury claim and secure the fair settlement you deserve for your medical bills and pain and suffering.

Several things can drive up how much compensation you might receive in a dog bite lawsuit, such as:

• The extent of your physical injuries, including permanent scars or loss of mobility
• The need for ongoing treatment, like multiple surgeries or therapy for PTSD
• Whether the dog owner broke local leash or containment laws
• A history of the dog being aggressive or biting others before
• How the attack impacted your ability to work or enjoy life
• If you have experienced any pain and suffering or emotional distress

Your experienced lawyer can hold the owner liable, document your suffering, and argue for higher non- economic damages when settlement talks begin.

Usually, trespassers can’t pursue compensation, since Indiana law protects dog owners from claims by people unlawfully on their property. However, there are exceptions. If the owner acted recklessly or intentionally caused harm, you might still have a case. Delivery drivers and service workers are generally protected, since they have implied permission to approach the property.

After a reported bite, animal control typically quarantines the dog to monitor for rabies. If the dog has a history of attacks or is deemed dangerous, it may be subject to stricter containment rules or even euthanasia. However, these decisions are made by local authorities and animal control—not by the victim or their lawyer.

Your personal injury attorneys will focus on your recovery, pain, and suffering, and financial compensation.