Jacksonville Child Dog Bite Lawyer
Children are bitten more often than adults, and bitten differently. A child’s face is at a dog’s level, so the injuries are to the cheeks, lips, eyes and scalp, and they leave scars that have to be revised as the child grows. Florida’s dog bite law is one of the strictest in the country, and it was written with children in mind.
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Florida’s Strict-Liability Dog Bite Law
Under Florida Statute § 767.04, a dog’s owner is liable for a bite that happens in a public place, or on private property where the victim is lawfully present, whether or not the dog had ever shown aggression before. There is no “one free bite.” The owner’s only real defenses are that the victim provoked the dog, which reduces the recovery in proportion to the child’s share of fault, or that the owner posted a clearly visible “Bad Dog” sign. The sign defense does not apply to a victim under six years old.
Beyond the statute, an owner, a landlord, a dog sitter or a business can also be liable for ordinary negligence: letting a known-aggressive dog loose at a party, leaving a gate open, or ignoring leash rules.
Why Child Dog Bites Are Different
Facial injuries — lacerations, nerve damage, lost tissue around the eyes and mouth
Scarring that changes as the child grows, requiring revisions over years
Infection and rabies risk, with urgent medical decisions in the first hours
Trauma — nightmares, fear of animals, anxiety that follows the child into school
Reconstructive surgery that may not be possible until the child is older
Who Pays
Dog bite claims are almost always paid by the owner’s homeowner’s or renter’s insurance, not the owner personally. That matters when the dog belongs to a relative, a neighbor or a friend. Some policies exclude certain breeds; when that happens, we look at landlords, property managers, dog walkers and businesses that may share responsibility.
The Child’s Claim
The claim belongs to the child: pain, scarring and disfigurement, future surgery, and emotional harm. Parents are reimbursed for the medical bills and lost wages they paid. A settlement of more than $15,000 net to the child requires court approval under § 744.387, and because scar revisions can run into the teenage years, we structure the money to be there when they are needed.
What to Do First
Get medical care today; facial bites often need a plastic surgeon, not just the ER.
Identify the dog and its owner, and get the dog’s vaccination records.
Report the bite to Jacksonville Animal Care and Protective Services (or the county agency), which creates an official record.
Photograph the injuries every few days as they heal.
Don’t accept a neighbor’s offer to “cover the bills” in exchange for not making a claim; the homeowner’s policy exists for this.
Deadlines
Two years from the bite. Animal-control records and witness memories fade; call us in the first week.
Frequently Asked Questions
The dog had never bitten anyone before. Does that matter?
No. Florida’s dog bite statute holds the owner liable regardless of the dog’s history.
My child was bitten by a relative’s dog. Do I have to sue family?
The claim is against the homeowner’s insurance policy, which is what it is for. Most families find that once they understand that, the relationship survives and the child’s surgeries get paid for.
What if the owner says my child provoked the dog?
Provocation can reduce a recovery, but Florida judges a child by a child’s standard of care, and a very young child cannot be at fault. For a child under six, the “Bad Dog” sign defense is not available at all.
Will the scar be part of the claim?
Yes, and it is often the largest part. We work with pediatric plastic surgeons to project the revisions a child will need as they grow, and the settlement is built around that.
What does it cost to hire you?
Nothing up front. No attorney’s fee unless we recover compensation; costs and expenses may apply. The consultation is free and confidential.
📞 Call (904) 619-5244 · Text Us · Free Case Review
Free and confidential. No fee unless we recover compensation; costs and expenses may apply.
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Reviewed by Belkis Plata and Shannon Schott, attorneys Board Certified in Juvenile Law by The Florida Bar. Updated October 2026.