Animal & Dog Bites


About 5 million people every year in the US are bitten by an animal, most commonly it is a dog.   Often  it  is a child  and the bite injury  can result in permanent physical injury and emotional scarring. 

How is a pet owner liable? In many cases the owner of the dog or other animal knows or should have known of the animal's dangerous propensities or past violence.  Knowledge of past violence can make  the dog or animal owner  legally liable to the injured person.  Past violence can be a simple as  knowing the dog has bite a person before or  as severe as prior attacks that were reported to law enforcement agencies.

The owner is usually covered by homeowners insurance that covers these types of losses.   Of course, the owner can be liable beyond their insurance coverage or if they do not have coverage at all or their coverage is inadequate to compensate the victim.


Ben Sansone has represented several clients that have been bitten by dogs and incurred minor or even permanent injuries due to scarring.  Notably,  we represented a Ladue Missouri Police Officer that was bit on the leg when responding to a 911 call by a dog named "Hunter" that had a history of biting people it was not familiar with.  The officer sustained a deep bite injury to his calf that resulted in  permanent scarring.

If you, a relative, or friend have been injured by an animal call us for a free consultation, call personal injury lawyer Benjamin Sansone @ (314) 726-1817 or submit an online inquiry.