Coppell Dog Bite Lawyer

Were you or your child bitten by a dog in Coppell?

At Kelso Law, we stand up for bite victims and their families across Coppell and pursue the full value of an injury claim.

If a dog attack in Coppell injured you or your child, our Coppell, TX dog bite lawyer can identify who is responsible, prove how the attack happened, and pursue the full cost of the harm. Kelso Law has served injured Texans since 2012, recovering more than $20 million for clients and securing a jury verdict above $8 million in Dallas County. A serious bite is more than a wound, so we document the scarring, the future care, and the fear a bite can leave behind, especially for a child. You can request a free consultation to learn where your claim stands and what steps come next.

Dog Bite Lawyer Coppell, TX

A dog bite claim is a personal injury case that arises when an owner’s failure to control a dog injures another person. Dog bites send hundreds of thousands of people for medical care each year in the United States, and children are the most frequent victims, according to the CDC. A child’s bites often fall on the face and head and can leave lasting physical and emotional scars. A Coppell dog bite attorney identifies the responsible owner, documents the full harm, and pursues the cost of a complete recovery. In Coppell, many of these encounters happen at the city’s parks, its dog park, and its miles of shared trails.

Types of Dog Bite Cases We Handle in Coppell

Dog bite claims take several forms, and the age of the victim and the dog’s history often affect how a case is built. How the attack happened and what the owner knew typically influence the outcome of the case. These are the dog bite cases our Coppell office handles most often.

• Bites to children. Children are bitten more often than adults and are more likely to be seriously hurt. These cases call for care for a child’s medical treatment, scarring, and lasting fear of dogs.
• Attacks by a dog the owner knew was dangerous. An owner who knew the dog had bitten before or shown aggression can be held responsible. Prior incidents and warnings are central to these claims.
• Wrongful death. When an attack takes a life, surviving family members may bring a claim for their losses. We handle these cases with care for the family and for the record.
• Nerve damage, infection, and disfigurement. Deep bites can damage nerves, become infected, and require reconstructive surgery. We document the treatment these wounds still demand.
• Attacks on people doing their jobs. Delivery drivers, mail carriers, and service workers are bitten while on a property. The owner’s duty to control the animal is a key question.
• Bites by loose or unleashed dogs. A dog off its leash or out of its yard can support a claim even without a prior bite. The owner’s failure to secure the dog is the focus.

Why Choose Kelso Law as Your Dog Bite Lawyer in Coppell, TX?

Documenting Every Effect of a Serious Bite

Kelso Law works for the people a dog attack has hurt, not negligent owners or the insurers who defend them. A bite leaves more than a scar, so we build the record of the medical care, the reconstructive needs, and the emotional harm, especially when a child is the victim. Across years of plaintiff-side practice, Kelso Law has recovered more than $20 million for injured clients, including the following results:

• $8 million jury verdict in a grocery store assault case in Dallas County
• $1 million recovery in a workplace injury matter
• $1 million recovery in a premises liability case
• $400,000 recovery in a separate premises liability case

We handle dog bite cases on a contingency basis, so there is no attorney fee unless we recover compensation for you.

A Trial Lawyer for Injured Families

Founding attorney Rhiannon Kelso has tried more than 25 cases to a jury verdict since she began practicing in 2012, including a verdict above $8 million in Dallas County. She earned her Juris Doctor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, received the CALI Excellence for the Future Award, and is admitted in every Texas state court and all three federal districts in the state. Her memberships include the Dallas Bar Association and the Texas Trial Lawyers Association, and she serves clients in English and Spanish. Rhiannon is a personal injury lawyer in Coppell, TX with a record of results in serious injury cases, and she brings that same standard to a dog-bite claim.

What Is Important to Understand About a Dog Bite Case?

Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Dog Bite Cases

Texas has no general dog bite statute. An owner is liable when they knew or had reason to know the dog was dangerous, a rule known as the one-bite rule, and an owner can also be liable for ordinary negligence, such as ignoring a leash law. The state’s dangerous dog law adds duties to restrain and confine a dog known to be dangerous, and breaking those duties can support a claim. Recoverable damages include medical bills, reconstructive surgery, therapy for emotional harm, and non-economic losses such as pain and disfigurement. A child’s claim can also account for the future care a growing body will need. Texas applies a comparative fault rule, so provoking the dog can reduce a recovery. Several factors affect a claim’s value, including the severity of the injury and the age of the victim.

What Are Important Aspects of a Dog Bite Case?

A few early steps can strengthen a dog bite claim. Photographs of the wounds and the dog, and the names of anyone who saw the attack, help establish what happened. Getting medical care quickly matters, because bites carry a real risk of infection, and some effects, including scarring and emotional distress, can appear over time. Reporting the bite to Coppell Animal Services creates an official record and helps document the dog’s history. It is also wise to be careful about speaking with an adjuster before the full extent of the injury, especially a child’s, is known.

What Is the Dog Bite Case Timeline?

A dog bite claim usually moves through the same stages, though the pace varies from case to case. The steps, in the order they occur, are:

1. Consultation and case review soon after the bite
2. Medical treatment, including any care for scarring or emotional harm
3. Investigation of the dog’s history and the owner’s coverage
4. A demand and negotiation with the insurer, including review of a settlement offer
5. A lawsuit filed when the insurer will not pay fairly
6. Discovery, depositions, and trial when no fair result is reached

A two-year deadline applies to most dog bite suits, measured from the date of the attack. A claim on behalf of an injured child, however, may follow a different timeline, so it is wise to ask early. Most dog bite claims settle before a trial becomes necessary.

What Should You Bring to Your Dog Bite Consultation?

A first meeting goes faster when you bring the records that describe the attack and your losses. Please gather the following items, to the extent you have them:

• Photographs of the injuries and, if possible, the dog
• Medical records and bills from treatment after the bite
• The owner’s name and address, if you know them
• Any report made to animal control or the police
• The name of any insurer that has contacted you

You do not need every item to begin, and we can request records that you cannot obtain on your own. From there, we can explain who may be held responsible and what a full recovery should cover, including a child’s future needs.

Most Dangerous Locations for Dog Bites in Coppell

Dog bites in Coppell often happen where dogs and people share the same space. The city’s parks and its miles of trails draw many dogs each day, and a startled animal or a leash that slips can lead to a bite. Coppell’s own trail guidance reminds owners to keep dogs close and to watch for children on the path.

The public spaces where dogs and people mix most often include the following:

• The Coppell Dog Park, the city’s fenced off-leash area
• Andrew Brown Park, with its lakes, playgrounds, and busy walking loops
• Wagon Wheel Park and the Coppell Nature Park trails on the west side
• The city’s hike and bike trail system, which runs more than twenty miles

Everyday settings also produce bites, including these:

• Residential neighborhoods and front yards, where loose dogs surprise passersby
• Doorways and porches, where delivery and service workers meet dogs
• Old Town Coppell and its sidewalks, where crowds and pets mix

Reach Out to Kelso Law to Schedule a Consultation

If a dog owner’s negligence caused a bite in Coppell, our Coppell dog bite lawyer can examine how the bite happened, hold the responsible owner accountable, and pursue what your family may be owed. We work on a contingency basis, so you owe no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you. Contact us to schedule a review of your case with Kelso Law.