Dog Bite & Animal Attack Injuries · Greater New Orleans
Metairie & New Orleans Dog Bite & Animal Attack Lawyer
A dog attack happens fast. One moment you're walking a sidewalk or letting your child play in a yard — the next you're at the emergency room.
The injuries are often deep and disfiguring, the medical bills add up quickly, and the emotional toll — especially for children — can last long after the wounds heal. At Bono Law Firm, we've helped injured Louisianans since 1980, and dog bite cases are part of what we do. If you or your child has been hurt by someone else's dog, you talk directly with an attorney named Bono — John C. Bono or Michael P. Bono — not a case manager, and you pay nothing unless we recover money for you.
Some firms are built for volume. Bono Law Firm is built for personal attention.
Louisiana law favors dog bite victims
Louisiana is a strong state for dog bite cases. Under Civil Code article 2321, the owner of a dog is strictly liable for injuries caused by the dog when (1) the owner could have prevented the injury, and (2) the injury did not result from the victim's provocation of the dog. Unlike the "one-bite rule" used in some other states — which protects an owner from liability the first time their dog bites — Louisiana's rule doesn't require proof that the owner knew the dog was dangerous beforehand. What matters is whether the injury was preventable and whether the victim provoked the dog.
Why this matters for your case: in many states, the first bite is essentially "free" because the owner didn't know the dog was dangerous. Louisiana rejects that. Here, a victim usually has a real case even when the dog had no prior history of biting — which puts you in a much stronger position than you'd be in elsewhere.
Where the money usually comes from
Most dog bite settlements in Louisiana are paid by the dog owner's homeowner's or renter's insurance policy — not by the owner personally. That matters, because it means a real source of recovery exists in most cases, the owner doesn't have to declare bankruptcy or sell their house, and the relationship between the victim and the owner — often a neighbor, a friend, or a family member — doesn't have to become a financial fight between people.
We handle the insurance side so you don't have to argue with anyone you know. The conversation is between us and the carrier.
What dog bite claims typically cover
Compensation in a dog bite case may include:
- Emergency room bills and follow-up medical care
- Plastic surgery and scar revision — particularly important for facial wounds and injuries to children
- Lost wages if you missed work
- Future medical care, including additional surgeries
- Pain, suffering, and emotional distress
- Counseling or therapy, especially for children who develop fear-of-dog anxiety
The cases we see most often involve injuries to the hands, arms, and face — and when children are bitten, the bites tend to be on the face and head because of where children meet a dog physically. Those cases carry particular weight in Louisiana because of the long-term scarring and emotional impact. You can see the kind of outcomes we fight for in our case results.
What to do after a dog attack
- Get medical care immediately. Dog bites carry a high infection risk, and a doctor visit creates the medical record you'll need.
- Identify the dog and the owner. Get the owner's name, address, and phone number. If the dog is a stray, animal control needs to find it.
- Report the bite to animal control or the police. This creates an official record and triggers rabies-check protocols.
- Photograph the injuries as they look in the first hours and days, and again as they heal. Scarring evidence matters.
- Don't accept a quick offer from the dog owner or their insurer before you know how badly you're hurt or what the scars will look like once healed. Initial offers in these cases are almost always low.
- Call us for a free consultation. We'll tell you whether you have a case and what it may be worth.
When the bite happens on a rented property or business
The dog's owner is the primary defendant, but a landlord may share responsibility when they knew about a dangerous dog on the property and didn't act. And bites that happen at a business — a restaurant, a store, a groomer, a boarding facility, a kennel, a dog park — may bring premises liability and commercial insurance into play. These cases need a careful look at every party and every policy.
No fee unless we recover
Hurt by a dog? Let's talk — for free.
Since 1980, Bono Law Firm has represented more than 6,000 injured people across Jefferson, Orleans, St. Tammany, St. Charles, and the surrounding parishes. Consultations are free, home and hospital visits are available, our phones are answered 24 hours a day, and there's no fee unless we recover compensation for you.
Free Consultation — Call (504) 835-9909Direct attorney access · No fee unless we recover · Se Habla Español
Common questions
Dog bite FAQ
The dog had never bitten anyone before — do I still have a case?
Usually, yes. Unlike states with a "one-bite rule," Louisiana doesn't require proof the owner knew the dog was dangerous. Under Civil Code article 2321, what matters is whether the injury was preventable and whether you provoked the dog — so a first-time bite is still a real case here.
I don't want to sue my neighbor (or friend) — what are my options?
This is the most common worry, and the answer reassures most people: the claim is almost always paid by the owner's homeowner's or renter's insurance, not out of their pocket. We deal with the insurance company directly, so it doesn't have to become a personal fight between you and someone you know.
My child was bitten in the face — what should I be thinking about?
Facial wounds and scarring in children carry significant weight, and the full picture often isn't clear until the scars heal and any plastic surgery is planned. Don't settle early. We make sure future surgeries, scar revision, and the emotional impact — including counseling for fear-of-dog anxiety — are all accounted for.
How long do I have to file?
For attacks on or after July 1, 2024, Louisiana generally allows two years, though older incidents can fall under the prior one-year deadline. Because medical and scarring evidence is strongest when documented early, it's best to call soon — the first call is free.
Hurt by a dog or other animal attack in Greater New Orleans? Talk to a firm that knows how strong Louisiana law is for bite victims — and how to make the insurance pay.
Direct attorney access · No fee unless we recover · Se Habla Español
Serving Metairie, New Orleans, Kenner, the Westbank & Gretna, and the Northshore · Se Habla Español
