There are varying degrees of difficulty in proving liability for a dog bite. Your lawyer will know all local laws pertaining to pets in the area you were bitten.
Some jurisdictions will hold an owner liable if the dog has bitten someone before or has an aggressive history. In general, dog owners have a responsibility to the public to ensure their animal can’t hurt someone if the victim is in a public place.

It’s possible that multiple parties are responsible for your injuries. A property owner, business owner, and dog owner could all be held financially accountable.

The owner of a dog that bit a person will probably hire an attorney to defend them against your accusations. Here are the most common defenses used:

• Dog provocation
• Trespassing
• Assumed risk

Dog provocation means that you forced or provoked an animal to hurt you. A person cannot threaten an animal and expect to be compensated after being bitten.

If a dog bite victim walks on private property or into a home uninvited, they cannot turn around and sue for personal injuries.

Assumed risk is one of the grayest areas in dog bites cases. When owners post signs warning of a dangerous dog, you are assuming a part of the risk. Going to a dog park means you are possibly exposing yourself to being bitten.