Nashville Dog Bite Injury Lawyer
A dog bite can leave you facing medical bills, permanent scars, missed work, and worries about your child’s recovery. When an attack disrupts your life, you need clear answers and an attorney who can help you take the next step.
Bill Easterly & Associates represents adults and children injured by dogs in Nashville, Davidson County, and throughout Middle Tennessee. Our attorneys investigate the attack, evaluate who may be responsible, and pursue compensation for the harm you suffered.
Call 1-888-272-4414 or contact us online for a free, confidential dog bite case consultation.
How Our Nashville Dog Bite Injury Lawyers Can Help
With more than 25 years of personal injury experience, Bill Easterly & Associates helps injured people navigate claims and deal with insurance companies. While you focus on medical care and recovery, we can:
- Investigate the attack: Obtain animal-control records, witness statements, photographs, and available video.
- Evaluate liability: Identify the dog’s owner, review the location and circumstances, and assess whether another party, such as a landlord, property manager, or caretaker, may bear responsibility under applicable Tennessee law. Liability depends on the party’s conduct, knowledge, and legal duties; it is not automatic.
- Document your losses: Review medical treatment, missed income, scarring, and the need for future care.
- Review insurance coverage: Investigate whether a homeowners, renters, or other liability policy may cover the incident.
- Pursue your claim: Handle insurer communications, negotiate for a fair settlement, and file a lawsuit when appropriate.
Speak with our team before signing a release or accepting a settlement that may overlook the lasting effects of your injuries.
When Is a Dog Owner Liable Under Tennessee Law?
Tennessee’s dog-injury statute, Tenn. Code Ann. § 44-8-413, was enacted as the Dianna Acklen Act of 2007. In 2016, the General Assembly amended the statute’s definition of “owner,” to clarify that land ownership alone does not make someone a dog’s owner. Under the current statute, a dog’s owner must keep the dog under reasonable control and prevent it from running at large. An owner who breaches that duty may be liable for injuries the dog causes in a public place or while the injured person is lawfully on another’s private property, subject to statutory exceptions.
If the injury occurs on residential, farm, or other noncommercial property and the dog’s owner owns, is permitted to be on, or lawfully rents or leases that property, the claimant must also prove that the owner knew or should have known of the dog’s dangerous propensities, along with the other elements required by Tennessee law.
Attacks in Public Places and Other Qualifying Locations
Owners must keep their dogs under reasonable control and prevent them from running at large. If a breach of that duty causes injury in a public place or while you are lawfully on someone else’s property, the owner may be liable even without a prior bite or knowledge that the dog was dangerous. The residential exception and other statutory exceptions still apply.
Attacks on Residential, Farm, or Other Noncommercial Property
A different rule can apply on residential, farm, or other noncommercial property that the dog’s owner owns, rents, leases, or visits with the property owner’s permission. In these cases, you must also prove that the owner knew or should have known about the dog’s dangerous tendencies. A claim can still be available when the required proof exists.
We review prior incidents, complaints, and the dog’s behavior to determine what the owner knew. Provocation, trespass, and other statutory exceptions can affect liability, so we evaluate the full circumstances before recommending a course of action.
Dog Attacks in Nashville Parks and Neighborhoods
We review dog attack claims arising on neighborhood sidewalks, in apartment communities, during deliveries, and in public recreation areas. Nashville locations such as Centennial Dog Park, Shelby Dog Park, and Two Rivers Dog Park can raise questions about supervision, control, and the rules in effect where an injury occurred.
Metro Nashville’s animal-control ordinances prohibit allowing dogs to run at large. Metro Parks’ dog park rules require dogs to be leashed before entering and leaving fenced dog park areas. Dogs that become aggressive must be leashed and removed immediately.
Permission to be off leash does not automatically excuse an owner from responsibility for an injury. We examine the owner’s control of the dog, witness accounts, and the applicable Tennessee law to evaluate your claim.
Compensation We Can Pursue After a Dog Bite
Dog attacks can cause puncture wounds, deep cuts, nerve injuries, fractures, and permanent scarring. Depending on your injuries and the evidence, your claim may include compensation for:
- Emergency care, surgery, rehabilitation, and reasonably necessary future treatment
- Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
- Physical pain and suffering
- Scarring, disfigurement, and emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life and damage to personal belongings
Our attorneys evaluate how the attack has affected your work, daily activities, and recovery. We consider future treatment and lasting limitations when assessing a settlement offer, along with applicable Tennessee damage limits.
What to Do After a Dog Bite in Nashville
- Get medical care promptly. A medical professional can evaluate the injury and determine whether you need treatment for infection risks or other complications.
- Report the incident. Contact Metro Animal Care and Control at 615-862-7928. Its animal-control reporting page provides an Animal Bite Incident Report Form. Call 911 for an immediate emergency.
- Preserve evidence. If safe, photograph your injuries and the location, collect the owner’s and witnesses’ contact information, and ask about the dog’s rabies vaccination status. Keep medical records, bills, photographs of damaged belongings, and information about missed work.
- Discuss your claim with an attorney. Get legal advice before giving the dog owner’s insurer a recorded statement or signing a settlement release.
Nashville Dog Bite Claim FAQs
Possibly. Under Tennessee law, a dog owner may be liable for injuries even if the dog has never bitten anyone before. The circumstances and location of the attack matter. When Tennessee’s residential-property exception applies, you generally must establish that the owner knew or should have known about the dog’s dangerous tendencies. Evidence such as prior aggressive behavior, complaints, or witness accounts may help establish that knowledge. Our attorneys investigate these factors to determine whether you may have a claim.
You may still have a claim. Homeowners or renters insurance may provide coverage, depending on the policy and its exclusions. Pursuing insurance compensation can still involve a claim against the owner. We can explain the process and review available coverage before you decide how to proceed.
Provocation can defeat liability under the dog bite statute, but an insurer’s allegation is not proof. Separately, Tennessee’s comparative fault rules can reduce recovery for your share of fault and generally bar recovery at 50% or more. We investigate the evidence supporting these defenses. Read more about comparative fault in Tennessee injury cases.
Most dog bite injury lawsuits must be filed within one year after the claim accrues, generally the date of the injury. Exceptions may apply, including rules affecting minors. Reporting the bite or negotiating with an insurer does not automatically stop that deadline. Learn more about Tennessee personal injury filing deadlines, and contact us promptly to determine yours.
Yes. We help families evaluate the child’s injuries, future care needs, and claims arising from the attack. A child’s claim and any separate claim belonging to a parent may have different deadlines. A parent may act as a representative, but generally needs a licensed attorney to litigate the child’s injury claim. Read about representing children in Tennessee injury cases.
Yes. Dog attacks can cause lasting physical and emotional injuries, including permanent scarring, disfigurement, anxiety, and psychological trauma. Depending on the circumstances, you may be entitled to compensation for these losses as part of your dog bite injury claim. Tennessee classifies pain and suffering, emotional distress, and disfigurement as non-economic damages, which are subject to certain legal limits. Learn more about economic and non-economic damages in Tennessee and how they may affect your compensation. Our attorneys evaluate medical records, photographs, and other evidence to determine the full impact of your injuries.
No. Tennessee’s dog injury statute can cover injuries caused by a dog beyond a bite, such as being knocked down. You still must establish the legal requirements for liability and show that the dog caused your injury. We can evaluate those facts during your consultation.
Bill Easterly & Associates handles dog bite cases on a contingency fee basis. You do not owe attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you. Your initial consultation is free, and we explain the fee agreement and case expenses before you decide to hire us.
