What Is the Average Settlement for a Dog Bite Lawsuit in Minnesota?

The average settlement for a dog bite lawsuit in Minnesota is difficult to pin down, but you could expect to win a settlement in a range of a few thousand dollars to a six-figure amount. However, the actual amount that you could win after someone else’s dog bites you will depend on the severity of your injuries and on the level at which your life changed after the attack.

Because the individual circumstances in each dog attack lawsuit in Minnesota are different, the potential settlement amounts that victims could win will be different, too. Just because your co-worker won a certain amount after a dog attack, this doesn’t mean you will win that same amount or that that amount represents the average settlement. Trustworthy dog bite attorneys in Minnesota can help you figure out how the circumstances in your case will affect your potential settlement amount.

What Are Some Real-World Financial Awards for Dog Attack Lawsuits?

Although most law firms do not publicize the amounts they win for clients in dog attack awards, Tyroler Leonard Injury Law’s client settlement results include four six-figure amounts for dog attack victims.

  • A man bitten in the leg by a dog won $285,000.
  • A girl bitten on the face and chest by a dog won $200,000.
  • A postal worker knocked down by multiple dogs and suffering a severe wrist injury won $190,000.
  • A girl bitten on the face by a dog, resulting in scarring, won $180,000.
  • A girl bitten on the face by a dog won $100,000.

Some settlements could be more than these amounts because of extremely severe injuries and scarring. Others could be smaller because of less severe injuries. Because of the lack of easily attainable information about dog attack settlements, figuring out the average award amount is almost impossible.

It’s also important to note that not all personal injury settlements involving a dog result in injuries from bites, further complicating the calculation of an average dog bite settlement. If one or more dogs knock you to the ground, you could hit your head, suffer a broken bone, or have torn ligaments. These injuries can greatly affect your quality of life, similarly to a bite. Even if your dog attack injuries do not involve a bite, you have the right to seek a financial award.

What Factors Affect the Average Financial Award for a Minnesota Dog Bite Claim?

When seeking a financial award from the owner of the dog who attacked you, your legal team will seek money in a few different areas, including:

  • Medical bills: The award from the insurance company should reimburse you for all medical costs, including those accumulated to date and an estimate of the costs you’ll have in the future.
  • Missed earnings: If you must miss work as you recover from your injuries, your settlement amount should include reimbursement of the wages you did not earn.
  • Pain and suffering: If your injuries cause pain for you or leave you unable to enjoy your favorite activities, your dog attack attorneys can seek an amount that compensates you for these hardships.
  • Emotional trauma: Dog attacks often are extremely emotional and scary for the victims. If you now have a fear of dogs, worry about walking in areas where dogs may be present, or feel anxious whenever you hear dogs barking in your neighborhood, your dog bite lawyers can seek an award amount for you that takes your trauma into account.

The Severity of Your Hardships Determines the Maximum Amount You Could Win

All of these areas combined lead to the total award amount that you could receive. If you must miss several weeks or months of work while recovering from your injuries, your potential award will be greater than that of someone who only misses a few days of work. If you will have pain that never alleviates because of the canine attack, you’ll potentially be in line to win a far larger pain and suffering award than someone who recovers fully within a week or two.

Because of these differences, it’s impossible for ethical dog attack attorneys in Minnesota to tell you whether you’ll receive a larger-than-average dog bite settlement award without taking time to investigate your case and to speak with your doctors about your injuries.

You May Be Able to Receive an Award for Injuries for Your Dog, Too

If the dog who attacked you also attacked your dog, causing injuries that required the care of a veterinarian, you may be able to win reimbursement of the costs of this care as part of your financial award. Should your dog suffer fatal injuries in the attack that also injured you, your dog bite law firm in Minnesota may be able to seek a greater amount in your pain and suffering settlement for the emotional trauma you are having.

Don’t Wait to Begin Seeking a Maximum Settlement for Your Dog Attack Claim in Minnesota

In the state of Minnesota, statute 541.05 limits the amount of time you have to seek a financial award for your injuries, setting a deadline of six years from the date of the dog attack. Although this seems like a long time, the Minnesota statute of limitations for a dog bite lawsuit can sneak up on you faster than you may think. That’s why Tyroler Leonard Injury Law always recommends reaching out to our team as early as possible for help with your case, even if you are unsure whether you want to file a claim. During a free consultation, we can lay out your options and help you decide what to do.

Let Tyroler Leonard Injury Law Help You Understand What the Average Settlement for a Dog Bite Lawsuit in Minnesota Actually Means

Minneapolis and St. Paul dog bite lawyers who immediately promise that they can help you win a larger-than-average settlement in a dog bite claim in Minnesota are not being truthful with you. The truth is that dog attack attorneys will need to investigate the case and learn more about the level of injuries you have before they can give you a range of financial estimates regarding the claim you could win. They should never guarantee they’ll win your dog bite lawsuit, either, as such guarantees are unethical.

You can trust that Tyroler Leonard Injury Law would never behave unethically when it comes to representing you or handling your case. We never cut corners, always taking whatever time is necessary to build the strongest case for you. We will be honest with you about the strength of your case, about how we believe we can help, and about whether we are the best team to represent you.

Let us show you what our St. Paul personal injury lawyers can do for you after you suffered injuries in a dog attack. Call 651-259-1113 today for a free case review.

Attorney Isaac Tyroler

Attorney Isaac Tyroler has been a strong advocate for injured people his entire legal career. He has a passion for righting wrongs, and he deeply cares about representing injured clients who may feel overwhelmed or uncertain about how to navigate the legal system. He is compassionate toward clients and aggressive with insurance companies and defendants. He is on the elected Board of Governors of the Minnesota Association of Justice (MAJ), the top personal injury lawyers’ group in Minnesota. And is currently the chair of MAJ’s legislative committee. [ Attorney Bio ]