Seek medical care immediately. Report the incident to local authorities and document the injury if possible. Then speak with an attorney about your legal options.

Yes. In many cases, dog owners can be held responsible if they knew their animal was dangerous or failed to control it properly. Many, but not all, insurance policies are not excluding coverage for animal attacks, and sometimes specific to breeds such as a Pitbull or Mastic. You just don’t know until an investigation is done.

Victims may recover compensation for medical treatment, reconstructive surgery, lost income, emotional trauma, and scarring. Punitive damages are often available due to the history of the specific animal being violent or trained to be violent.

If the attack is in Texas, then the dog has “one free bite,” as ridiculous as that sounds. But, there may be exceptions based on the breed of dog, its training to be aggressive, etc. So, even if the dog has no history of attacks, an owner may still be responsible. This often involves some investigation into the dog, veterinarian records, etc.

Before speaking with an insurance company, it is often wise to consult an attorney who can protect your rights and handle communications. Again, the owner’s insurance company is not your friend and will be wanting to close the matter as cheaply as possible.