Orlando Dog Bite Attorneys
If a dog bit you or your child in Orlando or anywhere in Central Florida, Florida law makes the owner responsible, even for a first bite. Our dog bite attorneys deal with the owner's insurance company and build your claim for trial so your surgery, scarring and trauma are paid for. No fee unless we win. Call (407) 777-8888
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“The reviews speak for themselves. Trust in the process — Alexandra will deliver.”
What's at Stake
We're sorry this happened. A dog bite is painful and frightening, and the wounds often hurt worse weeks later than they did that day. Meanwhile, the owner's homeowner's insurance company is deciding what your claim is worth. Here's what you're up against.
Puncture wounds can trap bacteria deep in tissue. Nerve and tendon damage may not be obvious at first. Skipping care hurts your health and your claim.
Adjusters ask friendly questions to suggest you reached for the dog or were somewhere you shouldn't be. That blame can reduce what you recover.
A fast offer arrives before anyone knows whether you'll need scar revision or reconstructive surgery. Once you sign a release, the claim is over.
Most Florida dog bite injury claims must be filed within two years. Animal control records, photos and witness memories fade much sooner.
Let us handle the insurance company.
Alexandra Tosado · Founding Attorney
You shouldn't have to argue with your neighbor's insurance company while you heal. That's our job.
Why You Need a Lawyer
Dog attacks happen in Orlando neighborhoods, apartment complexes, parks and front yards every week. Children are bitten most often and most seriously, usually on the face, neck and hands. Delivery drivers, mail carriers and service workers are bitten on the job. And many victims know the owner: a neighbor, a friend, a relative.
Florida is a strict liability state for dog bites under Florida Statute § 767.04. The owner is responsible for a bite whether or not the dog ever bit anyone before, and whether or not the owner knew it was dangerous. That's a strong law, but it isn't automatic. Insurers still argue the victim provoked the dog, was trespassing, ignored a “Bad Dog” sign or isn't as badly scarred as they say.
When you hire ANT Law Firm, our Orlando dog bite lawyers identify the owner and every insurance policy that may cover the attack, collect the animal control file and the dog's history, and work with your doctors to document scarring and future surgery. Your claim is usually paid by the owner's homeowner's or renter's insurance, not out of your neighbor's pocket. And we prepare every case as if a jury will decide it.
Cases We Handle
Dog attacks often overlap with other injury claims. Our Orlando dog bite attorneys handle the bite and everything that comes with it.
A dog that jumps on you or knocks you down can cause fractures without ever biting.
Delivery drivers and service workers may have a claim against the owner on top of workers' comp.
Severe attacks, especially on children, can cause head trauma that needs lifelong care.
When an attack takes someone you love, we help your family hold the owner accountable.
Step-by-Step
What you do in the first hours and days protects your health and your claim. Keep this list handy, especially if your child was bitten.
Bitten by a dog?
Get medical care, photograph the wound, and get the owner's name and address. Then talk to an attorney before you talk to their insurer. It's free.
Don't skip this
We Try Cases
Insurance companies decide what to offer based on whether they think you'll go to trial. Here's what happens when they guess wrong.
“A very positive experience with the attorney and her entire team — always attentive, kind, and willing to clarify every question. The fact that they are bilingual is a huge plus.”
Landmark verdict
40×
The jury's verdict was forty times the insurance company's offer.
Their offer
$30,000
The jury's verdict
$1.2M
The insurance company offered our client $30,000. We turned it down, built the case for trial and put it in front of a jury. The jury awarded $1.2 million — forty times what the insurer said the case was worth.
Jury VerdictPublic Transportation NegligenceOrange County, FL
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Every case is different and is evaluated on its own facts. Amounts are gross recoveries before fees, costs and liens.
The Plan
Call, text or fill out the form. It's free and confidential.
We investigate, gather the evidence, handle the insurance company and get your medical care documented.
We negotiate from strength. If they won't pay fairly, we take it to a jury.
No fee unless we win · Se habla español
Strict liability helps, but insurers still pay based on the evidence. Here's what happens once you hire us.
Compensation
A dog bite claim covers far more than the ER bill. Florida law lets you recover for the scarring, the surgeries still ahead and the fear that can follow an attack for years.
Past and future: ER care, wound treatment, antibiotics, rabies shots, surgery and therapy.
Plastic surgery and scar revision, including procedures a child will need as they grow.
Permanent scars and tissue loss, especially on the face, neck and hands.
Physical pain, emotional distress and the loss of things you used to enjoy.
Anxiety, nightmares, PTSD and fear of dogs, plus the counseling to treat them.
Paychecks you missed while recovering and income lasting injuries take away.
Torn clothing, broken glasses or phones, and rides to medical appointments.
The impact of your injuries on your marriage and family life.
Not sure what your case is worth? We'll tell you, free.
Get My Free Case ReviewFlorida Law
Florida has one of the strongest dog bite statutes in the country. It also has a few defenses insurers use often. Here's what matters for your case.
Strict liability (§ 767.04). The owner of a dog that bites a person is liable for the damages, regardless of the dog's past behavior or the owner's knowledge, as long as the person was in a public place or lawfully on private property, including the owner's own home or yard. A separate statute, § 767.01, makes owners liable for other harm their dogs cause, such as knocking someone down.
The “Bad Dog” sign defense. An owner generally isn't liable if a sign that includes the words “Bad Dog” was displayed prominently and was easy to read on the property when the bite happened. The sign defense does not apply if the victim was under 6 years old, or if the bite was caused by the owner's own negligence, like leaving a gate open or letting the dog off its leash. We look closely at where the sign was and whether it could actually be read.
Comparative fault. If the victim's own carelessness helped cause the bite, such as provoking or teasing the dog, the owner's liability is reduced by that percentage. Insurers lean on this argument, which is why witness statements and scene evidence matter.
Dangerous dogs. Under Florida's dangerous dog laws (§§ 767.11–767.13), animal control can classify a dog as dangerous after it bites or attacks. The owner must then register the dog, confine it securely and keep it muzzled and leashed off the property. A prior dangerous dog finding is powerful evidence. Florida doesn't let local governments regulate dogs based on breed alone, so any breed can be declared dangerous because of what it does.
Who else may be responsible. A landlord who knew a tenant's dog was dangerous and could have removed it, or a business that kept a dangerous dog on its premises, may share responsibility. Some cases also overlap with premises liability claims.
What Success Looks Like
Facing it alone
With ANT in your corner
Wound care, surgery and the scar revision still ahead.
No awkward calls with the owner or their adjuster.
Paid for your scars, pain and fear, not just the receipts.
Someone handled it, and your family was treated with respect.
Every case is different. Past results don't guarantee a similar outcome.
Client Reviews
“The best team ever. They resolved my case in an unimaginable timing. Very professional plus they show their human side when I needed it.”
“Working with Alex and her team was truly one of the best professional experiences I've had. From start to finish, they exceeded my expectations.”
“Excellent law firm! They won my case in 3 days. And within 2 weeks, the compensation check was ready. All the office staff are very professional and attentive.”
Why ANT Law Firm
After a dog attack, the owner's insurance company offers as little as it can get away with. We build every dog bite case for trial, so insurers have to take your claim seriously — and you pay nothing unless we win.
Straight Answers
Usually the dog's owner. Under Florida Statute § 767.04, the owner is liable for bite injuries regardless of whether the dog ever bit anyone before or the owner knew it was dangerous. Florida does not follow the 'one-bite rule.' The owner is liable whether the bite happens in a public place or on private property, including the owner's own home, as long as the victim was lawfully there. The owner's liability can be reduced if the victim's own negligence helped cause the bite, and a prominently displayed 'Bad Dog' sign can be a defense, except when the victim is under 6 or the owner's negligence caused the bite.
For most dog bites on or after March 24, 2023, you have two years from the date of the bite to file a lawsuit. Bites before that date generally had four years. Don't assume a child's claim is paused until they turn 18; in most Florida injury cases it isn't. Call an attorney as soon as you can, because animal control records, photos and witness memories are easiest to secure early.
Get medical care right away, even for a small bite, because punctures can cause serious infection. Report the bite to Orange County Animal Services or your county's animal control. Get the owner's name, address and insurance information, photograph your wounds and the scene, and collect witness contact details. Don't give a recorded statement or sign anything from the owner's insurer. Then call our dog bite attorneys at (407) 777-8888 for a free case review.
Sometimes. A landlord may be liable if they knew a tenant's dog was dangerous and had the ability to have it removed but didn't act. That can come up when neighbors complained about the dog, when it had attacked before, or when the lease banned the dog and the landlord didn't enforce it. Our attorneys look at everyone who may share responsibility, not just the owner.
Often, yes. Most dog bite claims are paid by the owner's homeowner's or renter's insurance, not out of the owner's pocket. But some policies exclude certain breeds or dogs with a bite history, and coverage limits vary. If the policy excludes the dog or the limits are too low, we look for other coverage, such as an umbrella policy, a landlord's policy or the owner's assets.
Florida law doesn't treat any breed as dangerous by itself, and it doesn't allow local governments to regulate dogs based on breed alone. Instead, under §§ 767.11–767.13, animal control can classify any dog as a 'dangerous dog' because of what it has done, such as biting or attacking a person. The owner must then register the dog, keep it securely confined, and keep it muzzled and leashed off the property. A prior dangerous dog finding is strong evidence in a bite claim.
Children are the most common victims of serious dog bites and often suffer facial injuries, scarring and lasting fear. A child's claim can include medical expenses, future plastic or reconstructive surgery as they grow, pain and suffering, counseling and scarring and disfigurement. A parent or guardian brings the claim, and larger settlements for a minor must be approved by a court to protect the child. Remember that the 'Bad Dog' sign defense never applies when the child is under 6.
It depends on how serious the injuries are, where any scarring is, whether surgery is needed now or later, lost income, emotional trauma, whether anyone else shares fault, and how much insurance is available. We'll review your case for free and give you an honest assessment. Be wary of anyone who quotes a number before seeing your medical records and photos.
Many of our clients know the owner, and that's exactly why it helps to have an attorney. The claim is usually paid by the owner's homeowner's or renter's insurance, not your neighbor personally. We deal with the insurance company so you don't have to have uncomfortable conversations, and we make sure the claim covers your future surgeries and scarring, not just today's bills.
Still have a question? Call (407) 777-8888 or send us a message.
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Orlando Dog Bite Attorneys
You focus on healing. We'll handle the owner's insurance company and build your case for trial. Your free case review takes a few minutes, in English or Spanish.
