Dog Bite Attorney — Conroe & Greater Houston, TX
Texas law holds dog owners responsible for attacks caused by their animal — and in most cases their homeowner’s or renter’s insurance covers the liability. If you or a child has been bitten or attacked, we pursue full compensation for injuries, scarring, and lasting trauma. Free consultation.
Texas Holds Dog Owners Liable — But You Have to Prove It the Right Way
Texas follows the “one bite rule” — a dog owner can be held liable for an attack if they knew or should have known their dog had dangerous propensities. Unlike strict liability states, Texas requires that knowledge to be established. But a prior bite is not the only way to establish it. Evidence of aggressive behavior, prior incidents reported to animal control, a history of the dog knocking people down, or neighbor statements can all put an owner on notice — even without a documented previous attack.
Texas negligence law provides a separate, parallel path to liability: when an owner’s careless handling of a dog causes injury — such as allowing a dog off-leash in violation of local ordinances, or failing to properly confine a dog known to be aggressive — they can be held liable under ordinary negligence principles independent of the one bite rule. Both theories can be pursued simultaneously.
Most dog bite claims are paid through the dog owner’s homeowner’s insurance or renter’s insurance policy — not from their personal assets. This makes compensation available in far more cases than victims realize. We identify all applicable insurance coverage as the first step in every case evaluation, including homeowner, renter, umbrella, and any property owner liability policies.
Children are disproportionately the victims of serious dog attacks, and the injuries can be severe — deep lacerations, nerve and tendon damage, facial scarring requiring reconstructive surgery, and lasting psychological trauma including PTSD. The statute of limitations is tolled for minors until they turn 18, but acting promptly preserves the evidence your case depends on.
Landlord and Property Owner Liability
A dog owner is the primary liable party — but not always the only one. A landlord or property owner who knew a tenant’s dog had dangerous propensities and who had the ability to require the animal’s removal or control may face premises liability for injuries the dog causes. This applies to apartment complexes, rental homes, HOA-managed communities, and commercial properties. Daspit’s prior crime rule and foreseeability doctrine — already well-established in Texas premises liability law — apply equally to known dangerous animals: if a landlord received reports of a tenant’s aggressive dog and did nothing, a subsequent attack on another tenant or visitor may be foreseeable and actionable.
Three Ways to Hold a Dog Owner Accountable in Texas
An owner is liable for an attack when they knew or should have known the dog had dangerous propensities. Prior bites satisfy this directly — but so do prior aggressive incidents, animal control reports, neighbor complaints, and vet records documenting aggressive behavior. Once an owner has notice of danger, they are responsible for what the dog does next.
Independent of prior knowledge, an owner may be liable under negligence principles for careless handling of a dog — letting a dog run loose without reason to believe it is dangerous, failing to properly secure a dog in a situation where a reasonable person would recognize the risk, or entrusting a dog to someone incapable of controlling it. Negligence does not require a prior incident.
When a dog owner violates a local ordinance — such as a leash law, a dangerous dog containment requirement, or a breed restriction — and that violation causes the injury, the owner may be held negligent per se. Montgomery County and surrounding municipalities have specific animal control ordinances that can directly support this theory alongside the one bite rule.
Damages Available After a Dog Bite in Texas
Economic Damages
Non-Economic Damages
Homeowner’s and renter’s insurance policies frequently cover dog bite liability. Recovery is typically available through insurance even when the dog owner has limited personal assets. We identify every applicable policy as a first step in every case.
Four Steps That Protect Your Dog Bite Claim
Dog bites carry serious infection risk — including rabies, Pasteurella bacteria, and MRSA. Even wounds that appear minor can become severely infected within 24–48 hours. Seek emergency care immediately, follow all prescribed treatment, and document every medical visit. Gaps in treatment are used by insurers to argue injuries were less serious than claimed.
Report the attack to local animal control as soon as possible. This creates an official record of the incident, triggers an investigation into the dog’s vaccination status and bite history, and may reveal prior complaints against the same animal. Animal control reports are often critical evidence establishing the owner’s prior notice of the dog’s dangerous propensities.
Photograph your injuries before and after treatment. Get the dog owner’s full name, address, and homeowner’s or renter’s insurance information. Collect the names and contact information of any witnesses. Note where the attack occurred, the circumstances, and whether the dog was restrained. These details establish the factual record your case depends on.
Do not give a recorded statement to the dog owner’s insurance company before speaking with an attorney. Adjusters are trained to use initial statements to minimize claims. We can evaluate your case, identify all available coverage, and communicate with insurers on your behalf from the start.
Contingency Fee — No Upfront Cost
Dog bite cases are handled on a contingency fee basis — you pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you. No upfront cost, no hourly billing, no financial barrier to getting started.
Schedule a free consultation →Office
141 N. San Jacinto Street
Conroe, TX 77301
Mon–Thu: 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Fri: 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Evening & weekend by appointment
Dog Bite Attorney Serving Conroe, Houston & Greater Houston
We handle dog bite and animal attack claims throughout the Greater Houston area — including Conroe, The Woodlands, Spring, Tomball, Magnolia, Willis, and Montgomery in Montgomery County, and Houston, Cypress, Humble, Kingwood, Katy, Sugar Land, and Pearland in Harris County. We also serve clients in Fort Bend County, Brazoria County, and Waller County. Free consultations are available by phone or online.
Dog Bite FAQ — Texas
Yes. Texas follows the one bite rule: a dog owner is liable for an attack if they knew or should have known the dog had dangerous propensities. A prior bite is the clearest form of evidence, but it is not required. Animal control reports, neighbor statements documenting aggressive behavior, vet records, and prior incidents of the dog knocking people down can all establish the owner’s knowledge even without a documented previous bite.
Texas negligence law provides a separate, parallel path: when an owner’s careless handling of a dog causes injury — such as allowing a dog to run loose in violation of a local leash ordinance — liability can be established under ordinary negligence principles without regard to the owner’s prior knowledge. Both theories can be pursued simultaneously, and negligence per se applies when a specific ordinance violation directly causes the injury.
Yes, in certain circumstances. A landlord or property owner who knew a tenant’s dog had dangerous propensities — through animal control complaints, prior incident reports, or direct observation — and who had the ability to require the animal’s removal or impose restrictions, may face premises liability for injuries the dog later causes to other tenants or visitors on the property.
Texas premises liability law requires property owners to protect invitees from foreseeable harm. When a landlord receives reports of a dangerous dog and fails to act, a subsequent attack may be considered foreseeable and therefore actionable. This applies to apartment complexes, rental homes, and any property where the owner has knowledge of and control over the dangerous condition — even when the dangerous condition is an animal belonging to a tenant.
In most cases, the dog owner’s homeowner’s insurance or renter’s insurance covers dog bite liability — which means compensation is typically available through an insurance claim rather than solely from the owner’s personal assets. Most standard homeowner’s policies include personal liability coverage that extends to dog bite incidents, often with limits of $100,000 to $300,000 or more.
We identify all applicable insurance coverage as the first step in every dog bite case evaluation — homeowner, renter, umbrella, and any property owner liability policies. In landlord liability cases, the property owner’s commercial general liability or landlord insurance may provide additional coverage.
Seek medical attention immediately — dog bites carry serious infection risk including rabies, Pasteurella bacteria, and MRSA, and require prompt treatment regardless of wound appearance. Report the attack to local animal control to create an official record and trigger a bite history investigation. Get the dog owner’s full contact information and insurance details. Photograph your injuries before and after treatment. Collect witness contact information.
Do not give a recorded statement to the dog owner’s insurance company before speaking with an attorney. Adjusters are trained to use early statements to minimize claims. Contact us for a free consultation — we will identify all available coverage and communicate with insurers on your behalf from the start.
Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003 provides a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims, including dog bites, from the date of the attack. For injuries to minors, the statute of limitations is generally tolled until the child turns 18 — meaning the two-year period does not begin running until their 18th birthday.
However, waiting significantly weakens your case. Animal control records are retained for limited periods. Witnesses move or forget details. The dog’s prior history is easier to establish close to the incident. Act promptly — the evidence that supports your case is most available and most reliable immediately after the attack.
Serving Greater Houston & Surrounding Counties
This firm represents clients throughout Montgomery, Harris, Fort Bend, Brazoria, and Waller Counties — with our office based in Conroe, steps from the Montgomery County Family Law Courts.
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Attorney advertising. Fritz and Phillips, PC is a Texas law firm. The information on this website is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or establish an attorney-client relationship. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Jessica Fritz (TX Bar 2008) and Keith Phillips (TX Bar 2016) are the attorneys responsible for this content.