A dog bite can change your life in an instant. One moment you are walking through Bear Creek Park, jogging near Keller Parkway, or visiting a neighbor off Rufe Snow Drive, and the next you are dealing with puncture wounds, torn tissue, and a flood of questions about what happens next. If a dog attacked you or someone you love in Keller, Texas, you have legal rights, and the team at Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys is ready to help you understand them. As personal injury lawyers serving Denton, Texas and surrounding communities, we handle dog bite claims across the North Texas region, including Keller and the rest of Tarrant County.

Table of Contents

• How Texas Dog Bite Law Works and What It Means for Keller Victims
• Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 822 and the Dangerous Dog Designation
• Common Injuries From Dog Attacks and Their Long-Term Impact
• What to Do After a Dog Bite in Keller, Texas
• How Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys Handles Keller Dog Bite Claims
• FAQs About Keller Dog Bite Attorney

How Texas Dog Bite Law Works and What It Means for Keller Victims

Texas follows the common law “one bite rule,” which is the foundation of every dog bite injury claim in the state. This rule, established by the Texas Supreme Court in Marshall v. Ranne, 511 S.W.2d 255 (Tex. 1974), means a dog owner can be held liable when the victim proves two things: the owner knew the dog had previously bitten someone or shown dangerous tendencies, and the owner failed to take reasonable steps to prevent harm.

That said, the one bite rule does not give every dog a free pass. Prior knowledge does not require an actual prior bite. If the dog has growled at, lunged at, or snapped at people before, that history can be enough to put the owner on legal notice. Evidence of dangerous tendencies can include complaints from neighbors, statements the owner made about the dog, the way the dog was kept or trained, and even how it was restrained on a regular basis.

Texas also recognizes a separate negligence theory. Even if the dog had zero prior incidents, an owner can still face liability for failing to act as a reasonably careful person would. Letting a dog roam loose near a public trail, leaving a gate unlatched in a residential neighborhood off North Tarrant Parkway, or failing to use a leash in a crowded area can all support a negligence claim.

Beyond civil liability, Texas Health and Safety Code Section 822.005, commonly called “Lillian’s Law,” makes it a criminal offense when an owner’s criminal negligence leads to an unprovoked attack that causes serious bodily injury or death. That offense is a third-degree felony, and it rises to a second-degree felony if the attack causes death. Criminal liability runs alongside civil liability, meaning victims can pursue both paths at the same time.

Texas also applies modified comparative fault rules under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 33.001. If a jury finds you were partially at fault for the attack, your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault. However, if you are found more than 51% responsible, you cannot recover damages at all. This is why how your case is presented matters enormously from the start.

Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 822 and the Dangerous Dog Designation

Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 822 creates a specific legal framework for “dangerous dogs,” and it directly affects dog bite claims in Keller and across Tarrant County. Under Section 822.041, a dog is classified as dangerous when it makes an unprovoked attack outside its enclosure that causes bodily injury, or when it commits unprovoked acts that cause a person to reasonably believe the dog will attack and cause injury.

Once a dog is classified as dangerous, the owner faces strict obligations under Section 822.042. The owner must register the dog annually with the local animal control authority, pay a $50 registration fee, maintain current rabies vaccination records, keep the dog in a secure enclosure, and carry liability insurance or show proof of financial responsibility. Under Section 822.043, the animal control authority issues a registration tag that must be placed on the dog’s collar. If the owner moves or sells the dog, they have 14 days to notify the new jurisdiction’s animal control authority.

Failing to meet those requirements is a criminal offense. Under Section 822.045, a first violation is a Class C misdemeanor. A second conviction rises to a Class B misdemeanor. When a registered dangerous dog makes an unprovoked attack outside its enclosure and causes bodily injury, Section 822.044 creates an additional criminal offense for the owner.

For victims, this is powerful information. If the dog that attacked you was already designated as dangerous and the owner failed to comply with registration, insurance, or enclosure requirements, that violation can serve as evidence of negligence per se in your civil claim. Put simply, the owner broke a law designed to protect people like you, and that failure contributed directly to your injury.

Courts also have the authority to order a dangerous dog destroyed. Under Section 822.003, a hearing must be held within 10 days of a warrant being issued. The court can order destruction when the dog caused the death of a person. When serious bodily injury is involved, the court has discretion. Destruction is not ordered in certain situations, such as when the injured person was trespassing in an enclosure or when the dog was being used for lawful law enforcement purposes.

Common Injuries From Dog Attacks and Their Long-Term Impact

Dog bites cause far more damage than most people expect. Children are highly vulnerable and account for a large percentage of dog bite victims, with younger children aged 5 to 9 at the greatest risk, and a large portion of their injuries involving the head, face, or neck. Adults face serious injuries too, including deep puncture wounds, torn muscles, nerve damage, and fractured bones from falls during an attack.

Infections are a major concern after any dog bite. Infections due to bacterial pathogens are estimated to occur in approximately 16% of dog bite cases. Left untreated, those infections can become life-threatening. Some victims require multiple surgeries, extended hospital stays, and long-term antibiotic treatment.

The emotional injuries are just as real as the physical ones. Post-traumatic stress disorder is common after a dog attack, particularly in children. Victims may develop a lasting fear of dogs, struggle with anxiety in public spaces, or experience nightmares and flashbacks. These psychological injuries are compensable under Texas law, just like medical bills and lost wages.

Severe attacks can result in catastrophic injuries, including permanent scarring, disfigurement, and loss of function in a limb or hand. Some victims require reconstructive surgery. In the most tragic cases, dog attacks cause wrongful death, leaving families to deal with grief and financial loss on top of everything else. The financial burden of a serious dog bite can be staggering, and the insurance industry reported that the average dog bite claim cost $69,272 in 2024, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

If the attack happened near a busy area like Keller Town Center, a neighborhood park, or along a walking trail near Bear Creek, there may also be premises liability considerations. Property owners who knew a dangerous dog was present and failed to warn visitors or secure the animal may share responsibility for your injuries.

What to Do After a Dog Bite in Keller, Texas

The steps you take in the hours and days after a dog attack directly affect the strength of your legal claim. Acting quickly and carefully protects both your health and your right to compensation.

Seek medical care immediately. Even a bite that looks minor can cause serious infection or nerve damage. Go to a Keller-area emergency room, urgent care clinic, or your primary care doctor the same day. Document every injury with photographs and keep all medical records, bills, and treatment notes. This documentation becomes the foundation of your damages claim.

Report the attack to Keller Animal Services or Tarrant County Animal Control as soon as possible. An official report creates a record of the incident and triggers an investigation into the dog’s history. If the dog has prior complaints or a dangerous dog designation, that information can be critical to your case. Ask the reporting officer for a copy of the incident report.

Identify the dog and its owner. Get the owner’s name, address, and contact information. Ask whether the dog is current on its rabies vaccination, because Texas law requires this information to be reported to local rabies control authorities after a bite. If the attack happened in a public area, look for witnesses and ask for their contact information. Security camera footage from nearby businesses or homes may also capture the incident.

Write down everything you remember while it is fresh. The time, location, what you were doing, what the dog did, and what the owner said or did after the attack. Details matter in these cases, and memories fade quickly.

Do not give a recorded statement to the dog owner’s insurance company before speaking with an attorney. Insurance adjusters are trained to minimize claims, and anything you say can be used to reduce or deny your compensation. Contact Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys at (940) 800-2500 before you speak with anyone representing the other side.

How Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys Handles Keller Dog Bite Claims

Dog bite cases in Texas require a specific approach. The legal theories available to you, the evidence needed to support each one, and the defenses the dog owner will raise all depend on the facts of your specific case. Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys takes a thorough, fact-driven approach to every claim we handle for clients in Keller and across the North Texas region.

We start by investigating the dog’s history. We request records from Keller Animal Services, Tarrant County Animal Control, and any other relevant authority to find out whether the dog has prior complaints, a dangerous dog designation, or a history of aggression. We also gather witness statements, review any available video footage, and document your injuries from the date of the attack forward.

We identify every liable party. In some cases, that is the dog owner. In others, it may also include a landlord who knew about a dangerous tenant’s dog, a property owner who failed to secure an animal on their premises, or another responsible party. Texas law allows victims to pursue all responsible parties, and we make sure no potential source of compensation is overlooked.

We build your damages case carefully. Compensation in a Texas dog bite claim can include medical expenses, future medical care, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and disfigurement. Every category of harm you have suffered deserves to be presented clearly and completely. Past results in other cases cannot guarantee the same outcome in yours, because every case turns on its own facts and applicable law, but we work to recover the full value of what you have been through.

Our firm serves clients throughout the Denton and North Texas area, and we understand the local courts, the local ordinances, and the local resources that matter in these cases. Whether your case is filed in Tarrant County or resolved through negotiation, we are prepared to fight for you every step of the way. Call Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys today at (940) 800-2500 for a free consultation. You pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.

FAQs About Keller Dog Bite Attorney

Does Texas have a strict liability law for dog bites?

Texas does not have a strict civil liability statute for dog bites the way some other states do. Instead, Texas follows the common law one bite rule established in Marshall v. Ranne (1974), which requires you to prove the owner knew or should have known the dog was dangerous. You can also pursue a claim under negligence if the owner failed to use reasonable care, even without a prior bite history. Texas Health and Safety Code Section 822.005 does create criminal liability for owners whose negligence leads to a serious unprovoked attack, but that is a separate criminal matter from your civil injury claim.

How long do I have to file a dog bite lawsuit in Texas?

In Texas, the statute of limitations for a personal injury claim, including a dog bite, is generally two years from the date of the attack under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003. If you miss that deadline, you lose the right to sue. There are limited exceptions, such as for minor children, but you should never count on an exception applying to your case. Contact an attorney as soon as possible after the attack to protect your rights and preserve evidence.

What if the dog that bit me had no prior history of aggression?

A clean history does not automatically end your claim. Texas law allows you to pursue a negligence theory even when the dog has no prior incidents. If the owner failed to use reasonable care, such as leaving a gate open, walking the dog off-leash near a crowded area, or failing to restrain the dog properly, you may still have a strong case. An attorney can review the full circumstances of your attack and identify the best legal theory for your situation.

Can I recover compensation if the dog knocked me down but did not actually bite me?

Yes. Texas dog attack law is not limited to bites. If a dog jumped on you, knocked you to the ground, and you suffered a broken bone, a head injury, or any other harm, you can pursue a claim for those injuries. The same legal theories, negligence and the one bite rule, apply to any injuries caused by a dog attack, not just bites. If the dog’s behavior was unprovoked and the owner knew the dog had a history of jumping or knocking people over, that history supports your claim.

What if I was partially at fault for the dog bite?

Texas uses a modified comparative fault system under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 33.001. If you were partially responsible for the attack, your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if a jury finds you 20% at fault and your damages total $100,000, you would recover $80,000. However, if you are found more than 51% at fault, you cannot recover any compensation at all. Dog owners and their insurers often try to argue that the victim provoked the dog or ignored warning signs, which is exactly why having an experienced attorney on your side from the beginning matters so much.

Content prepared by Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys, whose principal office is located in Denton, Texas. The attorneys at this firm are licensed in Texas. This page is attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome in any future case, as results depend on the unique facts and law applicable to each matter.