If you were attacked by a dog in Las Vegas, you can recover compensation for both economic and non-economic damages. Nevada law allows victims to hold negligent dog owners accountable when their pets cause harm, even when the injuries don’t involve an actual bite.
The damages you can recover in dog attack injury claims in Las Vegas include medical bills, lost wages, and lost earning potential. You may also recover damages for physical pain, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. If the dog owner’s actions are considered particularly reckless, you may be able to recover punitive damages as well. If the attack is fatal, compensation for wrongful death may also be rewarded.
Experienced dog bite injury lawyer George Bochanis has the skills necessary to help you recover damages in your claim.
In the United States, over 4.5 million individuals suffer from dog attacks every year. On average, over 800,000 people obtain medical annually after getting attacked by animals. Summer unleashes a sharp rise in dog attacks because more people and pets are outside in the warmer weather. Statistically, more dog attack incidents occur during the summer than any other season.
Types of Damages in a Dog Bite Injury Case
Victims can recover two main categories of damages after getting attacked by an animal: economic (financial losses) and non-economic (personal impacts). In cases involving particularly reckless behavior, punitive damages may also apply.
Economic Damages After an Animal Attack
Your economic damages are your financial losses endured because of the attack. Generally, these include things like your medical bills, lost wages, and reduced earning capacity.
Medical Bills
Treatment costs often exceed initial expectations. According to the Insurance Information Institute, the average claim cost $69,272 in 2024. Recoverable medical expenses include:
- Emergency and ambulance services
- Hospital stays and physician fees
- Medications and rabies treatment
- Future care, including physical therapy
- Medical equipment and home modifications
- Ongoing device maintenance and replacement
Lost Wages or Income
If your injury is severe enough to prevent you from working, you may be eligible for lost wage/income compensation for your recovery period. This is true even if you are self-employed. Your injury attorney review pay stubs and employment records to calculate accurate lost income.
Lost Earning Capacity
In some cases, an injury from an animal attack can be temporarily or permanently disabling, affecting your ability to work at the capacity you once did. As a dog bite victim in Nevada, you can recover compensation for your lost earning capacity. Medical records and pay stubs can help your attorney accurately determine how your injury affected your earning potential.
Property Damage
You can obtain compensation for any damage to your personal property. This includes the cost to fix or replace torn clothes, broken glasses, damaged shoes, and damage to anything valuable you were carrying during the incident.
Vet bills are also covered if your pet was hurt during the attack. In Las Vegas, it’s not uncommon for a dog to attack another dog and inflict severe or fatal injuries. In one incident, a Chihuahua died after getting attacked by three Pit Bulls. Following that incident, Las Vegas lawyer George Bochanis urged dog owners to be more responsible.
Non-Economic Damages After Getting Attacked By a Dog
Non-economic damages compensate victims for the personal and emotional losses that don’t have a direct dollar value. These include pain, suffering, trauma, and the overall impact the dog attack has on your quality of life.
Physical Pain and Suffering
You may experience chronic pain, stiffness, or nerve damage that limits your ability to work or participate in activities you once enjoyed. Victims often rely on family members for assistance during recovery and may require multiple surgeries to repair damaged tissue or minimize scarring. Each procedure can bring new challenges, from painful incisions to limited movement and prolonged healing time. Physical pain and suffering damages acknowledge the ongoing discomfort and lifestyle changes caused by your injuries.
Emotional Trauma
Physical wounds are only part of what victims endure after a dog attack. The emotional and psychological impact can be just as serious, sometimes lasting long after the visible injuries have healed. Victims may experience anxiety, nightmares, flashbacks, fear of dogs, trouble sleeping, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or depression.
Pain, surgeries, and medical treatments can worsen these feelings, leading to frustration, withdrawal, and a loss of confidence. In cases involving scarring or permanent disfigurement, victims often struggle with self-image and social anxiety that interfere with everyday life.
Under Nevada law, emotional distress damages are recoverable as part of a dog injury claim. Your lawyer can help evaluate the full emotional and psychological cost of the attack, ensuring your settlement reflects both the physical and mental toll of what you’ve endured.
Loss of Consortium
Serious injuries can strain marital relationships by limiting companionship, intimacy, and shared experiences. In Nevada, legally married spouses may seek compensation when an attack significantly impacts the marital relationship.
By including loss of consortium in your injury claim, your attorney ensures the court sees how the attack affected not only your body, but your family, relationships, and overall way of life.
Recovering Punitive Damages After a Dog Attack
In instances where a dog owner’s actions were considered especially reckless and irresponsible, you may be able to recover punitive damages.
For example, if a dog owner deliberately let their dog off leash or let them outside uncontained, and that dog attacked a person or their pet, the dog owner’s actions may be considered particularly negligent, and punitive damages may be awarded.
Punitive damages are designed to punish the liable party for their actions and discourage similar actions in the future.
Recovering Damages After a Dog Attack Without a Bite
You don’t have to be bitten to have a valid dog attack claim in Nevada. If a dog’s aggressive behavior caused you to fall, get scratched, or suffer another type of injury, you may still be entitled to compensation.
In many cases, victims are knocked down or injured when a dog jumps, lunges, or chases them. These incidents can lead to broken bones, head injuries, sprains, or back injuries, sometimes even more severe than a bite wound.
Under Nevada law, a dog owner can be held liable if their negligence or failure to control their animal caused your injuries. This may include situations where the dog:
- Knocked you down while off leash
- Chased you into the street or into a fall
- Jumped on you or scratched you while unrestrained
- Ran into your bicycle or caused a crash
- Attacked your pet, leading to injuries as you intervened
Your Las Vegas injury attorney can investigate the incident, gather witness statements, and pursue damages for your medical expenses, pain and suffering, and emotional trauma, even when the skin wasn’t broken.
How Much Is a Dog Bite or Animal Attack Case Worth?
The value of an injury case arising from an animal attack depends on the severity of the bite and the victim’s injuries, the financial losses the incident caused, and the impact the injuries have on the lives of the victim and their family members.
Factors That Influence Case Value
The total compensation in your Nevada dog attack case can also depend on:
- Whether the dog owner acted recklessly or violated leash laws
- The extent of scarring or permanent disfigurement
- The availability of insurance coverage
- The strength of your medical documentation and witness evidence
- Whether punitive damages apply due to extreme negligence
Using the Multiplier Method to Estimate Non-Economic Damages
One way to estimate your non-economic damages is to use the “multiplier method.” The multiplier method involves multiplying the sum of all your economic damages by a set factor called a multiplier. A multiplier is usually between 1.5 and 5, depending on the severity of your injury.
Example Calculation
With $15,000 in economic damages and a multiplier of 3:
- Economic damages: $15,000
- Non-economic damages: $45,000 ($15,000 × 3)
- Total case value: $60,000
During negotiations or trial, parties determine the final multiplier based on case specifics.
Recoverable Damages After a Fatal Dog Attack
You can bring a wrongful death claim against a liable dog owner if a family member gets killed in a dog bite attack. Recoverable damages, in this case, include medical bills, loss of financial support, loss of companionship, and funeral and burial costs.
Dog Bite FAQs
Does Nevada Have a One-Bite Rule?
Yes, Nevada has a one-bite rule. However, the state follows a modified version of this rule. Nevada dog owners are not automatically liable for a dog bite if the dog has never bitten anyone before, unless they knew of the dog’s aggressive tendencies before the bite occurred. In Las Vegas, once a dog has bitten someone, even if it only happened once, they are considered vicious or dangerous.
How Long Do I Have to File a Dog Bite Lawsuit in Nevada?
In Nevada, the statute of limitations for dog bite injuries is two years from the date of the injury. However, it is important to file your claim as soon as possible to preserve evidence and protect your rights.
Can Landlords Be Held Liable for Injuries Caused By Dangerous Animals?
In some instances, a landlord can be held liable for dog bite injuries if they knew about the dangerous animal and did not take preventative measures, such as having the dog removed from the property.
