If you were bitten or attacked by someone else’s dog in Salt Lake City or anywhere in northern Utah, the attorneys at Parker & McConkie can help.
Our firm represents dog bite victims throughout Salt Lake County and handles claims under Utah’s strict liability law, which generally makes dog owners financially responsible for injuries caused by their dogs — even if the dog has never shown aggression before.
A dog attack can leave lasting physical and emotional scars. In addition to medical treatment and follow-up care, many victims struggle with fear, anxiety, or emotional trauma after the incident.
At Parker & McConkie, our Salt Lake City dog bite lawyers handle every part of the legal process so you can focus on healing and moving forward. Call 833-STANDUP today for a free consultation with an experienced attorney.
Why Choose Parker & McConkie for a Salt Lake City Dog Bite Case?
Utah’s strict liability dog bite law provides an initial legal basis for pursuing compensation, but recovery still depends on available insurance coverage, thorough injury documentation, and countering insurer comparative-fault arguments.
Parker & McConkie has handled dog bite cases across Salt Lake County for years and works regularly with treating physicians, plastic surgeons, and mental health professionals to capture the full scope of a dog attack injury.
Dog bite claims usually run through the dog owner’s homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy, which often determines the practical ceiling of the recovery. Identifying which policies apply, and which exclusions the carrier may try to invoke, is one of the early questions our team tackles.
How Our Dog Attack Practice Works a Case
- We identify the dog owner, the keeper, and any landlord or property owner who may share liability
- We pull animal control records, prior bite reports, and witness accounts before details fade
- We coordinate with surgeons and dermatologists for current and future scar revision care
- We document psychological effects, including post-traumatic stress and animal phobia
- We negotiate with the homeowner’s or renter’s insurance carrier and litigate when needed
Many Salt Lake City dog bite cases settle out of court once the insurance carrier has a clear picture of the medical record and the legal liability. The strength of the file shapes the conversation.
What Is Utah’s Dog Bite Law?
Under Utah Code § 18-1-1, Utah follows a strict liability standard for dog bite cases.
A dog’s owner or keeper can be held responsible for injuries caused by the animal, even if the dog had no prior history of aggression and the owner had no reason to suspect the dog was dangerous. Utah does not recognize a one-bite rule.
What the Strict Liability Standard Requires
- The defendant owned or kept the dog at the time of the attack
- The dog inflicted the injury, by bite or by other action like a knock-down
- The victim suffered measurable harm, including physical or emotional injury
The statute makes the legal threshold straightforward, which is why dog bite cases in Utah tend to focus less on whether the owner is liable and more on the value of the harm and the available insurance coverage.
Knowing what the law does and does not require keeps the conversation with the carrier productive rather than circular.
Defenses and Exceptions Under Utah Law
Utah’s strict liability rule comes with several recognized exceptions and defenses. Police dogs used in apprehension or arrest receive immunity for the law enforcement agency.
The 2025 amendment to § 18-1-1 added protection for owners whose dogs were reasonably secured behind a fence or enclosure on private property when a trespasser entered. Provocation by the victim may also reduce or bar recovery, depending on the facts.
Each of these defenses is fact-specific and worth running by a Salt Lake City dog bite attorney before assuming the case is closed.
Who May Be Liable for a Salt Lake City Dog Bite?
Liability after a Salt Lake City dog attack reaches the owner of the dog, the person keeping the dog at the time, and in some circumstances a landlord or property owner who knew about a dangerous animal on the premises.
Identifying every potentially responsible party often opens additional insurance coverage that a single-defendant approach may miss.
Parties Who May Share Responsibility
- The legal owner of the dog under Utah Code § 18-1-1
- A keeper, such as a friend or sitter watching the dog at the time of the bite
- A landlord who knew of a dangerous dog on rental property and failed to act
- A parent or guardian when a minor child owns or kept the dog
- A business that allowed a dangerous animal on the premises
Our team traces ownership, control, and prior knowledge to determine which parties may carry liability and which insurance policies cover the loss.
A bite that happened at a friend’s house, for instance, may trigger the friend’s homeowner’s policy even though the dog belonged to a neighbor.
Discover how to protect both your health and your livelihood with these critical legal and medical steps to take if you suffer a dog bite while on the clock.
What Compensation Might a Utah Dog Bite Claim Recover?
A Utah dog bite victim may recover both economic and non-economic damages under Utah Code § 18-1-1. Recovery depends on the severity of the injury, the medical treatment needed, the long-term effects of scarring or disability, and the policy limits of the available insurance.
Categories of Damages in a Dog Bite Case
- Past and future medical bills, including wound care, surgery, and scar revision
- Plastic surgery costs for facial injuries and visible scarring
- Lost wages and lost earning capacity during recovery
- Pain and suffering from the attack and the ongoing treatment
- Emotional distress, post-traumatic stress symptoms, and treatment costs
- Permanent disfigurement damages, particularly significant for facial scars
- Punitive damages in narrow circumstances involving especially reckless conduct
Children make up a large share of serious dog bite victims, and Utah law tolls the statute of limitations for minors until the child turns 18, giving families time to pursue the most appropriate medical and legal path.
Long-term scar revision and reconstructive surgery costs often drive a child dog bite case more than the initial emergency care.
How Long Do You Have to File a Salt Lake City Dog Bite Claim?
In most cases, Utah law allows four years from the date of the dog bite to file a personal injury lawsuit under Utah Code § 78B-2-307. The four-year clock pauses for minors until they reach age 18, so a child bitten today retains the right to file for years to come.
Cases involving a government entity carry shorter notice deadlines under the Utah Governmental Immunity Act.
Deadlines and Timing Issues in Utah Dog Bite Cases
- General dog bite personal injury claim: generally 4 years from the date of the bite
- Wrongful death from a fatal dog attack: generally 2 years from the date of death
- Minors injured by a dog: clock generally tolled until the minor turns 18
- Cases involving a city, county, or state-owned dog: written notice within 1 year, lawsuit within 2 years
Four years sounds like a long runway, then narrows once the homeowner’s insurance carrier opens a claim file, asks for a recorded statement, and starts pressing for a quick resolution.
Reaching a Salt Lake City dog bite lawyer in the first weeks helps protect both the legal options and the value of the claim.
FAQs for Salt Lake City Dog Bite Lawyers
How long do I have to file a dog bite lawsuit in Utah?
In most cases, Utah law allows four years from the date of the bite to file a dog bite personal injury lawsuit under Utah Code § 78B-2-307. The deadline is tolled for minors until they turn 18. Wrongful death claims following a fatal dog attack carry a shorter two-year deadline. Confirm the specific deadline that applies to your situation with a Utah attorney.
Is Utah a strict liability state for dog bites?
Yes. Utah Code § 18-1-1 makes the dog owner or keeper liable for injuries the dog causes, without requiring the victim to prove the dog had a prior bite history or that the owner knew the dog was dangerous.
The strict liability standard places Utah among the more victim-friendly states for dog bite cases.
What types of dog injury cases does the firm handle?
Our Salt Lake City dog bite lawyers handle bite injuries on public property and on private property, attacks on children, postal worker and delivery driver injuries, dog-versus-dog incidents that injured a person, scarring and reconstructive surgery cases, and fatal dog attack wrongful death claims.
Each case turns on the available insurance and the medical record.
What is my Salt Lake City dog bite case worth?
Dog bite case values depend on the severity of the wound, the location of the scar (facial scars often value higher), the cost of future scar revision and reconstructive surgery, lost income, and the emotional impact.
Pediatric facial-scar cases typically project larger losses than minor adult bite cases. During a free consultation, our team can discuss how those factors may apply to the facts of your case.
Does homeowner’s insurance cover dog bites in Utah?
Usually, yes. Most homeowner’s and renter’s insurance policies in Utah include liability coverage for dog bites, though some carriers exclude specific breeds or apply caps for bite incidents.
The available policy limit often shapes the practical ceiling of the recovery. Our firm reviews the policy language and identifies every applicable layer of coverage.
How much does it cost to hire a Salt Lake City dog bite lawyer?
The firm handles dog bite cases on a contingency basis, so attorney fees come due only if we obtain a recovery on your behalf.
Litigation costs and expenses may apply regardless of outcome, and we explain that structure before any engagement begins. The first consultation is free, and the conversation is private.
My friend’s dog bit me. Do I really have to sue my friend?
The claim usually runs through the friend’s homeowner’s or renter’s insurance, not the friend’s personal bank account. A dog bite settlement typically comes out of the insurance policy the friend already pays for.
Many Salt Lake City dog bite victims hesitate for exactly this reason, then learn that pursuing the claim does not require asking the friend personally for money.
The dog never bit anyone before. Does that matter?
No. Utah’s strict liability statute under § 18-1-1 holds the dog owner liable even when the dog has no prior history of aggression.
The first bite carries the same legal weight as the third. The owner does not get a free pass because the dog seemed friendly.
Should I file a report with animal control?
Yes, and the sooner the better. An animal control report creates an official record of the bite, the dog, and the owner, which becomes part of the evidence in any legal claim.
The report also helps protect the next potential victim by documenting the dog’s behavior. Our Salt Lake City dog bite attorneys often work directly with animal control records as part of building the case.
Get Help From a Salt Lake City Dog Bite Lawyer Today
Dog bite injuries can lead to significant medical expenses, scarring, emotional trauma, and long-term complications.
Utah’s strict liability law may allow injured victims to pursue compensation without proving the dog owner knew the animal was dangerous, but successful claims still depend on strong evidence and careful insurance handling.
Parker & McConkie represents dog bite victims throughout Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County and handles the legal process from investigation through settlement or litigation.
Call Parker & McConkie at 833-STANDUP to discuss your case during a free consultation.
Prior results do not guarantee future outcomes. This page is informational only and does not constitute legal advice.
