Dog Bite & Animal Attack Lawyer in Ocala, Florida

Powerful Legal Representation for Victims of Dog Bites and Animal Attacks

Dog bites and animal attacks can cause devastating physical injuries, emotional trauma, and permanent scarring — especially when children or elderly victims are involved. These attacks often happen suddenly, without warning, and leave victims facing extensive medical treatment and psychological harm.

Our legal team represents victims of dog bites and animal attacks across Ocala and throughout Florida. Florida law strongly protects victims of dog attacks, and our firm aggressively pursues full compensation from negligent dog owners, property owners, and insurance companies.

We help victims recover physically, emotionally, and financially after preventable animal attacks.

Florida Dog Bite Laws – Strict Liability

Medical malpractice occurs when a healthcare provider fails to meet the accepted standard of care and a patient suffers injury or harm as a result. These cases are not about bad outcomes — they are about preventable mistakes, negligence, and reckless medical practices.

We handle malpractice cases involving:

  • Hospitals and emergency rooms

  • Physicians and surgeons

  • Nurses and medical staff

  • Clinics and urgent care centers

  • Dental professionals

  • Nursing homes and long-term care facilities

Our legal team conducts detailed investigations to prove negligence and hold healthcare providers accountable.

Types of Animal Attack Cases We Handle

Our firm represents victims injured by:

  • Dog bites

  • Dog maulings and pack attacks

  • Attacks by aggressive or unrestrained animals

  • Animal attacks on children

  • Attacks involving loose or stray animals

  • Exotic animal attacks

  • Farm animal attacks

  • Attacks occurring on private or commercial property

We investigate animal history, owner behavior, leash law violations, and prior complaints.

How Our Firm Handles Dog Bite and Animal Attack Cases

These cases require immediate legal action and detailed investigation. Our process includes:

Immediate Injury Documentation

We collect medical records, injury photos, hospital reports, and expert opinions.

Animal Owner Liability Investigation

We review leash law compliance, animal control reports, bite history, vaccination records, and prior complaints.

Property and Insurance Review

We identify homeowners’ insurance, renters’ insurance, commercial liability coverage, and third-party responsibility.

Trial-Ready Legal Strategy

Our attorneys prepare every case as if it will go to trial, ensuring strong leverage in negotiations.

Compensation You May Be Entitled To

Victims of dog bites and animal attacks in Florida can recover compensation for all medical treatment related to their injuries. This includes emergency room visits, ambulance transport, wound cleaning, stitches, hospital stays, antibiotics, rabies treatment, tetanus shots, follow-up appointments, and specialist care. Future medical expenses may include scar treatments, long-term wound care, additional surgeries, physical therapy, and ongoing medical monitoring if complications arise. Florida law allows recovery for both current and anticipated medical costs resulting from the attack.

Serious dog bite injuries often cause deep wounds, torn tissue, and facial injuries that require reconstructive or cosmetic surgery. Victims may be compensated for plastic surgery, skin grafts, scar revision procedures, reconstructive facial surgery, and corrective treatments aimed at restoring appearance and function. These damages recognize the physical and emotional impact of visible injuries, especially when bites affect the face, hands, arms, or other exposed parts of the body.

If your injuries prevent you from working, Florida law allows you to recover the income you lose during your recovery. This includes wages, salary, overtime, bonuses, and self-employment income. If the injuries cause long-term or permanent limitations that affect your ability to work or earn at the same level, you may also recover for reduced earning capacity. This considers your age, profession, career path, and how the injury impacts your future opportunities.

Pain and suffering damages compensate for the physical pain, discomfort, and long-term suffering caused by a dog bite or animal attack. This includes chronic pain, nerve damage, burning sensations, sensitivity in scarred areas, limited movement, and ongoing physical discomfort. Florida law recognizes that this type of harm deserves financial compensation even when it cannot be measured by a medical bill.

Animal attacks often leave lasting psychological scars. Victims may suffer from anxiety, nightmares, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, fear of animals, and emotional instability. Children are especially vulnerable to long-term psychological damage after animal attacks. Compensation may include the emotional and mental burden caused by the trauma, as well as the impact on relationships and everyday life.

Dog bites frequently leave permanent scars, tissue damage, and disfigurement, especially on the face, neck, arms, and hands. Florida law allows compensation for the long-term impact of visible scarring, including embarrassment, loss of self-confidence, and social or professional consequences. This also covers deformities and permanent changes to physical appearance caused by the attack.

In severe cases, victims suffer permanent nerve damage, muscle loss, loss of mobility, or loss of function in hands, arms, or legs. Florida law allows enhanced compensation when injuries result in lifelong disability or loss of bodily function. This recognizes the long-term effect on a victim’s independence, ability to work, and quality of life.

Victims of dog bites — especially children — often require professional counseling and psychological therapy to cope with trauma, fear, and anxiety. Florida law permits recovery of the costs for psychological counseling, psychiatric treatment, behavioral therapy, and long-term mental health services that are necessary because of the emotional impact of the attack.

Contact us

Speak With a Dog Bite and Animal Attack Lawyer Today

Dog bite and animal attack injuries can worsen quickly if untreated, and evidence can disappear over time.

Contact Anderson Trial Group today for a free and confidential case review.
No upfront fees. No pressure. Strong legal protection from day one.

FAQS

Frequently Asked Questions About Dog Bites and Animal Attacks in Florida

Dog bite and animal attack cases are very different from typical accident claims because Florida law treats them under special “strict liability” rules. Below are answers to the most common, dog-bite-specific questions families and victims ask.

Yes. Florida has a strict liability dog bite law, which means a dog owner can be held legally responsible even if the dog had no history of aggression. Unlike other states that require proof the owner “knew” the dog was dangerous, Florida law protects victims by focusing on the injury, not the dog’s past behavior.

You can still have a strong case if you were legally on the property, such as being a guest, delivery driver, worker, or social visitor. Florida law protects people who are lawfully on private property. However, if you were trespassing, the owner may have legal defenses. Each situation is evaluated individually.

Provocation can be used as a defense, but it must be proven. Simply petting a dog or being near it is not considered provocation. Intentionally harming, teasing, or threatening an animal might reduce compensation, but insurance companies often falsely claim provocation to avoid paying. Your lawyer will challenge these tactics with evidence and witness testimony.

Yes. Even if the skin was not deeply broken, dog attacks can still cause:

  • Crush injuries

  • Nerve damage

  • Infections

  • Psychological trauma

  • Internal tissue damage

Medical documentation is critical, and a claim may still be valid if the attack caused real harm.

Most dog bite claims are paid through:

  • Homeowners insurance

  • Renters insurance

  • Landlord insurance (in rental property cases)

  • Business liability insurance (if the bite occurred on commercial property)

Many people worry about “suing a person,” but in most cases, the claim is handled by an insurance company, not paid out of pocket by the dog owner.

Yes. Florida courts take dog bite injuries to children extremely seriously, especially when bites involve the face, neck, or head. Children are more likely to suffer permanent scarring, emotional trauma, and long-term psychological harm. These cases often result in significantly higher compensation due to lifetime impact.

In most Florida dog bite injury cases, you have two years from the date of the attack to file a lawsuit. However, evidence such as medical records, animal control reports, and witness statements are strongest when collected immediately.

Yes. Landlords and property owners can be held responsible if they knew about a dangerous dog on their property and failed to take reasonable steps to protect visitors and tenants. This commonly applies to apartment complexes and rental homes.

While you are not legally required to hire a lawyer, dog bite claims can become complicated quickly due to insurance defenses, provocation claims, and property liability issues. Having an experienced lawyer significantly increases your chances of receiving full compensation.