Dog Bite Liability in Minnesota

An unexpected encounter with an aggressive dog can leave a person bleeding, shaken, and facing hefty medical bills. Minnesota spares victims a negligence battle by imposing strict liability on owners under Section 347.22 of the Minnesota Statutes. If a dog injures someone peaceably present, the owner pays.

This strict liability rule means proof of the dog’s prior viciousness or the owner’s careless supervision is unnecessary. Liability attaches when the dog’s actions cause injury, whether through biting or by knocking someone over. Insurance carriers still probe for loopholes, so understanding the law remains essential to recovery.

Facts you must prove to win your dog bite claim

Even strict liability systems require certain facts to establish liability.

• First, identify the owner or keeper. Collar tags, vet receipts, microchip scans, or neighborhood testimony often suffice.
• Second, link the injury to the animal. Smartphone photos, emergency‑room notes, and eyewitness accounts draw a direct line.
• Third, demonstrate peaceful conduct and lawful presence. Jogging on a public trail, ringing a friend’s doorbell, or delivering mail usually qualifies.

Defenses owners may raise

Depending on the circumstances, the owner might have one or more defenses available:

• Provocation tops the list. Minnesota courts treat true provocation as intentional teasing, striking, or tormenting the animal. Startling a sleeping dog or slipping on ice nearby rarely meets the mark. Provocation by a small child (under 7) is also no defense against dog bite.
• Trespassing offers another shield against liability. If a person had no legal right to be where the incident occurred, the statute’s protection disappears.
• Owners sometimes argue assumption of risk—claiming the victim knew the dog was dangerous and accepted that risk. Courts apply the doctrine sparingly, reserving it for kennel workers, trainers, and others with professional knowledge.

Damages available to injured victims

Minnesota dog bite victims typically qualify for several different types of damages:

• Medical costs begin with the ambulance ride and stitches but often expand to include antibiotics, rabies prophylaxis, and plastic surgery. Visible scars can affect employment or social confidence, so future revision procedures belong in every demand package.
• Emotional injuries matter too, especially in cases of catastrophic injury. Nightmares, anxiety around animals, and post‑traumatic stress can linger long after sutures dissolve. Licensed therapists quantify those harms, translating them into dollars juries respect.
• Lost wages and diminished earning capacity come next. When hand wounds sideline a carpenter or facial scars reduce a model’s bookings, economic experts calculate the gap.

Special concerns for child victims

Children suffer the majority of serious bites, often to the face. Their developing tissues present unique challenges: scars widen as they grow, and early trauma can shape lifelong behavior. Courts recognize these realities by allowing claims for future counseling and age‑appropriate cosmetic procedures that may span adolescence into adulthood. Parents should store medical photos and keep a journal of setbacks, tantrums, or school absences linked to the incident.

Long‑term medical planning

Skin grafts, scar revision, and nerve repair may become necessary years after the original dog bite. Expert surgeons can forecast these needs, estimating cost ranges and timing. Structured settlements funded by annuities can match anticipated procedures, paying surgeons directly and shielding minors from premature spending. An experienced lawyer negotiates these structures with both present value and inflation in mind.

Practical steps after a dog bite

Take the following steps after a dog bite, beyond the usual procedures of seeking medical and legal help:

• Report the incident to animal control so that the agency can determine the dog’s identity and vaccination history.
• Seek medical evaluation even for small puncture wounds, because the infection risk is high.
• Photograph wounds before cleaning and again during healing to document progression.
• Collect the names of anyone who witnessed the event.
• Ask nearby businesses for surveillance footage and send a written evidence preservation request promptly, because video systems overwrite in days.
• Keep damaged clothing as evidence rather than laundering it.
• Maintain a diary describing pain levels, medication side effects, and missed activities. Such contemporaneous notes prove invaluable months later when memories fade and insurance companies question severity.

Insurance and compensation pathways

Homeowners and renters policies usually cover canine injuries, even off‑premises. Umbrella policies can add layers of coverage once primary limits are exhausted. Where no insurance applies, Minnesota law permits judgment liens, wage garnishment, and bank levies against personal assets.

Why prompt action matters

The statute of limitations sits at six years, but evidence decays quickly. Cell‑phone videos get deleted, witnesses relocate, and scars fade, making early documentation critical. Prompt legal counsel also manages medical liens before they balloon and they guide victims away from lowball offers. Early retention of a lawyer might even open PIP benefits on auto policies if the bite happened in a parked vehicle.

Call Bradshaw & Bryant, PLLC

For more than three decades Bradshaw & Bryant, PLLC has carried its pledge of “Justice for the Injured” from Waite Park all the way to the Twin Cities, securing life‑changing results for people hurt by careless owners. Our firm’s accident investigators and medical consultants build compelling exhibits that push carriers toward generous settlements long before a jury is sworn in.

If a recent dog bite has upended your life, trade uncertainty for action. Connect with Bradshaw & Bryant, PLLC today, share your story, and let seasoned advocates turn fresh wounds into full compensation.