Abilene Dog Bite Lawyers

Dog Attack Victims in West Texas Deserve a Team That Knows How Insurers Fight These Claims

Dog attack injuries can be severe. Puncture wounds can become infected, scarring can be permanent, and the psychological harm can outlast the physical damage by years. At Hanna Allen, PLLC, we represent dog bite victims in Abilene and across West Texas, working to recover compensation while they focus on healing. We work on a contingency fee, so there’s no upfront cost and no legal fees unless we recover money for you. Our team is available day and night, communicates in English and Spanish, and can travel to meet clients who are hospitalized or can’t come to us.

Insurance companies move quickly after a dog attack to minimize or deny claims. Early legal representation matters. Call (325) 440-9996 or contact us online to schedule a consultation with our Abilene dog bite attorneys.

What to Do After a Dog Bite in Abilene

The steps you take in the hours and days after a dog attack directly affect your health and your legal options. Here’s what to prioritize:

• Get to safety first: Put distance or a physical barrier between yourself and the dog. A bag, a jacket, or a car door can serve as a barrier while you move away.
• Seek medical attention immediately: Dog bites carry serious infection risks, including rabies and tetanus, even when wounds look minor. Medical records from that visit become critical evidence in a claim.
• Identify the dog and owner: Get the owner’s name and contact information along with the dog’s breed, vaccination history, and any tag information. Many dog owners carry homeowner’s or renter’s insurance that covers dog bite liability.
• Document the scene: Photograph the dog, its tags, the owner’s property, and your injuries as soon as you’re safe. Timestamped photos preserve details that fade quickly.
• Collect witness information: Names and contact details from anyone who saw the attack can support your account of events and help establish liability.
• Report the incident: File a report with the Abilene Police Department’s Animal Outreach Team, which enforces local animal ordinances and can document whether the dog has a history of aggression. That record may be important to your case.

Texas Dog Bite Liability: The One-Bite Rule & Beyond

Texas doesn’t apply strict liability to dog bite cases the way some states do. Instead, it follows the one-bite rule combined with general negligence principles. Under this framework, a dog owner can be held liable if the victim demonstrates that the owner knew or should have known the dog had dangerous propensities. That knowledge can be established through a prior bite, prior aggressive behavior, training to fight, or keeping the dog as a guard animal.

A prior bite isn’t required for recovery. Dog bite claims also arise from independent acts of negligence, including violations of local leash laws, allowing a dog to roam freely, or failing to maintain secure fencing. Because dog bites often occur on residential property, these claims frequently intersect with premises liability, particularly when a property owner failed to maintain a safe environment for visitors. Local ordinance violations in Abilene can independently support a claim regardless of whether the dog has any documented bite history.

Texas comparative fault rules allow a victim to recover compensation as long as their share of fault doesn’t exceed 50 percent, with any recovery reduced proportionally by their assigned fault. Our attorneys can review the facts of your case and help determine whether a valid claim exists even when the situation is complicated. Our founders spent years representing insurance companies before switching to plaintiff work, so we know the defense arguments insurers use to contest liability, including the claim that the dog had no known dangerous propensities.

Damages Available in an Abilene Dog Bite Case

Most dog bite claims are paid through the dog owner’s homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy, and insurers frequently dispute liability or argue that injuries are less severe than claimed. A claim can seek compensation across several categories.

Economic damages include:

• Emergency medical care, surgery, and reconstructive procedures
• Ongoing treatment and follow-up care
• Lost wages and reduced earning capacity if injuries affect your ability to work

Non-economic damages include:

• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Disfigurement and scarring
• Loss of enjoyment of life

In cases involving severe negligence or reckless behavior, punitive damages may also be available. Texas law gives most dog bite victims two years from the date of the attack to file a personal injury claim. Missing that deadline can forfeit the right to seek compensation.

Why Abilene Dog Bite Victims Work with Hanna Allen, PLLC

Our founders spent years on the other side, representing insurance companies. That background gives us direct knowledge of how insurers evaluate dog bite claims, what delay tactics they use, and how they attempt to reduce payouts. We use that knowledge to anticipate and counter defense strategies.

Partner Greg Allen is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, a distinction held by a small fraction of Texas attorneys and rarely concentrated in West Texas. That certification and his courtroom experience shape how we prepare and litigate every case, including dog bite claims that insurers choose to contest.

With over 25 years of experience and a track record that includes multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements in serious injury and wrongful death cases, we have the resources to fully prepare a case, retain the right experts, and take matters to trial without pressuring clients to settle before they’re ready. Cases aren’t handled by one person. A team of attorneys, paralegals, and case managers works every file together, with senior staff whose tenures are measured in decades. Clients stay with the same people from the first call through resolution. We return calls, explain what’s happening in plain language, and keep you informed at every stage.

Contact our Abilene dog bite lawyers today at (325) 440-9996 to discuss your case.