Dog Bite Lawyer in Coconut Creek, FL
Coconut Creek’s residential character — its tree-lined neighborhoods, community parks, and popular walking trails — makes it a natural setting for dog owners and their pets. The overwhelming majority of those encounters are uneventful. But dogs bite, and when they do, the results can be severe: deep puncture wounds, torn tissue, nerve damage, and lasting physical and psychological scars. Children are bitten most often, and the elderly face elevated infection and recovery risks. No matter how friendly a dog appeared before the incident, Florida law is clear about where liability falls.
Florida’s dog bite statute imposes strict liability on dog owners — meaning the owner is responsible for injuries caused by their dog biting another person in a public place or lawfully on private property, regardless of whether the dog has ever shown any prior aggressive behavior. There is no “first bite free” rule in Florida. If you or your child was bitten by a dog in Coconut Creek, you have legal rights, and Eric A. Hernandez at HLM Injury Lawyers is ready to help you exercise them. Eric is a former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, a former law clerk to Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Charles T. Wells, and has 25-plus years of trial experience. He is bilingual in English and Spanish. Call (305) 842-2100 for a free consultation.
Common Causes of Dog Bite Accidents in Coconut Creek
- Failure to leash in public areas: Dogs allowed to run off-leash in Coconut Creek’s parks and walking trails are a frequent source of bite incidents. Even dogs with no history of aggression can bite when startled, territorial, or provoked inadvertently by a child.
- Inadequate fencing on residential property: Dogs that escape through broken or low fencing into neighboring yards, sidewalks, or common areas create bite risks for passersby and children who may approach the animal without warning.
- Greeting encounters gone wrong: Many dog bites occur when a person reaches toward a dog to pet it — a natural, friendly gesture that some dogs perceive as threatening. Owners who fail to warn others of an anxious or reactive dog create foreseeable bite risk.
- Delivery and service worker encounters: Mail carriers, package delivery drivers, and utility workers who enter residential properties frequently encounter dogs whose owners did not properly secure them. These workers are lawful entrants protected by Florida’s strict liability statute.
- Dog-on-dog incidents: When a dog attacks another dog on a leash, the owner holding the leash can be knocked down or bitten while attempting to intervene — creating injuries for which the attacking dog’s owner is liable.
- Children approaching unfamiliar dogs: Coconut Creek’s family-oriented neighborhoods mean children regularly encounter dogs in yards, common areas, and parks. Their natural curiosity and inability to read dog behavior make them especially vulnerable.
Injuries Common in Dog Bite Cases
- Puncture wounds and lacerations: A dog’s bite force creates deep puncture wounds and jagged lacerations that frequently require suturing, surgical debridement, and careful wound care to prevent infection.
- Infection and sepsis: Dog mouths carry bacteria that cause serious infections, including Pasteurella, Staphylococcus, and Capnocytophaga. Untreated or resistant infections can spread systemically and become life-threatening, particularly in immunocompromised individuals.
- Nerve damage: Deep bites — especially to the hands, fingers, and face — can sever or compress peripheral nerves, causing numbness, weakness, or permanent loss of sensation and fine motor function.
- Facial injuries and scarring: Bites to the face are common in children, whose eye level often aligns with a dog’s head. Facial lacerations frequently require plastic surgery and leave permanent scarring that constitutes a serious injury under Florida law.
- Psychological trauma: Dog bite victims — especially children — frequently develop lasting fear of dogs, generalized anxiety, nightmares, and post-traumatic stress disorder that requires professional treatment.
- Broken bones from falls: When a large dog knocks down an adult or elderly person during a bite incident, the resulting fall can fracture hips, wrists, and arms — injuries that may be more disabling than the bite itself.
Florida Law and Your Coconut Creek Dog Bite Claim
Florida’s dog bite statute, Section 767.04, Florida Statutes, imposes strict liability on dog owners for bites that occur in public places or while the victim is lawfully on private property. The owner is liable regardless of whether the dog had any history of aggression or viciousness — prior knowledge of dangerous behavior is not required.
A dog owner can reduce their liability if the victim was found to have contributed to the incident — for example, by teasing or provoking the dog. Under Florida’s modified comparative negligence rule, your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault, and if you are found 51% or more responsible, you cannot recover.
Florida’s 2023 tort reform law, HB 837, sets a two-year statute of limitations for dog bite negligence claims from the date of the incident. Prompt action protects your medical documentation, witness accounts, and any available evidence from the location of the bite.
Why Hire Eric Hernandez
- Strict liability expertise: Dog bite claims in Florida are distinct from ordinary negligence cases because fault does not turn on the owner’s prior knowledge. Eric understands how to establish liability, calculate damages, and push back against owner defenses.
- Thorough damage documentation: Dog bite injuries — especially in children — involve both immediate physical harm and long-term psychological impact. Eric works with medical and mental health experts to ensure every element of your damages is fully presented.
- Former federal prosecutor: The investigative discipline Eric developed as an Assistant U.S. Attorney applies directly to dog bite cases, where identifying the dog’s owner, their insurance, and the full factual record requires careful attention.
- Bilingual representation: Eric serves Coconut Creek’s diverse residential community in both English and Spanish.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if the dog that bit me had no history of aggression? Under Florida’s strict liability statute, prior dangerous behavior is irrelevant. If the dog bit you in a public place or while you were lawfully on private property, the owner is liable regardless of the dog’s history.
Does homeowner’s or renter’s insurance cover dog bite claims? Many homeowner’s and renter’s insurance policies provide liability coverage for dog bites. An attorney can identify the applicable insurance and ensure your claim is properly directed.
What should I do immediately after a dog bite in Coconut Creek? Seek medical attention immediately — dog bite infections progress rapidly. Report the incident to Broward County Animal Care, photograph the wound and the scene, and collect the owner’s contact and insurance information. Do not delay medical care or legal advice.
Can I file a claim if I was bitten by a neighbor’s dog? Yes. Florida’s strict liability statute applies regardless of your relationship to the owner. A neighbor’s homeowner’s or renter’s insurance is typically the source of compensation.
Contact HLM Injury Lawyers — Free Consultation
A dog bite is more than a wound — it is a legal matter that deserves serious attention. Contact HLM Injury Lawyers at (305) 842-2100 for a free consultation. Eric Hernandez represents dog bite victims throughout Coconut Creek, Coral Springs, Parkland, Margate, Tamarac, Pompano Beach, Deerfield Beach, and all of Broward County.