Las Vegas Dog Bite Lawyer
A dog bite can happen in an ordinary place, such as a neighbor’s yard or a sidewalk where a dog is off its leash. The wound may need stitches or surgery, and scars on the face and hands can be permanent.
Ace Lakhani Law Firm takes dog bite cases in Las Vegas and across Clark County. Ace Lakhani, the firm’s dog bite attorney, works on each claim himself and deals with the owner’s insurance company on your behalf.
How Nevada Law Treats Dog Bites
Nevada has no dog bite liability statute. A claim is based on negligence, which means showing that the owner did not use reasonable care to control the dog and that this caused your injury.
A broken leash rule: Clark County and the City of Las Vegas both require a dog to be restrained when it is off the owner’s property. Henderson and North Las Vegas have their own leash rules. A violation can be used as evidence that the owner was negligent.
What the owner already knew: Earlier bites or complaints, along with any prior “dangerous” or “vicious” dog finding under NRS 202.500, can show the owner was aware of the risk. Under the same statute, a dog cannot be found dangerous or vicious based solely on its breed.
A dog with no history of biting can still be the subject of a claim if the owner was careless on the day of the attack.
Who May Be Liable
- The dog’s owner: Most claims are made against the owner, and payment often comes from a homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy.
- The person looking after the dog: A dog walker or sitter who had control of the dog at the time may be responsible for how it was handled.
- A landlord, in limited cases: A Nevada landlord is not liable only because a tenant keeps a dog. Under Wright v. Schum, 105 Nev. 611 (1989), a landlord who takes on the task of controlling a tenant’s dangerous dog can be liable if that is done carelessly.
- A business: When a dog kept on business premises bites a customer or a delivery worker, the business may be responsible.
Where to Report a Bite in the Las Vegas Valley
A bite should be reported to animal control for the place where it happened. In unincorporated Clark County, which includes Paradise and Spring Valley, County Code 10.28.020 requires bites to be reported. Inside the cities of Las Vegas, Henderson, and North Las Vegas, the report goes to the city’s own animal control office.
The officer records the owner’s details and the dog’s rabies vaccination status, and the dog is usually placed under a rabies quarantine. We request this file early because it identifies the owner and may show whether the dog has been reported before.
Steps to Take After a Bite
- Wash the wound and see a doctor the same day. Bites can become infected, and a doctor can decide whether you need a tetanus shot or rabies treatment.
- Ask for the owner’s name, address, phone number, and insurer.
- Photograph your injuries and the place where it happened. Take new photos as the wound heals.
- Keep torn or bloodstained clothing.
- Ask witnesses for a phone number before they leave.
- Let a lawyer handle calls from the owner’s insurance company.
Injuries and What a Claim Covers
Dog bites cause puncture wounds, torn skin, nerve damage, and infections. Bites to the face and hands may need plastic surgery or scar revision months after the attack.
A claim may include:
- Emergency treatment and wound care
- Surgery, including scar revision
- Therapy for fear of dogs after an attack
- Lost income
- Pain and suffering
- Permanent scarring
If the attack caused permanent harm, our catastrophic injury lawyer can review the wider claim.
If the Owner Blames You
A common defense is that the injured person provoked the dog or was on the property without permission. Under NRS 41.141, your compensation is reduced by your share of the fault, and the claim is barred only if your share is greater than that of the people you are claiming against. Witness accounts and the animal control report are the usual answer to a provocation argument.
Deadline to File a Dog Bite Lawsuit
The filing deadline for a dog bite lawsuit in Nevada is generally two years (NRS 11.190(4)(e)), counted from the day of the attack. Wounds heal and witnesses move well before that deadline, so photographs and statements are best collected in the first weeks.
Why Work With Ace Lakhani as Your Dog Bite Lawyer
An insurance company pays most dog bite claims, and Ace Lakhani’s background covers insurance law as well as personal injury. He holds a law degree from UNLV’s William S. Boyd School of Law and is licensed to practice in Nevada. Meet Ace Lakhani.
The consultation is free. The firm’s fee comes out of the settlement or verdict, so nothing is owed if no compensation is recovered. Our office is at 100 N. City Parkway, Suite 1700, in Las Vegas.
Contact a Dog Bite Attorney in Las Vegas NV
Phone 702.814.4000 or request a free consultation online. Tell us where the bite happened and who owns the dog, and we will explain what a claim would involve.
Dog Bite FAQs
The dog also injured my dog. Can I recover the vet bills?
Nevada has a statute, NRS 41.740, that covers veterinary costs when a person’s negligence injures someone else’s pet, with a limit of $5,000 per pet. Whether it applies depends on the facts, so raise it during your consultation. It is separate from the claim for your own injuries.
The dog knocked me down but did not bite me. Can I make a claim?
Yes. A negligence claim covers any injury caused by a dog the owner failed to control, including a fall caused by a dog that jumps on or chases a pedestrian or cyclist.
Will the dog be put down if I report the bite?
Not usually. A report normally leads to a quarantine to rule out rabies. A dog can be ordered destroyed only through a separate legal process, for example when a dog already known to be vicious causes substantial bodily harm (NRS 202.500).
My child was bitten. Who brings the claim?
A parent or guardian acts for the child. Under NRS 41.200, a settlement of a minor’s claim is not effective until a district court approves it, and the money is held in a blocked investment for the child’s benefit.
What if nobody knows who owns the dog?
Report the bite right away so animal control can look for the dog and check its rabies status. A lawyer can also check whether a property owner or another person had control of the dog.
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