Dog Bite Lawyer Boulder

A dog bite changes everything in an instant. One moment you’re walking in your neighborhood or visiting a friend. The next you’re bleeding, scared, and wondering what happens now. If the dog belongs to someone you know—a neighbor, a friend, someone your kids play with—it’s even harder. You don’t want to cause trouble. You don’t want to be that person who sues over an accident.

But here’s what you need to know: a dog attack is not an accident. It’s an injury that happened because an animal was not properly controlled. And in Colorado, the law is clear about who is responsible.

You have rights. Your child has rights. And the fact that the dog “has never done this before” does not erase the injury you’re dealing with right now.

At McCormick & Murphy, P.C., we handle dog bite cases throughout Boulder and across the Front Range. We understand the mix of anger, fear, and guilt that comes with this kind of injury. We also know how to hold dog owners accountable while you focus on healing.

Why Dog Bites Are More Serious Than People Think

Dog bites are not just puncture wounds. They can crush tissue, tear muscle, damage nerves, and cause infections that spread fast. Children are especially vulnerable because they are smaller and because a bite to the face or neck can cause permanent scarring and disfigurement.

Even when the physical wound heals, the psychological damage can last. Children develop phobias. Adults lose their sense of safety in their own neighborhood. The trauma is real, and it deserves to be taken seriously.

Here’s what we commonly see in dog bite cases:

• Deep lacerations requiring stitches or surgery
• Infections including rabies risk and staph infections
• Nerve damage that affects sensation or movement
• Broken bones, especially in the hands and arms
• Permanent scarring and disfigurement
• Post-traumatic stress, anxiety, and fear of dogs

These injuries take time and money to treat. Physical therapy, reconstructive surgery, counseling—it adds up. And someone needs to pay for it.

Colorado’s Dog Bite Law: Strict Liability

Colorado is a strict liability state when it comes to dog bites. That means the dog owner is responsible for your injuries whether or not the dog has bitten anyone before. The owner does not get a free pass because the dog is usually friendly or because they didn’t know the dog was aggressive.

Under Colorado law, a dog owner is liable if:

• Their dog seriously injured or killed a person
• You were lawfully on private property or in a public place
• You were not trespassing or provoking the dog

Serious bodily injury is defined as an injury that involves a substantial risk of death, serious permanent disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of a body part or organ. That covers most dog bite injuries that require medical attention.

This is different from a negligence case where you would have to prove the owner knew the dog was dangerous. In Colorado, you don’t have to prove that. You just have to prove the dog caused your injury and you were lawfully present when it happened.

This makes it easier to hold dog owners accountable. But it also means the insurance companies know the law and will work hard to minimize your claim.

What to Do Immediately After a Dog Bite in Boulder

The minutes and hours after a dog bite matter. What you do now can affect your health and your legal rights later.

First, get medical attention. Even if the bite seems minor, you need to see a doctor. Dog bites can introduce bacteria deep into the tissue where you can’t see it. Infection can set in quickly. If the skin is broken, you need medical care. If you don’t know whether the dog has been vaccinated for rabies, you need medical care immediately.

Second, report the bite to Boulder Animal Control. This creates an official record and ensures the dog is evaluated for rabies and quarantined if necessary. It also helps protect other people in your neighborhood. Reporting the bite is not about getting the dog put down—it’s about public safety and creating documentation.

Third, gather information. If you can, get the dog owner’s name, address, and homeowner’s insurance information. Take photos of your injuries, the location where the bite happened, and the dog if possible. If there were witnesses, get their names and contact information.

Fourth, document everything. Keep records of your medical treatment, your bills, your time off work, and how the injury is affecting your daily life. Write down what happened while the details are fresh. This documentation becomes critical later when you’re trying to prove the extent of your damages.

Finally, call a Boulder dog bite lawyer before you talk to any insurance company. The dog owner’s homeowner’s insurance will likely reach out to you quickly. They will sound sympathetic. They will ask for a recorded statement. Do not give one. Anything you say will be used to minimize your claim. Let a lawyer handle those conversations.

Can You File a Claim Against Someone You Know?

This is the question that stops most people from taking action. The dog belongs to your neighbor. Or a family friend. Or someone whose kids go to school with your kids. You see them at the grocery store. You don’t want to ruin that relationship.

We hear this all the time. And here’s what we tell our clients: you are not suing your neighbor. You are filing a claim against their homeowner’s insurance policy. That’s what the insurance is for—to cover injuries that happen on their property or because of something they own, including their dog.

Your neighbor will not have to pay out of pocket. Their insurance company will handle the claim. They might see a small increase in their premium, but they will not be personally financially responsible for your medical bills and lost wages.

If your neighbor is a reasonable person, they will understand. They will feel terrible about what happened. They might even encourage you to file a claim so you can get the care you need.

And if your neighbor gets angry or tries to make you feel guilty for protecting your rights, that tells you something about who they are. It does not change the fact that their dog injured you or your child.

You did not ask for this. You did not deserve this. And you should not have to pay for it.

What Compensation Can You Recover After a Dog Bite?

A personal injury claim for a dog bite can include several types of damages. The goal is to make you whole—to put you back in the position you were in before the bite happened. That’s not always fully possible, especially with scarring or psychological trauma, but the law allows you to seek compensation for everything the injury has cost you.

Here’s what you can recover:

Medical expenses. This includes emergency room visits, surgery, stitches, medications, follow-up appointments, physical therapy, and psychological counseling. It also includes future medical expenses if you need additional treatment or reconstructive surgery down the road.

Lost wages. If you had to miss work because of your injury, you can recover those lost earnings. If your injury affects your ability to work in the future, you can also seek compensation for lost earning capacity.

Pain and suffering. This is compensation for the physical pain and emotional distress caused by the injury. It includes the trauma of the attack, the fear and anxiety that follows, and the impact on your quality of life.

Scarring and disfigurement. If the bite left permanent scars, especially on visible areas like the face, neck, or arms, you can seek additional compensation. Scarring affects how you see yourself and how others see you. It’s a constant reminder of the attack. That has real value in a personal injury claim.

Property damage. If your clothing, phone, or other personal items were damaged in the attack, you can recover the cost of replacing them.

The insurance company will try to settle your claim quickly for as little as possible. They will offer you a check before you even know the full extent of your injuries. Do not take it. Once you accept a settlement, you cannot go back and ask for more money later—even if your injuries turn out to be worse than you thought.

How Homeowner’s Insurance Applies to Dog Bite Claims

Most dog bite claims are paid by the dog owner’s homeowner’s insurance policy. Homeowner’s insurance typically includes liability coverage that pays for injuries that happen on the insured property or because of something the policyholder owns—including their dog.

The average homeowner’s insurance policy in Colorado includes at least one hundred thousand dollars in liability coverage. Many policies include three hundred thousand or more. That’s usually enough to cover a dog bite injury, even a serious one.

But here’s what you need to know: the insurance company works for the dog owner, not for you. Their job is to pay as little as possible. They will look for any reason to deny your claim or reduce the payout. They will argue that you provoked the dog. They will claim your injuries are not as serious as you say. They will try to get you to accept a lowball settlement before you talk to a lawyer.

This is why you need a Boulder dog bite lawyer on your side. We know how insurance companies operate. We know the tactics they use. And we know how to push back.

We handle all communication with the insurance company. We document your injuries and gather evidence to support your claim. We negotiate for a settlement that actually covers your damages. And if the insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement, we file a lawsuit and take the case to trial.

What If Your Child Was Bitten?

When a child is bitten by a dog, everything feels more urgent and more heartbreaking. Children are more likely to be bitten on the face and neck because of their height. They are more likely to suffer severe injuries because their bodies are smaller and more fragile. And they are more likely to carry emotional scars long after the physical wounds heal.

A child does not understand why the dog hurt them. They might have been petting the dog or playing near it. They might have known the dog and trusted it. Now they are scared of all dogs. They have nightmares. They don’t want to play outside. They don’t feel safe.

Parents feel helpless. You want to protect your child, and you couldn’t. You want to make it better, and you can’t. And on top of the fear and guilt, you’re dealing with medical bills, time off work, and an insurance company that treats your child’s injury like a line item on a spreadsheet.

You need a lawyer who understands what’s at stake. Not just the medical costs, but the psychological impact. Not just the scar, but what it means for your child to grow up with that scar. Not just the immediate pain, but the years of therapy and the loss of that carefree childhood feeling of safety.

We take child dog bite cases seriously. We work with medical experts and child psychologists to document the full extent of the injury. We fight for compensation that reflects the long-term impact on your child’s life. And we do it while treating your family with the care and respect you deserve.

How Long Do You Have to File a Dog Bite Claim in Colorado?

Colorado’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims is two years from the date of the injury. That means you have two years to file a lawsuit, or you lose the right to seek compensation.

Two years might sound like a long time, but it goes faster than you think. Evidence disappears. Witnesses move away. Memories fade. The sooner you start the process, the stronger your case will be.

There are also strategic reasons to act quickly. If you wait too long, the insurance company assumes you are not serious about your claim. They assume you will accept whatever they offer because you waited until the last minute and now you’re desperate. Starting early gives you leverage.

That does not mean you have to settle quickly. It just means you need to get the process started while the evidence is fresh and your legal options are open.

Why You Need a Lawyer for a Dog Bite Claim

You might be wondering if you really need a lawyer. Maybe the dog owner apologized and their insurance company has already reached out. Maybe they made an offer and it seems reasonable. Maybe you just want to put this behind you and move on.

Here’s the problem: you don’t know what you don’t know. You don’t know if the offer is actually reasonable because you don’t know what your case is worth. You don’t know if your injuries are going to get worse or if you’ll need more treatment down the road. You don’t know what tactics the insurance company is going to use to reduce your payout.

A dog bite lawyer levels the playing field. We know what your case is worth because we handle these cases every day. We know what medical treatment should cost and what kind of compensation you should receive for scarring, trauma, and pain. We know when the insurance company is lowballing you, and we know how to push back.

We also take the burden off you. You don’t have to fight with the insurance adjuster while you’re trying to heal. You don’t have to figure out what paperwork to file or what deadlines to meet. You don’t have to wonder if you’re making the right decision. You have someone in your corner who knows the law and knows how to protect your rights.

Most personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. That means you don’t pay anything upfront, and you don’t pay unless we win your case. If we don’t recover compensation for you, you don’t owe us a fee. This makes it possible for anyone to afford a lawyer, regardless of their financial situation.

We Serve Boulder and Communities Across the Front Range

McCormick & Murphy, P.C. represents dog bite victims throughout Boulder and the surrounding areas. We know the local laws, the local courts, and the insurance companies that operate in this region. We have helped clients in Denver, Lakewood, Arvada, Westminster, Thornton, Broomfield, Longmont, Louisville, Lafayette, Superior, Erie, and communities across the Front Range.

If you were bitten by a dog in Boulder or anywhere in the greater Denver metro area, we can help. Call us at 888-668-1182 to speak with a Boulder dog bite lawyer who will listen to your story, answer your questions, and explain your options.

What Happens When You Call Us

When you call McCormick & Murphy, P.C., you speak with a real person—not a call center, not a paralegal screening calls. We take the time to understand what happened and what you’re dealing with right now.

We will ask about your injuries, your medical treatment, and how the bite happened. We will explain how Colorado’s dog bite laws apply to your case. We will tell you what we think your case is worth and what steps we recommend taking next.

If we take your case, we get to work immediately. We contact the insurance company and let them know you are represented. We gather medical records, witness statements, and any other evidence that supports your claim. We handle all communication with the insurance company so you don’t have to.

Our goal is to get you a fair settlement as quickly as possible. Most dog bite cases settle without going to trial. But if the insurance company refuses to offer fair compensation, we are prepared to file a lawsuit and take the case to court.

You’ve been through enough. Let us handle the legal fight so you can focus on your recovery.