Dog Bite Lawyer Broomfield

A dog bite changes everything in an instant. One moment you’re walking down the sidewalk or visiting a friend’s home. The next you’re bleeding, shaking, and wondering what just happened. If the dog belongs to someone you know—a neighbor, a friend, a family member—the confusion is even worse. You don’t want to cause trouble. You don’t want to make things awkward. But the wound is real. The fear is real. And if your child was bitten, the trauma can last long after the physical injury heals.

Dog owners in Broomfield are responsible for their animals. That responsibility doesn’t disappear because the dog “has never done this before” or because the owner is someone you know. If you or your child were bitten, you have rights. You deserve to have your medical bills covered, your lost wages compensated, and your pain acknowledged. McCormick & Murphy, P.C. helps dog bite victims across Broomfield and throughout Colorado understand those rights and fight for the compensation they deserve.

Colorado’s Dog Bite Law Is Clear

Colorado follows what’s called a “strict liability” rule for dog bites. That means the dog owner is legally responsible if their dog bites someone—even if the dog has never shown aggression before. Even if the owner had no reason to believe the dog was dangerous. The law doesn’t require you to prove the owner was careless or negligent. You only need to show that the dog bit you and that you were lawfully where you were when it happened.

This is an important distinction. In some states, you have to prove the owner knew the dog was dangerous—the “one free bite” rule. Colorado rejected that approach. A dog bite victim shouldn’t have to wait until a second attack to have their injuries taken seriously. If you were bitten in Broomfield, the law is on your side.

That said, there are defenses. If you were trespassing on private property or if you provoked the dog, the owner may try to argue they aren’t liable. These defenses are harder to prove than most owners think, especially when a child is involved. Children don’t understand boundaries the same way adults do. A toddler reaching toward a dog to pet it is not legal provocation. Our job is to make sure insurance companies and defense attorneys don’t twist the facts to avoid paying what you’re owed.

Dog Bite Injuries Are More Serious Than People Realize

Dog bites aren’t just puncture wounds. They involve crushing force, tearing, and deep tissue damage. Larger dogs can break bones. Smaller dogs can cause infections that spread quickly if not treated properly. The medical consequences can include:

• • Deep lacerations requiring stitches or reconstructive surgery
  • Nerve damage leading to numbness or loss of function
  • Bacterial infections including Pasteurella, Staphylococcus, and Capnocytophaga
  • Rabies risk if the dog’s vaccination status is unknown
  • Permanent scarring, especially on the face, hands, or arms
  • Fractures and broken bones from the force of the bite
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder and ongoing anxiety around dogs

Children are at higher risk for facial injuries because of their height. A dog jumping or lunging at an adult might bite an arm or leg. The same dog attacking a child often bites the face, neck, or head. These injuries can require multiple surgeries, leave permanent scars, and cause emotional trauma that affects a child’s daily life for years.

Even when the physical wound heals, the psychological impact remains. Children who were once confident around animals may develop intense fear. They may struggle to play outside, visit friends who have dogs, or walk to school. That fear is a real injury. It deserves real compensation.

Homeowner’s Insurance Usually Covers Dog Bites

Most dog owners don’t have tens of thousands of dollars sitting in a bank account to pay for your medical treatment. But most homeowners and renters do have insurance. In Colorado, homeowner’s insurance policies typically cover dog bite injuries. That means the claim isn’t coming out of your neighbor’s pocket—it’s handled by their insurance company.

This is important for two reasons. First, it means you can seek compensation without financially ruining someone you know. The insurance company exists for exactly this kind of situation. Second, it means you’re dealing with a corporation whose job is to minimize payouts. They are not on your side. They will look for any reason to reduce the settlement or deny the claim entirely.

Insurance adjusters are trained to ask questions designed to undermine your claim. They’ll ask if you did anything to startle the dog. They’ll imply the injury wasn’t that serious. They’ll offer a quick settlement that sounds reasonable until you realize it doesn’t cover future medical bills, therapy for your child, or the wages you lost while recovering. You don’t have to face that alone. A Broomfield dog bite lawyer knows how these companies operate and how to push back.

What to Do Immediately After a Dog Bite

The moments after a dog bite are chaotic. You’re in pain, possibly in shock, and trying to figure out what to do next. Here’s what matters most:

Get medical attention right away. Even if the wound doesn’t look deep, dog bites carry a high risk of infection. Go to an urgent care clinic or emergency room. Let the medical staff clean the wound properly, assess the damage, and determine whether you need antibiotics, a tetanus shot, or rabies prophylaxis. This visit also creates a medical record linking your injury to the dog bite—critical evidence for your claim.

Identify the dog and its owner. If you don’t already know who owns the dog, get their name and contact information. Find out if the dog is up to date on rabies vaccinations. If the owner can’t or won’t provide proof of vaccination, you may need to begin rabies treatment immediately.

Document everything. Take photos of your injuries as soon as possible and again over the following days as bruising develops. Photograph the location where the bite happened. If there are witnesses, get their names and phone numbers. Write down what happened while the details are fresh in your mind.

Report the bite. Contact Broomfield Animal Control or the Broomfield Police Department to file a report. This creates an official record and ensures the dog is evaluated for rabies risk. It also protects others—if the dog has bitten before or bites again, the report establishes a pattern.

Don’t give a recorded statement to the insurance company. The dog owner’s insurance company may contact you within hours of the bite. They’ll sound sympathetic. They’ll ask you to describe what happened. Do not give a recorded statement without speaking to a lawyer first. These statements are used to lock you into a version of events that the insurer can later use against you.

Talk to a Broomfield dog bite lawyer. You don’t need to hire an attorney to file a claim, but it changes the outcome. Insurance companies settle for more when they know you have legal representation. A lawyer handles the paperwork, the negotiations, and the pressure tactics so you can focus on healing.

Your Claim Includes More Than Medical Bills

When people think about dog bite compensation, they usually think about hospital bills and medication costs. Those are part of it. But a fair settlement includes much more:

Medical expenses. Past and future. If your child needs reconstructive surgery in six months or ongoing therapy for PTSD, those costs are part of the claim. You shouldn’t have to pay out of pocket for injuries someone else’s dog caused.

Lost wages. If you missed work while recovering or attending medical appointments, you’re entitled to compensation for that lost income. If your injury prevents you from working in the future, that’s included too.

Pain and suffering. Physical pain, emotional distress, anxiety, and the loss of enjoyment of life are real damages. A child who can’t sleep through the night because of nightmares about the attack has suffered harm that goes beyond a doctor’s bill.

Scarring and disfigurement. Permanent scars, especially on visible areas like the face, hands, or arms, affect how you see yourself and how others see you. They can impact self-esteem, career opportunities, and social interactions. Compensation for scarring acknowledges that lasting harm.

Property damage. If the dog tore your clothing, broke your glasses, or damaged other personal property, those losses count too.

The insurance company will try to settle quickly and cheaply. They’ll offer an amount that covers the emergency room visit but nothing else. Once you accept that offer and sign the release, you give up the right to ask for more—even if you later discover your child needs surgery or you develop a serious infection. A Broomfield dog bite attorney knows how to calculate the full value of your claim and won’t let the insurance company shortchange you.

You Don’t Have Forever to File a Claim

Colorado law gives you two years from the date of the dog bite to file a personal injury lawsuit. That might sound like plenty of time. It’s not. Evidence disappears. Witnesses forget details. Medical records get harder to obtain. And if you wait too long, you lose your right to compensation entirely.

Some injuries don’t show their full extent right away. An infection might develop weeks later. The psychological impact on a child might not become clear until months have passed. That’s why it’s critical to talk to a lawyer early—not because you have to file a lawsuit immediately, but because starting the process protects your rights and preserves the evidence you’ll need if the insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement.

What If the Dog Owner Is Someone You Know?

This is the hardest part for most dog bite victims. The dog belongs to your neighbor. Your friend. Your child’s friend’s parent. You don’t want to make things awkward. You don’t want to be the person who sues over an accident. But this wasn’t an accident. The dog bit you or your child. The injury is real. The medical bills are real. And if your child is afraid to go outside or wakes up screaming, that trauma is real.

Filing a claim doesn’t make you a bad person. It holds the dog owner accountable for their responsibility to control their animal. And in most cases, it’s the insurance company that pays—not your neighbor. The relationship doesn’t have to be destroyed. What would destroy it is you silently absorbing thousands of dollars in medical costs and watching your child suffer because you felt too guilty to speak up.

Your neighbor made the choice to own a dog. With that choice comes legal responsibility. If the dog bites, the owner is liable. That’s the law. And the law exists to protect people like you.

Why McCormick & Murphy, P.C. for Your Broomfield Dog Bite Case

Kirk McCormick and Jay Murphy built this firm to help people who have been hurt and don’t know where to turn. Dog bite cases require a specific approach. You’re dealing with traumatized victims—often children. You’re navigating insurance policies, medical records, and animal control reports. You’re fighting companies that would rather pay nothing than pay what’s fair.

We handle every step. We gather the medical records and document the full extent of your injuries. We deal with the insurance adjusters so you don’t have to. We calculate what your claim is actually worth, including future medical treatment and the emotional toll on you or your child. And if the insurance company won’t offer a fair settlement, we file a lawsuit and take the case to court.

You don’t pay anything unless we win. Our fee comes from the settlement or verdict, so there’s no risk to you in hiring an attorney. And we serve clients throughout Broomfield, Westminster, Thornton, Arvada, Northglenn, Boulder, Longmont, Louisville, Lafayette, Erie, Superior, Brighton, and across the Denver metro area and northern Colorado.

You Have Options You Didn’t Know You Had

A dog bite is frightening, painful, and confusing. You’re dealing with medical appointments, worried about your child, and trying to figure out how to pay for everything. The dog owner might be apologetic but not willing to help financially. The insurance company might be offering a settlement that sounds reasonable but doesn’t come close to covering your actual costs.

You don’t have to accept that. You have the right to full compensation for your injuries. You have the right to hold the dog owner accountable. And you have the right to a lawyer who will fight for you—not just process your paperwork.

If you or your child were bitten by a dog in Broomfield, call McCormick & Murphy, P.C. at 888-668-1182. You’ll talk to someone who has handled cases like yours and knows what it takes to win. The consultation is free. The advice is honest. And if we take your case, you won’t pay a dime unless we recover compensation for you.

Your injury deserves to be taken seriously. Let us help you make that happen.