Bitten by a Dog in Denver?

Your first priority is putting distance between yourself and the animal. If the dog is still loose or aggressive, move behind a door, a fence, a car — anything that creates a barrier. Don't run. Back away slowly and avoid direct eye contact if the dog hasn't been secured.

If someone else is being attacked, don't try to physically separate a biting dog with your hands. Use a barrier — a bag, a jacket, a trash can lid. Call 911 if the attack is serious or ongoing. Denver Animal Protection and Denver Police both respond to dangerous dog situations.

Once you're safe, take a breath. Dog bites are traumatic — even a bite that seems minor — and your adrenaline is running high. What you do in the next few hours matters for both your health and any future claim.

Dog bites are puncture wounds. They drive bacteria deep into tissue and carry a high infection rate — much higher than cuts or scrapes. Even a bite that looks small on the surface can cause torn muscle, damaged tendons, nerve injury, and crushed tissue underneath.

Go to an emergency room or urgent care within hours of the bite. Denver Health Medical Center at 777 Bannock Street is Denver's Level I Adult Trauma Center and Level II Pediatric Trauma Center. UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital on the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora is a second Level I trauma center. For children, Children's Hospital Colorado at 13123 East 16th Avenue in Aurora is the region's leading pediatric facility.

The doctor will clean the wound, assess for deep tissue damage, and decide whether you need stitches, antibiotics, or a tetanus booster. They'll also evaluate rabies risk — if the dog's vaccination status is unknown, the Denver Department of Public Health & Environment may require post-exposure rabies prophylaxis, a series of shots given over two weeks.

Get the medical visit documented. The records linking your injuries to the bite on a specific date are the backbone of any claim you file.

Colorado law requires all animal bites that break the skin to be reported within 12 hours. In Denver, contact Denver Animal Protection by calling 311 or (720) 913-1311. You can also report online through the City and County of Denver website.

When you call, provide the address where the bite happened, the dog owner's name and contact information if you have it, a description of the dog (breed, size, color), and what happened. Denver Animal Protection will send an officer to investigate and place the dog under a mandatory 10-day quarantine to monitor for rabies — regardless of whether the dog has been vaccinated.

The quarantine can take place at the owner's home, a veterinary facility, or the Denver Animal Shelter. This report creates an official government record of the bite — critical if the dog has bitten before or bites someone in the future.

For bites that happen outside Denver city limits but within the metro area (Aurora, Lakewood, Arvada, Westminster), contact the animal control authority for that municipality.

Pull out your phone and photograph your injuries before they're cleaned or bandaged. Take photos from multiple angles, including close-ups that show the depth and extent of the wounds. Photograph torn or bloody clothing. If you can safely do so, photograph the dog and the location where the attack happened.

Write down what happened while it's fresh. Where were you? What were you doing? Was the dog on a leash? Was it in its own yard or running loose? Did the owner say anything after the bite? Were there witnesses? Get their names and phone numbers.

Keep photographing your injuries as they heal — or as they get worse. Infections, scarring, and surgical outcomes all unfold over days and weeks. A photo timeline of your wound from day one through recovery is powerful evidence.

Save every medical bill, prescription receipt, and record of time missed from work. If you need help at home because you can't use a hand or arm, document those costs too.

Colorado has a strong strict liability statute for dog bites. Under C.R.S. § 13-21-124, a dog owner is strictly liable when their dog causes serious bodily injury or death — regardless of the dog's history and regardless of whether the owner knew the dog was dangerous.

Serious bodily injury under Colorado law means a substantial risk of death, serious permanent disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of any body part or organ. This covers most dog bites that require medical treatment beyond basic first aid — deep puncture wounds, bites requiring stitches or surgery, bites causing nerve damage, and bites resulting in scarring.

For bites that don't meet the "serious bodily injury" threshold, Colorado also allows claims under general negligence principles and the state's statutory negligence rule (C.R.S. § 13-21-124.5). If a dog was running at large in violation of a local leash law and bit you, the owner is presumed negligent.

Denver Municipal Code § 8-16 requires all dogs in Denver to be on a leash no longer than 15 feet when off the owner's property. A dog running loose that bites someone is a clear violation, which strengthens your claim.

Dog bite injuries often go well beyond the initial wound. Colorado law allows you to recover compensation for the full range of damages caused by the bite.

Medical expenses are typically the largest component — emergency room visits, wound care, antibiotics, surgery, reconstructive procedures, physical therapy, and any future treatment related to the bite. The average dog bite insurance claim nationally reached $69,272 in 2024, but serious bites involving surgery, infection, or facial scarring can exceed that significantly.

Lost wages cover time missed from work while recovering, and any reduction in your ability to earn income going forward. An important nuance in Colorado: the strict liability statute (C.R.S. § 13-21-124) covers economic damages like medical bills and lost wages, but pain and suffering (non-economic damages) require a separate negligence claim. If the owner violated Denver's leash law or knew the dog had dangerous propensities, you can pursue both economic and non-economic damages. This is why having an attorney evaluate your claim matters — most viable cases involve both theories of recovery.

Scarring and disfigurement are significant factors in dog bite cases. Bites frequently leave permanent scars, especially on the face, hands, and arms. Courts take facial scarring in children particularly seriously because scars stretch as a child grows, potentially requiring multiple corrective surgeries through adolescence.

You can also recover for property damage (torn clothing, broken glasses) and out-of-pocket costs like travel to medical appointments.

Strict liability doesn't mean automatic full recovery. The dog owner (or their homeowner's insurance company) can raise defenses to reduce or eliminate what they owe.

Provocation is the most common defense. If the owner can show you were teasing, hitting, or otherwise provoking the dog before the bite, your recovery may be reduced or eliminated. This comes up often with children — pulling a dog's tail or ears may be considered provocation, though courts weigh the child's age and understanding.

Trespassing is another defense. Colorado's strict liability statute has an explicit carveout — it does not apply if the person bitten was unlawfully on the owner's property. If you were trespassing when bitten, strict liability doesn't apply, though you may still have a negligence claim.

Colorado's modified comparative negligence rule (C.R.S. § 13-21-111) applies to dog bite cases. If you're found partially at fault — ignoring clear warnings, approaching a chained dog that was clearly agitated — your damages are reduced by your percentage of fault. If you're 50% or more at fault, you recover nothing.

Most dog bite claims are paid through the owner's homeowner's or renter's insurance policy. Insurance companies know Colorado's strict liability law puts them in a difficult position, so they'll push for a fast settlement before you understand the full extent of your injuries. Don't accept an early offer before you know your total medical costs and whether scarring will be permanent.

An attorney can evaluate whether strict liability applies to your specific bite, handle all communication with the insurance company, and make sure you're not settling for less than the claim is worth. If government negligence contributed to your bite — for example, a dog running loose in a city park due to inadequate enforcement — Colorado's 182-day government notice deadline (C.R.S. § 24-10-109) applies. Missing that deadline kills the claim.

Most dog bite attorneys in Denver work on contingency — no upfront cost, and they only get paid if you recover. A free consultation gives you a clear picture of what your claim may be worth under Colorado's strict liability framework.