Bitten by a Dog in Louisville?

Your first priority is putting distance between yourself and the animal. If the dog is still loose or aggressive, move to a car, a building, or behind a fence. Don’t run — back away slowly and avoid direct eye contact if the dog hasn’t been secured yet.

If someone else is being attacked, don’t try to physically separate a biting dog with your hands. Use a barrier — a jacket, a bag, a trash can lid, anything between the dog and the victim. Call 911 if the attack is serious or ongoing. Louisville Metro Police and Louisville Metro Animal Services both respond to dangerous animal situations in Jefferson County.

Once you’re safe, take a breath. Dog bites are traumatic — even a “minor” one — and your adrenaline is running. 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 have a high infection rate — much higher than cuts or scrapes. Even a bite that looks small on the surface can cause serious damage underneath: torn muscle, damaged tendons, nerve injury, and crushed tissue.

Go to an emergency room or urgent care within hours of the bite. UofL Health — UofL Hospital (530 S. Jackson Street) is home to the J. David Richardson Trauma Center, the region’s only ACS-verified Level I adult trauma center. Norton Children’s Hospital (231 E. Chestnut Street) is Louisville’s Level I pediatric trauma center and should be your first call for serious bite injuries to children. For non-emergency bites, Norton Healthcare, Baptist Health Louisville, and urgent care clinics throughout the metro can evaluate and treat bite wounds.

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 Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness 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 — and with Kentucky’s 1-year deadline, you don’t have time to let paperwork slip.

Louisville Metro Animal Services (LMAS) is the city’s animal control authority for Jefferson County. Contact LMAS at (502) 473-7387. Their facility is located at 3516 Newburg Road, Louisville, KY 40218, and is open Monday through Sunday, 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (Fridays until 7:00 p.m.). You can also report a bite through the Louisville Metro 311 service request system online.

Provide the address where the bite happened, the dog owner’s name and contact information if you have it, a description of the dog, and what happened. LMAS will place the animal under a mandatory 10-day quarantine for rabies observation as required by Kentucky law (902 KAR 2:070). If the dog has current vaccinations and the bite isn’t severe enough to trigger a dangerous animal designation, home quarantine may be allowed. Otherwise, the dog will be quarantined at the LMAS facility or a licensed veterinarian’s office.

This report does two things for you: it triggers a rabies observation period for the dog, and it creates an official government record of the bite. That record matters if the dog has a history of aggression — and LMAS data shows pit bulls accounted for 46% of all bite investigations in the Louisville metro between 2020 and 2024, despite representing less than 10% of licensed dogs. An official record strengthens your claim by establishing the incident through an independent source.

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 on the owner’s property 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 of the harm you suffered.

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. Given Kentucky’s short 1-year filing deadline, organized records from the start can make or break your claim.

This is where Kentucky law works in your favor. Under KRS § 258.235(4), “Any owner whose dog is found to have caused damage to a person, livestock, or other property shall be responsible for that damage.” Strict liability means you don’t have to prove the owner was negligent. You don’t have to prove the dog had a history of aggression. You don’t have to prove the owner should have known the dog was dangerous.

The dog bit you. The owner is liable. That’s it.

Some states use a “one bite rule” — the dog essentially gets a free first bite before the owner can be held responsible. Kentucky specifically rejected that approach. Here, the owner is on the hook from bite number one. The term “owner” is broadly defined to include anyone with possession, custody, or control of the dog — meaning a dog sitter, a friend watching the dog, or a kennel operator can also be held liable.

Kentucky also follows pure comparative negligence (KRS § 411.182), which applies to dog bite claims. If you were partially at fault — say you ignored warning signs or provoked the dog — your damages are reduced by your percentage of fault. But unlike states with a 50% or 51% bar, there is no percentage cutoff that eliminates your right to recover. Even if you are found 70% at fault, you can still recover 30% of your damages. This makes Kentucky one of the most favorable states for dog bite victims.

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

Medical expenses are usually the largest component — emergency room visits, wound care, antibiotics, surgery, reconstructive procedures, physical therapy, and any future treatment related to the bite. If the bite gets infected (which is common), the costs climb fast. The national average dog bite insurance claim reached $69,272 in 2024 according to the Insurance Information Institute — a figure that’s risen 86% over the past decade.

Lost wages cover time missed from work while recovering, and any reduction in your ability to earn income going forward. If a hand or arm injury affects your ability to do your job, that lost earning capacity has real value.

Pain and suffering accounts for the physical pain of the bite and recovery, plus the emotional and psychological impact — anxiety, fear of dogs, nightmares, PTSD. These are especially pronounced in children.

Scarring and disfigurement matter a lot 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.

Kentucky does not cap compensatory damages in personal injury cases. There is no statutory limit on what you can recover for a dog bite claim. If the owner’s conduct was willful or grossly negligent — for example, knowingly allowing a dangerous dog to roam free — punitive damages may also be available.

Strict liability doesn’t mean automatic full recovery. The dog owner (or their insurance company) can still raise defenses to reduce what they owe you.

Trespassing is the strongest defense. If you were unlawfully on the owner’s property when the bite occurred, the strict liability statute may not apply — though you may still have a claim under common-law negligence.

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

Because Kentucky uses pure comparative negligence rather than a modified system, these defenses reduce but don’t necessarily eliminate your claim. Even if you’re found partially at fault, you can still recover something — unlike states with a 50% or 51% bar where the claim can be completely shut down.

Most dog bite claims are paid through the owner’s homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy. Insurance companies will try to settle quickly and cheaply. They know strict liability puts them in a weak position, so they’ll push for a fast resolution 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. Dog bite injuries evolve over weeks and months — infections develop, scars mature, and the full cost of treatment becomes clear only with time.

But in Kentucky, you don’t have the luxury of waiting. The 1-year statute of limitations (KRS § 413.140(1)(a)) is one of the shortest in the country. Evidence fades fast, medical records pile up, and missing that deadline means losing your right to sue permanently. Contact an attorney within weeks, not months.

A personal injury attorney can evaluate the strength of your claim, negotiate with the insurance company, and make sure you’re not settling for less than the claim is worth. Most dog bite attorneys in Kentucky work on contingency — no upfront cost, and they only get paid if you recover money for you. A free consultation gives you a clear picture of what your claim may be worth.