If your child was recently bitten by a dog, what you are feeling right now, the worry, the anger, the confusion, is completely understandable. A dog bite is frightening for any parent to witness, and the days that follow can feel chaotic as you try to manage medical care, answer your child’s questions, and figure out what your family is supposed to do next. You do not have to sort through all of that alone.
At Ross, Midian & Breitmayer, LLC, we work with Columbus families who are navigating exactly this kind of situation. Dog bite cases fall within the broader category of Ohio personal injury claims, and Ohio’s laws are genuinely designed to protect people like your child. Understanding how those laws work can bring a real sense of clarity during a very stressful time.
Ohio Law Is on Your Child’s Side
One of the most reassuring things we can share with families is that Ohio takes dog bite liability seriously. Ohio dog bite laws follow a strict liability doctrine. This means that if a dog bites someone without justification, the owner is liable for damages. In most dog bite cases, the victim does not need to prove negligence.
What that means in plain language: you generally do not have to prove the dog’s owner was careless or that the dog had bitten anyone before. Dog owners are responsible for protecting the public from their dog, even if the dog has never bitten someone or shown any aggressive tendencies. That is a meaningful protection, especially for children who are simply playing outside or visiting a friend’s home when an attack happens.
Ohio’s law also recognizes that the dog’s owner is not always the only person who may bear responsibility. Someone who temporarily controls or cares for the dog, such as a roommate, relative, or friend, may also be liable if they allowed the dog to interact with others or failed to prevent the attack. In certain cases, a landlord could be held responsible if they knew a tenant was keeping a dangerous animal on the premises, especially if the dog had shown prior aggression and the landlord failed to act. Knowing this matters, because it means there may be more avenues for your family to pursue fair compensation than you initially realized.
What Your Family May Be Able to Recover
Dog bites can leave children with physical injuries that require significant medical attention, and the emotional impact can linger long after the wounds have healed. Ohio law recognizes both dimensions of that harm.
Families may be able to seek compensation for medical bills, follow-up care, and any treatment related to infection or scarring. If the bite was so severe that it caused missed time from work, you may be entitled to compensation for lost wages. You may also be entitled to compensation for non-economic losses, such as scarring, pain and suffering, and psychological damage.
That last category, pain, suffering, and psychological impact, is one we take seriously with dog bite cases. Children who experience a traumatic dog attack sometimes develop anxiety, fear of animals, or difficulty returning to normal activities. Those are real injuries, even when they are not visible. A compassionate legal team will make sure those experiences are part of the picture when your family’s claim is evaluated.
In some circumstances, Ohio courts may award punitive damages, financial penalties intended to punish reckless behavior, such as knowingly harboring a dangerous animal or training a dog to attack. This is not common, but it is worth discussing with an attorney if the facts of your situation involve a dog with a known history of aggression.
Protecting Your Child’s Rights
We know that in the immediate aftermath of a dog bite, filing a legal claim is probably the last thing on your mind. You are focused on your child’s recovery, and that is exactly where your energy belongs. Still, we gently encourage families to connect with an attorney sooner rather than later, and here is why.
Evidence from the scene, witness memories, and records of the dog’s behavior history can all become harder to access as time passes. Gathering evidence, obtaining medical records, and negotiating with insurance companies can take months. Acting quickly helps preserve your rights and strengthens your personal injury claim.
Ohio law does provide some additional protections for minors in these situations. If the victim is a minor, the statute may be tolled or extended. This means that if the victim is under 18 years old at the time of the incident, the period to file a lawsuit does not start until they turn 18 or regain mental competence. Even so, reaching out to a legal team early gives your family the strongest possible foundation, and it takes a significant burden off your plate during an already difficult time.
You Do Not Have to Figure This Out Alone
Your child’s wellbeing is your priority, and it is ours too. A dog bite claim is not about conflict for its own sake. It is about making sure your family is not left carrying the financial and emotional weight of an injury that was not your fault. Medical bills, follow-up care, and the lasting impact of trauma deserve to be addressed, and Ohio law provides a path to do exactly that.
If your child was bitten by a dog, an attorney at the law firm of Ross, Midian & Breitmayer, LLC, can help. Contact us for a free initial conversation. This is a low-pressure way to understand your options, and we are here to help your family move forward with clarity and confidence.