Westminster Dog Bite Lawyer

• Colorado’s dog bite law: owners can be held strictly liable for serious bite injuries, even without a prior bite history.
• What counts as “serious”: broken bones, disfigurement, and injuries requiring corrective or cosmetic surgery generally qualify.
• Compensation available: strict liability covers your economic losses; pain and suffering typically requires a negligence claim too.
• Common defenses: owners may claim provocation, trespassing, or that an exception to strict liability applies.
• Mintz Law Firm: we’ve recovered settlements for dog bite victims, including a $300,000 settlement for an injured child.

A dog bite can leave a Westminster resident with deep lacerations, nerve damage, or lasting scars, injuries that are often worse than people expect from what seems like a routine encounter with someone else’s pet. Colorado gives dog bite victims stronger legal protection than many other states, but insurance companies still fight these claims aggressively, often by arguing the injury wasn’t serious enough to trigger the law’s strongest protections.

Mintz Law Firm has helped dog bite victims throughout the Denver metro area, and a Westminster dog bite lawyer on our team can hold the owner’s insurance accountable for the full cost of your recovery, the same way we do for every injury claim we take on in Westminster.

Colorado’s Dog Bite Law

Under Colorado’s dog bite statute, C.R.S. § 13-21-124, a dog owner can be held strictly liable for a bite that causes serious bodily injury. You don’t have to prove the owner knew the dog was dangerous or acted negligently to recover your economic damages, such as medical bills and lost income. This is a significant departure from the “one free bite” rule some states still follow, and it makes Colorado one of the more favorable states for dog bite victims pursuing a claim.

What Counts as a “Serious Bodily Injury”?

Colorado’s strict liability standard applies specifically to bites causing serious bodily injury, generally understood to include broken bones, significant disfigurement, and impairment that is protracted or permanent. This distinction matters because it determines which legal theory applies to your case. A bite that leaves a small scratch or bruise may not meet this threshold, while one that requires stitches, reconstructive surgery, or leaves lasting nerve damage typically will.

What If the Injury Isn’t Considered “Serious”?

Even when a bite doesn’t rise to the level of a serious bodily injury, victims aren’t necessarily out of options. Colorado still allows a negligence-based claim if the owner knew, or reasonably should have known, that the dog had dangerous tendencies. For example, the dog may have bitten or lunged at someone before, or the owner may have ignored earlier warning signs of aggression. A Westminster dog bite lawyer can investigate the dog’s history to determine which legal theory gives you the strongest claim.

Common Dog Bite Injuries

Dog bites can cause a wide range of injuries depending on the size of the animal and the location of the bite, including:

• Lacerations and punctures: deep wounds requiring stitches or surgical repair.
• Nerve and tendon damage: particularly common in bites to the hands, arms, or legs.
• Facial injuries and scarring: which can require reconstructive or cosmetic surgery.
• Infections: including bacterial infections that require extended antibiotic treatment.
• Psychological trauma: including a lasting fear of dogs, especially in child victims.

The full extent of a bite is not always obvious right away, which is one reason to have every injury documented by a doctor rather than treated at home.

Who Can Be Held Liable?

The dog’s owner is typically the primary party responsible for a bite, but liability doesn’t always stop there. A landlord or property manager who knew about a dangerous dog on the property and did nothing may share responsibility, as can a dog walker, sitter, or boarding facility that allowed the dog to escape or failed to control it. Identifying every potentially liable party is part of maximizing what you can recover.

Common Defenses Dog Owners and Insurers Raise

Even under a strict liability standard, owners and their insurers look for an exception. They may argue the victim was trespassing on private property, provoked the dog before the bite, or was bitten while the dog was being used for law enforcement, herding, or licensed commercial purposes. A Westminster dog bite lawyer investigates the circumstances of the bite early, before the owner’s insurer has a chance to build a defense around them.

What Compensation Can You Recover?

Because C.R.S. § 13-21-124 imposes strict liability only for economic damages, a claim brought solely under the statute can recover emergency and follow-up medical treatment, plastic or reconstructive surgery for scarring, and lost wages during recovery, all without having to prove the owner was negligent. Non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering, generally require your claim to also proceed on a negligence theory, which is why a Westminster dog bite lawyer will typically pursue both theories together rather than relying on the statute alone. Cases involving young children or facial injuries often carry significant non-economic value given the long-term psychological and cosmetic impact of a visible scar.

We help dog bite victims throughout Westminster and the surrounding Adams and Jefferson County communities from our Lakewood office, about 20 minutes away via I-70 East to I-25 North.

Choose Mintz Law Firm for Your Westminster Dog Bite Case

Mr. Staton and our personal injury team have recovered settlements for dog bite victims, including $300,000 for a minor child injured by a dangerous dog. A serious bite affects a family well beyond the initial injury, and we pursue every avenue of compensation available under Colorado law.

Mintz Law Firm has recovered more than $20 million annually for injured clients since 2016, and we do not charge a fee unless we win your case. Contact us today at (303) 462-2999 or through our contact form for a free consultation.