A dog bite can leave you with serious injuries, mounting medical bills , and a lot of unanswered questions. If you, your child, or another family member was hurt by another person’s dog in Madison, WI, you deserve answers and real legal support.
At Lindner Law, LLC, our Madison dog bite injury lawyers are here to help you understand your rights and pursue the compensation you’re owed. Call us today at (414) 292-9523 for a free consultation .
Wisconsin’s Dog Bite Law Puts Owners on the Hook
Wisconsin’s dog bite law holds dog owners strictly liable when their animal injures someone. That means the owner is responsible for your injuries even if the dog had no history of aggression and even if the owner had no reason to expect the attack. You don’t need to prove the owner was careless. You only need to show that the dog caused your injury.
There is one important exception: if you were trespassing on private property at the time of the attack, the owner’s liability may be reduced or eliminated. In most cases involving a bite on public property or at someone’s home as a guest, however, the path to recovery is clear.
What Injuries Can a Dog Bite Cause?
Dog bites range from minor puncture wounds to severe, life-altering injuries. The physical damage alone can be significant, but many victims also deal with lasting emotional harm and financial strain that follows them long after the wounds have healed.
Common injuries from dog attacks include:
If you were attacked in Madison, seeking medical care right away is the right move, both for your health and your case. UnityPoint Health Meriter Hospital and UW Health at American Family Children’s Hospital are two local facilities equipped to treat dog bite injuries, including wound care, infection management, and trauma support.
What Compensation Can You Recover?
When another person’s dog injures you, Wisconsin law allows you to seek compensation for the full scope of what you’ve lost. That goes well beyond your emergency room visit. A dog bite can affect your finances, your ability to work, and your quality of life for months or even years, and your compensation should reflect that.
Economic Damages
These cover the concrete, measurable losses tied to your injury:
Non-Economic Damages
These cover losses that don’t come with a price tag but are just as real:
Wrongful Death Claims
If a loved one died as a result of a dog attack, Wisconsin law also allows certain family members to bring a wrongful death claim . These cases carry their own legal requirements and timelines, and our team can walk you through what that process looks like for your family.
How Long Do You Have to File a Dog Bite Claim in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin law gives dog bite victims three years from the date of the injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. Missing that deadline typically means losing your right to recover compensation, regardless of how strong your case is.
Three years may feel like a long time, but building a solid case takes time. Evidence disappears. Witnesses forget details. Insurance companies move quickly to protect their clients.
Starting the process sooner gives us more to work with and a better chance at a strong outcome for you.
Why Do You Need a Lawyer After a Dog Bite?
Hiring a lawyer after a dog bite gives you the best chance of recovering the full compensation you’re owed, rather than settling for whatever the insurance company decides to offer.
Dog owners and their insurance companies have experienced adjusters and legal teams whose job is to minimize what they pay out. Without an attorney in your corner, you may not know the full value of your claim or how to respond when an adjuster makes a lowball offer.
The Insurance Company Is Working Against You
Insurance adjusters may seem helpful at first, but their goal is to close your claim for as little as possible. They may contact you quickly after the attack, while you’re still recovering, and push for a fast settlement before you know the full extent of your injuries.
Once you accept a settlement, you typically can’t go back and ask for more, even if your medical costs turn out to be higher than expected.
Our team handles all communication with the insurance company so you don’t have to worry about saying something that could be used to reduce your claim. We know the tactics adjusters use, and we know how to respond to them.
What We Do for You
When you work with Lindner Law, LLC, we take on the legal heavy lifting so you can focus on healing. That includes:
No Fees Unless We Obtain Compensation
We take dog bite cases on a contingency fee basis. That means you pay nothing upfront and no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you. Our free consultation is a no-pressure opportunity to get real answers about your case and your options.
What Should You Do After a Dog Bite in Madison?
The steps you take in the hours and days after a dog attack can significantly affect your case. Here’s what we recommend:
Following these steps protects both your health and your legal claim. If you’re unsure what to do next or you’ve already made contact with the insurance company, don’t panic. Contact Lindner Law at (414) 292-9523 , and we’ll help you figure out where things stand and what to do from here.
Does Homeowner’s Insurance Cover Dog Bites?
Most homeowner’s and renter’s insurance policies include liability coverage for dog bites. That means when a dog owner’s policy covers the attack, you file a claim with their insurer rather than suing the owner directly. This is often the most practical path to compensation, and it’s one we handle for our clients regularly.
Some policies exclude certain breeds or dogs with a history of aggression, which can complicate the process. Our team knows how to work through those situations and identify every possible source of recovery available to you.
Lindner Law, LLC: Focused on Getting You Results
When you’ve been hurt by someone else’s dog, you need a legal team that takes your case seriously from day one. Lindner Law, LLC has represented injured people throughout Wisconsin for decades. We bring that experience and commitment to every dog bite case we handle.
Our attorneys know Wisconsin’s strict liability statutes and are skilled at going up against insurance companies that would rather settle for less than your case is worth.
What Sets Us Apart
We’re a client-focused firm, and that shows in how we work. You won’t be handed off to a paralegal and left wondering what’s happening with your case. You’ll hear from us, you’ll know where things stand, and you’ll always have someone to call when you have questions.
Our team is skilled at handling the full range of dog bite claims, including cases involving:
We Serve Madison and the Surrounding Area
Lindner Law, LLC serves clients throughout Madison and the surrounding communities. Whether your attack happened near the Capitol Square, along the lakeshore paths, or in a neighborhood across town, we’re ready to help.
Contact Lindner Law After a Dog Bite in Madison
A dog attack can leave you dealing with painful injuries, time away from work, and the kind of stress that weighs on every part of your life. You shouldn’t have to fight an insurance company on top of all that. At Lindner Law, LLC , we stand up for dog bite victims throughout Madison, WI, and we’re ready to stand up for you.
Whether you suffered serious injuries or you’ve lost a loved one as a result of a dog attack, our team will treat your case with the care and commitment it deserves. We offer a free, no-obligation consultation so you can get real answers without any pressure.
Call our Madison dog bite injury lawyers today at (414) 292-9523 . We’re here to help.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dog Bite Claims in Madison, WI
Wisconsin’s strict liability law applies regardless of the dog’s history. An owner can’t avoid responsibility simply because their dog had no prior incidents. If their dog hurt you, you have the right to seek compensation, whether it was the first bite or not.
Wisconsin follows a modified comparative negligence rule, which means your compensation may be reduced if you share some responsibility for what happened. As long as you’re less than 51% at fault, you can still recover damages.
The amount you receive is reduced by your percentage of fault. We can help you understand how this rule applies to your situation.
Every case is different, and no attorney can honestly promise a specific outcome. The value of your claim depends on the severity of your injuries, your medical expenses, your lost income, the long-term impact on your life, and the available insurance coverage.
Some dog owners don’t carry homeowner’s or renter’s insurance. In those cases, recovering compensation is harder, but not always impossible. We’ll investigate all potential sources of recovery and be straightforward with you about your options.
When you call us, we’ll schedule a time to review your situation at no cost to you. You’ll speak directly with our team, get answers to your questions, and learn what your next steps look like. There’s no obligation to hire us. If we take your case, we work on contingency, meaning you owe us nothing unless we recover for you.