What Are My Rights After a Dog Bite Injury in Georgia?

Georgia Law Holds Dog Owners Accountable — Here Is What Victims Need to Know About OCGA 51-2-7

Dog bite injuries in Georgia — especially those inflicted on children — are traumatic, often disfiguring, and sometimes life-altering. An animal attack can happen in a coastal Georgia neighborhood, at a park along the Golden Isles shoreline, or on a residential street in Brunswick or St. Marys. When a dog attacks, Georgia law under OCGA 51-2-7 is clear: dog owners bear legal responsibility. Boyd Law Firm represents dog bite injury victims across Glynn County, Camden County, and the surrounding coastal Georgia region on a contingency fee basis — no fee unless the firm recovers compensation for the client.

What must be proven to win a dog bite claim in Georgia?

Georgia operates under a modified version of the “one-bite rule.” Under OCGA 51-2-7, a dog bite injury claim requires proof of three elements. First, the dog must have had a vicious or dangerous propensity — meaning the animal had previously bitten someone, acted aggressively, or had a known tendency toward dangerous behavior. Second, the owner must have had actual or constructive knowledge of that dangerous propensity. Third, the owner must have been careless in managing the animal at the time of the attack.

Critically, OCGA 51-2-7 also provides a second, independent path to liability: violation of a local leash law. When a dog owner violates a leash ordinance and that violation causes the attack, the victim does not need to prove the owner knew the dog was dangerous. This distinction is central to dog bite cases in Glynn County and Brunswick, where local leash ordinances are in effect.

How does a local leash law violation affect a dog bite case in Glynn County?

Glynn County and the City of Brunswick maintain leash ordinances requiring dogs to be restrained when off the owner’s property. A violation of those ordinances is treated as negligence per se under Georgia law — meaning the violation itself establishes the breach of duty without needing to prove the owner knew the dog was dangerous.

This matters in coastal Georgia dog attack cases because many incidents occur in outdoor public spaces: the sidewalks of St. Simons Island, the beaches near Jekyll Island, the parks and trails popular with tourists and residents alike. When a dog is running loose in violation of a Glynn County or Brunswick leash ordinance and it attacks a person, the leash law violation vector of OCGA 51-2-7 provides a direct route to liability.

In Camden County communities like St. Marys and Kingsland, similar local ordinances apply. Victims in any of the coastal Georgia communities served by Boyd Law Firm — including Darien, Jesup, Hinesville, and areas near Fort Stewart or Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base — should document whether the animal was leashed or restrained at the time of the attack.

What damages can a dog bite victim recover in Georgia?

Compensation in a Georgia dog bite injury claim — also referred to as an animal attack claim Georgia attorneys handle under tort law — can include all economic and non-economic losses caused by the attack. Available damages typically include:

• Medical expenses — emergency room treatment, wound closure and reconstruction, rabies prophylaxis treatment, plastic and reconstructive surgery for scarring or disfigurement, and ongoing care for nerve damage or infection
• Lost wages — income lost during recovery, and future earning capacity losses if the injuries are severe enough to affect employment long-term
• Scarring and disfigurement — dog bites frequently leave permanent scarring, particularly on the face, hands, and arms; Georgia law allows separate recovery for permanent disfigurement
• Pain and suffering — physical pain, emotional distress, anxiety, and fear of dogs following the attack, which can be particularly significant for child victims
• Emotional trauma for children — children who are bitten by a dog often suffer lasting psychological harm including post-traumatic stress, sleep disturbances, and phobias; courts recognize this harm as a compensable element of a dog bite injury claim Georgia families may bring

What evidence should be documented immediately after a dog bite in coastal Georgia?

The strength of a dog bite injury claim in Georgia depends significantly on the evidence preserved in the hours and days following the attack. Victims and their families in the Brunswick and Golden Isles area should prioritize the following:

• Animal control report — contact Glynn County Animal Control immediately to report the incident; the report creates an official record and may reveal prior complaints about the dog
• Prior bite history — ask animal control whether the dog has a history of aggression or prior reported incidents; this directly supports the dangerous propensity element of OCGA 51-2-7
• Photographs of wounds — document injuries before and after treatment; photograph the location of the attack, the dog if safely possible, and any absence of a leash or restraint
• Witness statements — names and contact information for anyone who witnessed the attack or who can testify to the dog’s prior aggressive behavior
• Leash law violation documentation — note whether the dog was loose in a public area or off-leash in violation of Glynn County or Brunswick ordinances; this can trigger strict liability under OCGA 51-2-7
• Medical records — all emergency room visit records, treatment summaries, surgical reports, and rabies treatment documentation should be preserved and provided to Boyd Law Firm

Does homeowner insurance cover dog bite injuries in Georgia?

In the majority of Georgia dog bite cases, the dog owner’s homeowner’s insurance policy — or renter’s insurance policy for tenants — covers dog bite liability claims. This is significant because it means there is often an identifiable insurance carrier to negotiate with or litigate against, rather than pursuing a judgment against an individual’s personal assets.

Standard homeowner’s insurance policies typically include personal liability coverage for dog bite injuries occurring on the property and, in many cases, off the property as well. Some policies exclude specific breeds; others have aggregate limits. Boyd Law Firm investigates available insurance coverage as part of the initial case evaluation for every dog bite and animal attack claim Georgia clients bring to the firm.

For incidents occurring at rental properties — common in coastal Georgia vacation communities near St. Simons Island and Jekyll Island — both the tenant’s renter’s insurance and the landlord’s property liability coverage may be relevant depending on the circumstances of the attack and the owner’s knowledge of the animal.

How does Boyd Law Firm handle dog bite and animal attack cases in the Brunswick area?

Boyd Law Firm, LLC, based at 1601 Reynolds St. in Brunswick, Georgia, represents dog bite injury victims and animal attack victims throughout the coastal Georgia region including Glynn, Camden, Brantley, Liberty, Wayne, and McIntosh counties. Roy J. Boyd Jr. is a Georgia Trial Lawyers Association member and trial attorney who handles serious personal injury and wrongful death cases on a contingency fee basis — clients owe no attorney fee unless the firm recovers compensation.

The firm’s approach to bitten by dog Georgia cases follows a structured process: document the attack and injuries, identify the owner and any insurance coverage, gather Glynn County Animal Control records and prior complaint history, retain expert witnesses if reconstruction or medical testimony is needed, and pursue maximum recovery through negotiation or trial. Boyd Law Firm has secured significant verdicts and settlements for coastal Georgia injury victims, including an $8,204,000 jury verdict in Glynn County Superior Court in May 2024.

Dog bite injury claims and animal attack claims in Georgia are handled on a strict contingency basis. Call (912) 265-5069 or email Roy@RoyBoydLaw.com for a free, no-obligation case evaluation.