Florida’s dog bite rule is the strictest corner of premises law: an owner is liable when their dog bites someone in a public place or lawfully on private property, with no free first bite. If you or your child was bitten in DeSoto County, the case is about the insurance behind the owner and the injuries the bite left. Dog bites are a full chapter in my plain-English premises book.
Strict liability, minus your share of fault
Florida holds an owner strictly liable for a bite, so you do not have to show the owner was careless. Two things still shape the case: comparative fault can reduce recovery, and the money almost always comes from a homeowner’s or renter’s policy. Identifying the right policy is the first real work of the case.
Why children are the most common victims
Children are bitten more than any other group, in the face and head more often because of their height, and Florida takes special care with how a child’s conduct is judged. A bite that looks minor can leave scarring and nerve damage a child carries for life.
What to do, and where the case is heard
Get medical care and report the bite to DeSoto County animal services. Photograph the injuries, identify the owner and their insurance, and get witness names. A DeSoto County case, if filed, lands in the Twelfth Judicial Circuit at the DeSoto County Courthouse in Arcadia, generally within two years, and a landlord can sometimes share responsibility.
The firm serves all of DeSoto County, with a dedicated Arcadia page.
The book
Hurt on Someone Else’s Property
The evidence race, the notice fight, the owner’s records, and the honest truth that many of these cases have to be filed as lawsuits, in one plain-English book on the days and weeks after a fall. Free to Tampa Bay residents, with the digital edition to read the moment you ask.
Common Questions
Does Florida give a dog one free bite?
No. Florida is a strict liability state.
Who actually pays?
Almost always the owner’s homeowner’s or renter’s insurance, and sometimes a landlord’s policy.
My child was bitten. Is it handled differently?
Yes. Facial and scarring injuries are valued accordingly, and a minor’s settlement often requires court approval.
Related reading: dog bites, premises liability, and about Rory Safir.
