La Vista Dog Bite Lawyer

Were you injured by a dog bite in La Vista, NE?

At Ausman Law Firm P.C., L.L.O., we are trial lawyers who represent only injured people, and we offer a free consultation for every dog bite claim.

If a dog bit you in La Vista, the owner’s homeowners or renters insurance usually pays for your medical care and other losses. That insurer evaluates the claim from the records it receives, which makes early treatment and a filed bite report important from the first day. A La Vista, NE dog bite lawyer from our firm gathers that documentation and presents the claim to the insurer for you.

Ausman Law Firm P.C., L.L.O. has represented injured Nebraskans for 24 years. We handle dog bite cases on a contingency basis, and your first consultation is free.

Dog Bite Lawyer La Vista, NE

A dog bite lawyer represents people who were bitten or otherwise injured by someone else’s dog. Our role is to establish who owned the dog and to document the full extent of your injuries, including scars and treatment you will need later. With that proof in hand, we negotiate with the owner’s insurance company and file a lawsuit if the company will not pay a fair amount.

Homeowners insurers received 28,450 dog bite claims nationwide in 2025, a 25.6 percent increase over 2024, according to Triple-I claims data. The average cost per claim was $65,450.

Types of Dog Bite Cases We Handle in La Vista

Dog bite cases differ according to where the attack happened and who was hurt. Those facts determine which insurance policy applies and what evidence is available. Our La Vista dog bite attorneys handle each of these situations.

• Bites to children. Young children are often bitten on the face or neck because of their height. A child’s claim has to account for scar treatment and other care that continues as the child grows.
• Bites at the owner’s home. Many bites happen on the owner’s property and injure a guest, relative, or neighbor. People often hesitate to bring a claim against someone they know, but common dog bite myths overlook the fact that an insurance policy normally pays the claim.
• Attacks in public places. Dogs that are off leash or that escape a yard injure people on sidewalks, on trails, and in parks. We use the bite report, witness statements, and nearby video to identify the dog and its owner.
• Bites to delivery and service workers. Mail carriers, delivery drivers, and utility workers enter private property as part of their jobs. A worker bitten on the job can have a workers’ compensation claim as well as a claim against the dog’s owner. We handle the claim against the owner and account for any benefits the worker has already received.
• Knockdown injuries. A large dog can knock a person to the ground and cause a fracture or head injury without biting. The owner can be held responsible for these injuries as well.
• Bites that cause scarring. Deep punctures and tearing wounds often need sutures or plastic surgery and can leave permanent scars. We document these injuries with photographs taken over time and with the treating surgeon’s opinion on future procedures.
• Bites that cause infection or nerve damage. Bacteria from a dog’s mouth can cause serious infections, and bites to the hand can damage nerves and tendons. Treatment can include antibiotics, surgery, and rabies shots when the dog’s vaccination status is unknown.
• Attacks by dogs with a prior history. Some dogs have bitten before or have been the subject of earlier complaints. We request those records from animal control because they show that the owner knew about the risk.

Why Choose Ausman Law Firm P.C., L.L.O. as my Dog Bite Lawyer in La Vista, NE?

Lawyers Who Represent Only Injured People

Every client we represent is an injured person or a family member, so we do not defend dog owners or insurance companies. Our founder, Jason Ausman, holds undergraduate and law degrees from Creighton University and has practiced personal injury law for 24 years. He belongs to the American Association for Justice and the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, and he previously served as president of the Nebraska Association of Trial Attorneys. A dog bite claim is negotiated with an insurance company, and our experience preparing injury cases for trial gives us a firm basis for those negotiations.

Recoveries in Serious Injury Cases

We have helped clients recover millions of dollars in personal injury cases. Those recoveries include a $1.5 million wrongful death recovery for one family and $1.2 million for a client injured in a car accident. We also obtained $400,000 for a client hurt in a slip and fall, a claim that is typically paid by a property owner’s insurance in the same way a dog bite claim is.

Dog bite cases are handled on the same contingency fee basis as our other injury cases. You owe no attorney fees to a dog bite attorney from our firm unless we recover compensation for you.

Understanding Dog Bite Cases

What Are Important Aspects of a Dog Bite Case?

The first days after a bite produce most of the evidence in a dog bite case. Five steps during that time protect both your health and your claim.

• Medical treatment. Nearly one in five people bitten by a dog needs medical attention, according to the CDC. Prompt treatment lowers the risk of infection and creates a record of the wound.
• A bite report. The Nebraska Humane Society provides animal control for La Vista, and you can report the bite to its dispatchers. The report creates an official record that identifies the dog and its owner.
• Rabies precautions. The CDC advises washing the wound with soap and water for 15 minutes and asking the owner for proof of the dog’s vaccination. Rabies prevention depends on fast medical advice when that proof is not available.
• Photographs. Pictures taken on the day of the bite and during healing show the severity of the wound and the scarring it leaves.
• Caution online. Insurers review social media posts for statements they can use against a claim, so we advise clients not to post about the bite or their recovery.

Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Dog Bite Cases

Liability in a dog bite case is more direct than in most injury claims. Under Nebraska dog bite laws, an owner is liable for the damages a bite causes even if the dog had never shown aggression before, as long as the injured person was not trespassing. Most cases therefore focus on the amount of compensation.

The compensation available includes both economic and noneconomic damages. Economic damages repay financial losses such as emergency care, surgery, and missed work. Noneconomic damages cover pain and suffering, scarring, and emotional distress, including the lasting fear of dogs that some people develop after an attack.

A health insurer that paid for your treatment can ask to be repaid from the settlement. These subrogation rights affect how much of the settlement you keep, and we negotiate them before the case closes.

What Should You Bring to Your Dog Bite Consultation?

Your first meeting with a dog bite lawyer in La Vista, NE is more useful when you bring the records you already have.

• The bite report number or any paperwork from the Nebraska Humane Society identifies the dog and its owner.
• The owner’s name, address, and insurance information tell us where to send the claim.
• Photos of your injuries and of the place where the bite happened show how serious the attack was.
• Medical records, bills, and discharge instructions document your treatment and its cost.

We schedule the free consultation at a time that works for you. During that meeting, we tell you honestly whether hiring a lawyer makes sense for your claim, since some minor bites can be resolved without one.

What Is The Dog Bite Case Timeline?

A dog bite lawsuit in Nebraska must be filed within four years of the bite. A claim is stronger when it begins while records and witnesses are still easy to find, and it generally moves through five stages.

• Report and treatment. The bite is reported, and you receive initial medical care.
• Investigation. We confirm who owns the dog and identify the insurance policy that covers the owner.
• Recovery. We wait until your doctors can describe any permanent scarring or future surgery before we value the claim.
• Demand and negotiation. We send the insurer a demand supported by your records and negotiate the settlement.
• Lawsuit. We file suit if the insurer will not pay a fair amount.

Cases that involve scars often take longer, because doctors need time to see how a scar heals before they recommend further treatment. A La Vista dog bite lawyer can estimate the timeline for your case after reviewing your medical records.

Reach Out to Ausman Law Firm P.C., L.L.O. to Schedule a Consultation

A dog bite claim starts with a conversation about what happened and how you are healing. Ausman Law Firm P.C., L.L.O. provides that consultation at no charge and handles dog bite cases in La Vista, NE on a contingency fee. We respond promptly to every new inquiry. Contact us to schedule your free consultation with a dog bite attorney.