Available 24/7 (214) 333-3333
Available 24/7 (214) 333-3333
Available 24/7 (214) 333-3333
Available 24/7 (214) 333-3333
Available 24/7 (214) 333-3333
Available 24/7 (214) 333-3333
A dog bite or animal attack can change your life in an instant. One moment you are walking through your Denver neighborhood, visiting a friend, or taking your children to a park. The next, you are facing painful injuries, medical treatment, and the emotional trauma that often follows a sudden attack. Dog bites can cause permanent scarring, nerve damage, infections, and lasting psychological effects. The physical injuries may heal, but the fear and stress can remain long after the attack.
You should not have to face those challenges alone. Colorado law gives dog bite victims strong legal protections — including a strict liability statute that holds owners responsible for serious injuries even if their dog has never bitten anyone before. At Frenkel & Frenkel, our Denver dog bite lawyers have decades of experience helping injury victims. We know how to investigate animal attacks, preserve evidence, work with medical experts, and build strong cases that insurance companies take seriously.
Our firm prepares every case as if it will go to trial. If you or a loved one was injured in a dog bite or animal attack in Denver, contact Frenkel & Frenkel today for a free consultation. You pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you.
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KEY TAKEAWAYS
Quick Answer
What Should I Do If I Was Bitten by a Dog in Denver
If a dog bit you in Denver, get medical care right away, even if the wound looks small. Dog bites can cause infection and other injuries that are worse than they first seem. Colorado law requires animal bites to be reported within 24 hours. For bites in the City and County of Denver, contact Denver Animal Protection (DAP) at 720-913-2080 or through the online bite reporting form at denvergov.org. Gather any information you can about the dog and its owner, and document your injuries with photos. Do not give a recorded statement to an insurance company before you speak with an attorney. Under Colorado law, you may be able to recover money for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and emotional distress.
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Strict Liability (C.R.S. § 13-21-124)
Colorado does NOT follow the “one bite rule.” Instead, Colorado imposes strict liability on dog owners under C.R.S. § 13-21-124. If a dog causes serious bodily injury or death to a person who was lawfully present on public or private property, the owner is responsible for economic damages regardless of the dog’s prior history. No proof of prior aggression is needed.
Negligence and Non-Economic Damages
If your injury does not meet the “serious bodily injury” threshold — or if you want to recover non-economic damages like pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of quality of life — you may pursue a negligence claim. This requires showing the owner failed to exercise reasonable care, such as by violating Denver’s leash laws or ignoring known aggressive behavior.
Negligence Per Se
If an owner violated Denver’s animal control ordinances, that violation can help establish negligence. Denver Municipal Code requires dogs to be on a leash no longer than six feet in all public areas, held by a person capable of controlling the animal. Violations of this ordinance are strong evidence of negligence.
Colorado Dangerous Dog Statute (C.R.S. § 18-9-204.5)
Colorado also has a criminal dangerous dog statute. Owners of dogs that cause bodily injury face misdemeanor charges; those whose dogs cause serious bodily injury face a class 1 misdemeanor (first offense) or class 6 felony (repeat). Death caused by a dog can result in class 5 felony charges. A criminal conviction may strengthen a civil injury claim.
Quarantine After a Bite
Colorado requires animal bites to be reported within 24 hours. Under Denver Municipal Code 8-121(a), owners must immediately report the bite to Denver Animal Protection (DAP) and confine the animal for a mandatory 10-day health quarantine — the same period used to check for rabies. The owner bears all quarantine costs, regardless of vaccination status.
Victims may be able to recover: medical expenses (emergency care, surgery, psychological counseling, etc.), lost wages and loss of earning capacity, pain and suffering, mental anguish, and emotional distress.
Potentially liable parties:
Quick Answer
Can I recover more compensation if multiple parties are responsible for my dog attack?
Potentially yes. Each at-fault party may carry their own insurance policy. Identifying multiple defendants — such as the dog owner, the property owner, and a landlord — can open up multiple sources of recovery that a single-defendant case would not. This is one of the most important reasons to hire an attorney who investigates the full picture, not just the dog owner.
At Frenkel & Frenkel, we work on a contingency fee basis. That means you pay nothing upfront. We only collect a fee if we recover money for you.
There is no charge for your first consultation. You can call us, tell us what happened, and we will let you know if we think we can help. There is no pressure and no obligation.
We advance all case costs, including hiring medical experts, obtaining animal control records, documenting injuries, and investigating the dog’s history. You do not pay us back unless we win your case.
Our attorneys have spent more than Decades of Combined Legal Experience combined fighting for people hurt by dog and animal attacks. We have the knowledge and resources to take on even the most complex cases involving dangerous animals, negligent owners, and property-related fault.
Our founding attorneys used to defend insurance companies. Now, they use that inside knowledge to fight for injured people like you. We know the tactics companies use, and we know how to counter them.
We have recovered over $1 Billion in settlements and verdicts for our clients.* For 16 straight years, our attorneys have been named among the Best Lawyers in Colorado.
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Verdict - Commercial Vehicle Collision
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Dog bites cause puncture wounds, lacerations, or crush injuries.
Attacks that cause permanent scarring or disfigurement, especially on the face, neck, or hands.
Dog attacks involving children, who face a greater risk of serious head and facial injuries.
Attacks on elderly or vulnerable victims.
Cases where the attacking dog had a known history of aggression and was classified as a dangerous or aggressive dog under Colorado or Colorado law.
Off-leash dog attacks in Colorado parks, neighborhoods, and public spaces.
Attacks where the owner broke a local ordinance or state animal control law.
Cases involving infections, nerve damage, or psychological trauma such as PTSD after an attack.
Attacks by other animals, including cats, livestock, and exotic animals.
Wrongful death cases involving fatal animal attacks.
No. Colorado does not follow the "one bite rule." Under C.R.S. § 13-21-124, owners are strictly liable for serious bodily injuries regardless of the dog's prior history. For less severe injuries, evidence of aggressive behavior can still support a negligence claim.
You should not give a recorded statement to any insurance company before speaking with an attorney. Insurance adjusters are trained to reduce claims, and they may use your own words against you. Even a simple comment about how you feel or what happened can be used to lower the value of your case. Contact Frenkel & Frenkel first, and we will handle the insurance calls for you.
Get medical care, report the bite to Denver Animal Protection (DAP) at 720-913-2080 within 24 hours, document the scene and your injuries, and call an attorney before speaking with insurance.
There is no single answer because every case is different. The value of your claim depends on the severity of your injuries, the cost of medical treatment, how long you missed work, whether you have permanent scarring or lasting emotional effects, and the amount of insurance coverage available. At Frenkel & Frenkel, we review every factor carefully to pursue the maximum compensation possible for your situation.
Colorado follows a modified comparative fault rule (C.R.S. § 13-21-111). Compensation may be reduced by your share of fault, but you may still recover as long as you are less than 50% at fault.
We can investigate all possible sources of compensation -- including property owner and landlord liability -- to find the best path forward.
We work on a contingency fee basis. There is no upfront cost, and you pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you. The initial consultation is free.
