Londonderry Dog Bite Lawyer

Were you injured in a dog attack in Londonderry?

At Welts, White, & Fontaine, P.C., we are dog bite lawyers who pursue full recovery for injured clients and their families.

If you or your child was injured in a dog attack, our Londonderry, NH dog bite lawyer can bring a claim against the dog’s owner for medical expenses, scarring, and the other losses the attack caused. When the injured person is a child, we document both the treatment already received and the care the child may need in the years ahead.

Welts, White, & Fontaine, P.C. has served New Hampshire families since 1978, and our Nashua office represents injured clients throughout Rockingham County. Contact our office to arrange a consultation.

Dog Bite Lawyer Londonderry, NH

A dog bite lawyer handles the civil claim that follows an attack, from establishing who owned or kept the dog to presenting the medical evidence and negotiating with the insurer. In a child’s case, that work also includes projecting future care, because some reconstructive procedures are scheduled months or years after the injury. A Londonderry dog bite lawyer also gathers records from each treating provider.

According to Census Bureau estimates, 20.6 percent of Londonderry’s 27,844 residents are under 18, or roughly 5,700 children. Under the owner liability statute, the person who owns, keeps, or possesses a dog that injures one of them is responsible for the resulting damage, whether or not the dog had shown aggression before.

Types of Dog Bite Cases We Handle in Londonderry

Dog bite claims in Londonderry frequently involve children, and many arise in residential neighborhoods where families know the dog and its owner. We represent adults as well, and our dog bite attorneys approach each matter below with a separate investigation plan.

• Children bitten by a neighbor’s dog. A dog that leaves its yard or greets children at the property line can cause serious injuries in seconds. We identify the owner, collect statements from adults who saw the attack, and establish which insurance policy applies.
• Bites at the home of a relative or family friend. Families are often reluctant to pursue a claim against someone close to them. The claim is ordinarily presented to the owner’s homeowner’s or renter’s insurer, which is the purpose of that coverage. Proceeding through the insurer allows the family to recover the cost of care without seeking payment from the relative personally.
• Attacks near bus stops, parks, and sports fields. Loose dogs encounter children where they gather, and the owner may live several streets away from the place where the child was bitten. We obtain the report made to local authorities and locate witnesses while their recollections are still reliable.
• Bites during a playdate or babysitting arrangement. Liability can extend to whoever was keeping or possessing the dog at the time, not only its owner. We review who had control of the dog and whether more than one policy responds. When a grandparent, sitter, or neighbor was caring for the dog, that person’s own homeowner’s or renter’s policy may provide additional coverage.
• Bites at home-based child care. A dog living in a home where children are cared for creates foreseeable risks. A bite in that setting is a daycare injury claim as well as a dog bite claim, and we pursue both.
• Facial and hand injuries requiring reconstruction. Bites to the face and hands can damage nerves and tendons and leave visible scarring. Our dog bite lawyers work with treating surgeons to establish the cost of current and future procedures, including revisions that must wait until a wound has fully healed.
• Emotional trauma after an attack. Nightmares, fear of dogs, and anxiety are common after a serious bite, particularly for children. These injuries are compensable, and we connect them to the attack through counseling records and the testimony needed for proving causation.

Why Choose Welts, White, & Fontaine, P.C. as My Dog Bite Lawyer in Londonderry, NH?

Decades of Practice Serving New Hampshire Families

Michael J. Fontaine joined the firm in 1985 after earning his law degree at Saint Louis University School of Law, and he has represented injured clients for more than 35 years.

Jack S. White has tried personal injury cases before New Hampshire judges and juries since 1980 and is a member of the American Association for Justice.

Case Results and Contingency Fees

Across the firm’s personal injury practice, our attorneys have recovered millions of dollars for clients, with results that include:

1. $500,000 for a client whose big toe was amputated in an injury involving a homeowner’s lawnmower
2. $325,000 in a personal injury matter
3. $300,000 in a personal injury matter
4. $240,000 in a personal injury matter

Each result above was paid by a liability insurer after negotiation or trial. When you retain a dog bite attorney at our firm, the fee is contingent on recovering compensation for you. Our fee comes out of the recovery, so nothing is owed in attorney fees if the claim does not succeed.

What Is Important to Understand About a Dog Bite Case?

What Are Important Aspects of a Dog Bite Case?

A child’s dog bite claim is brought by a parent or guardian on the child’s behalf. It differs from an adult’s claim in several respects.

• Evidence beyond the child’s account. Young children often cannot describe an attack in detail, so photographs, statements from adults who were present, and records from Londonderry animal control become central to the claim.
• Future medical care. Scar revision, counseling, and follow-up visits may continue for years, and the claim must account for them before it is resolved.
• Insurer scrutiny of claim values. The Insurance Information Institute reports 28,450 dog-related liability claims nationwide in 2025, at an average cost of $65,450 per claim. Insurers review these claims closely, and insurance adjusters frequently question the need for future treatment.
• Timing of resolution. A settlement reached before a child’s scars have matured may not reflect the full extent of the injury. We ask the treating physician for an opinion on permanence before discussing figures with the insurer.

Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Dog Bite Cases

Liability in a New Hampshire dog bite case rests on ownership and control rather than carelessness. The owner, keeper, or possessor of the dog is responsible for the damage it causes, and when the owner is a minor, such as a teenager who owns the family dog, the parent or guardian is the responsible party.

Compensation in a child’s claim can include past and future medical expenses, the physical pain of the injury and its treatment, permanent scarring or disfigurement, and emotional harm such as fear of dogs or disrupted sleep. Adults may also recover lost wages and reduced earning capacity. The full range of recoverable damages depends on the severity of the injury and how long its effects last.

What Should You Bring to Your Dog Bite Consultation?

The records below allow us to assess the injury, the evidence, and the available coverage at the first meeting.

• Emergency room, pediatrician, and specialist records, along with any bills received so far
• Photographs of the injuries taken at intervals since the attack
• The report number from animal control or the police department
• Any incident report prepared by a school, camp, or child care provider
• The owner’s name and address, plus any letters or calls from an insurance company

At the consultation, we review the circumstances of the attack and the treatment to date, then discuss how the claim would proceed. When the evidence points to a weak claim, we explain the reasons at the outset.

What Is the Dog Bite Case Timeline?

The first months after an attack are devoted to treatment and investigation. During that period, we identify the owner and any keeper, confirm the insurance coverage, and obtain the animal control records.

Once the injured person’s recovery can be measured, we prepare a demand supported by medical records, bills, and photographs, and negotiations with the insurer follow. For a child, that point may come later than it would for an adult.

Most personal injury claims must be filed within the three-year limitations period. New Hampshire allows additional time for injured children, and RSA 508:8 permits a person injured as a minor to bring a personal action within two years after reaching adulthood. We check the statute of limitations for your child’s claim at the first meeting. If a lawsuit becomes necessary, the case is heard either in the Rockingham County district divisions, where the Derry court serves Londonderry, or at Rockingham Superior Court in Brentwood, depending on the amount in dispute.

Reach Out to Welts, White, & Fontaine, P.C. to Schedule a Consultation

Contact us so our Londonderry dog bite lawyer can evaluate what happened and advise you on your family’s options. Welts, White, & Fontaine, P.C. handles dog bite claims on a contingency fee basis. The consultation covers the attack, the treatment to date, and the insurance available, and it concludes with a clear account of the next steps. If you have photographs of the injury or an animal control report, bring them with you.