New Hampshire Dog Bite Lawyer

Were you injured in a dog attack in New Hampshire?

At Welts, White, & Fontaine, P.C., we provide dog bite representation on a contingency basis, with no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you.

If you were injured in a dog attack, our New Hampshire dog bite lawyer can pursue compensation from the dog’s owner and the owner’s insurance carrier. We handle the investigation, the medical documentation, and all communication with the insurer while you continue your treatment.

Welts, White, & Fontaine, P.C. has represented injured people for 48 years, and our attorneys have tried personal injury cases before New Hampshire judges and juries. We represent adults and children injured by dogs throughout the state. Contact our office to schedule a consultation.

Dog Bite Lawyer New Hampshire

A dog bite lawyer represents people injured by a dog they did not own or keep. The work involves identifying the owner, documenting every injury, and presenting the claim to the insurer that covers the household. New Hampshire law makes that process more direct. Under RSA 466:19, the person who owns, keeps, or possesses a dog is responsible for the damage it causes, and the injured person need not show that the dog had bitten anyone before.

State health officials report that 20 to 30 animals test positive for rabies in New Hampshire every year. When an owner cannot produce current vaccination records, a bite victim may need preventive rabies treatment, and that cost belongs in the claim.

Types of Dog Bite Cases We Handle in New Hampshire

Most dog bite claims in New Hampshire begin in ordinary places: a neighbor’s driveway, a hiking trail, a relative’s kitchen. The setting determines who is responsible and which insurance policy responds, so our dog bite attorneys investigate it before anything else.

• Bites to children. Children are bitten more often than adults, and their injuries tend to be more severe. Our dog bite lawyers document the medical care, the scarring, and the emotional effects, because a child’s claim frequently includes treatment that continues for years.
• Attacks in public places. A dog that escapes a yard or slips its leash can injure walkers, runners, and cyclists on public streets and trails. We identify the owner, obtain the animal control report, and determine whether a homeowner’s or renter’s policy covers the loss.
• Bites at a friend’s or relative’s home. Many people hesitate to bring a claim against someone they know. These claims are typically paid through the owner’s homeowner’s policy, not from the owner’s personal savings.
• Knockdowns and other non-bite injuries. A large dog that jumps on an older adult or knocks a cyclist to the pavement can cause fractures and head injuries without breaking the skin. New Hampshire’s dog bite statute addresses damage caused by a dog, and that language reaches beyond bites.
• Injuries to delivery drivers and service workers. Mail carriers, delivery drivers, and utility workers encounter dogs on the job every day. An injured worker may have a workers’ compensation claim and a separate claim against the dog’s owner, and we coordinate the two.
• Bites involving a walker, sitter, or kennel. Responsibility can extend to the dog’s keeper or to anyone possessing the dog at the time of the attack. We review the arrangement between the owner and the caretaker to identify every party that may answer for the injury.
• Infected wounds and reconstructive surgery. A puncture wound that seems minor can develop into a serious infection. Deep bites to the hands or face may require plastic surgery, and we work with treating physicians to establish the full cost of care, including procedures that are still ahead.
• Attacks by dogs with a history of aggression. Prior complaints are not required to establish liability in New Hampshire. They can, however, affect how an insurer values the claim, so we request animal control records early.

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

Four Decades in New Hampshire Courtrooms

Jack S. White joined the firm in 1980. His practice has included personal injury and civil litigation tried to both judges and juries, along with a long record of arbitration and mediation. He is a past president of the Nashua Bar Association, a member of the NH Association for Justice, and was selected for the 2020 edition of Best Lawyers in America in plaintiff’s personal injury litigation. He served as managing editor of the law review at Western New England University School of Law and then clerked for a justice of the Vermont Supreme Court.

Michael J. Fontaine has practiced with the firm since 1985. He has represented injured clients for more than 35 years and is admitted in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, in both state and federal court.

Recoveries for Injured Clients

Our attorneys have recovered millions of dollars for injured clients through settlements and verdicts, including the following personal injury results:

• $1,250,000 for a pedestrian struck by a motor vehicle
• $500,000 for a big toe amputation caused by a homeowner’s lawnmower
• $450,000 for a concussion from a trip and fall at a supermarket plaza
• $250,000 jury verdict for a back injury sustained in a car accident

We handle dog bite cases on a contingency fee basis.

What Is Important to Understand About a Dog Bite Case?

Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Dog Bite Cases

New Hampshire’s strict liability rule places responsibility on whoever owns, keeps, or possesses the dog, and a parent or guardian answers for a dog owned by a minor. The injured person does not need to prove the owner was careless.

The injured person’s own conduct can, however, reduce a recovery. Under RSA 507:7-d, a person whose own fault was not greater than the defendant’s may recover, but the award is reduced in proportion to that fault.

Compensation in a dog bite case generally includes:

• Medical expenses, from emergency wound care and rabies treatment to later scar revision
• Lost wages and reduced earning capacity when an injury limits the ability to work
• Scarring and disfigurement, often the most significant element of a bite to the face or hands
• Pain and suffering, covering the physical pain of the injury and its treatment
• Emotional distress, such as anxiety around dogs that persists after the wounds close

What Are Important Aspects of a Dog Bite Case?

Three issues come up in nearly every dog bite claim in New Hampshire, and a dog bite lawyer addresses each of them early.

The first is documentation of the attack and the injuries. CDC guidance notes that nearly 1 in 5 people bitten by a dog requires medical attention, and it recommends reporting bites to animal control or the police. That report, along with photographs taken while the wounds heal, often becomes the most reliable record of the attack.

The second is possible rabies exposure, which becomes a concern when the owner can’t produce current vaccination records. In that situation, state rabies guidance directs people with a possible exposure to contact a healthcare provider immediately. The resulting treatment is a recoverable expense.

The third is insurance coverage, because most claims are paid through the owner’s homeowner’s or renter’s policy. The policy limit matters in a serious injury case, and we confirm it at the outset.

What Is the Dog Bite Case Timeline?

A dog bite case usually moves through five stages, and a New Hampshire dog bite attorney manages each of them. How long each one takes depends largely on how quickly the injuries heal.

1. Treatment and reporting. Medical care comes first, followed by a report to animal control or the police.
2. Investigation. We identify the owner and any keeper, confirm the insurance coverage, and gather witness statements along with any prior complaints about the dog.
3. Demand. Once treatment has progressed far enough to measure the injury, we send the insurer a demand supported by records, bills, and photographs.
4. Negotiation. Many claims resolve at this stage, although some require several rounds of offers and responses.
5. Litigation, if needed. Dog bite lawsuits generally must be filed within three years under RSA 508:4, and we track that filing deadline from our first meeting.

What Should You Bring to Your Dog Bite Consultation?

Bring whatever records you have to the meeting with your dog bite lawyer, even if they are incomplete, and we will request the remaining documents.

• Photographs of the wounds, the dog, and the place where the attack occurred
• Medical records, bills, and documentation of any rabies treatment
• The animal control or police report, if one was filed
• The owner’s name and address, plus contact information for any witnesses
• Letters, emails, or recorded-statement requests from an insurance company

The first meeting is a review of the facts and the available coverage. If the facts do not support a claim, we’ll tell you so directly.

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

Contact us to schedule a consultation with our New Hampshire dog bite lawyer about your claim. Welts, White, & Fontaine, P.C. represents injured clients on a contingency fee basis, meaning our attorney fee is paid only from a recovery. At the consultation, we’ll review the attack, your injuries, and any applicable coverage.