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Dog Bite Claims Are on the Rise

By Jason Bottlinger on February 19, 2026

People may dismiss dog bites as minor injuries, but they are far more costly than most people assume. Dogs have filthy mouths that often contain dangerous bacteria, parasites, and viruses that are spread through their saliva. Even a mild bite may require expensive medication, and more violent ones can cause disabilities, scarring, and emotional trauma, which also amount to an expensive bill.

The experienced Omaha dog bite attorneys at Bottlinger Law L.L.C. can assist you with your claim and answer any questions you may have.

Dog Bite Statistics

In a recent year, insurers paid out a record-setting $1.57 billion for dog-related injury claims across the United States. This staggering figure marks the highest total ever recorded and reflects a sharp rise in both the frequency and severity of these incidents.

Each year, dogs bite more than 4.5 million people nationwide, with about 885,000 people seeking medical attention. Nearly 370,000 of these dog bite victims require emergency room treatment.

The average cost per dog bite claim climbed to $69,272 in 2024, a steep 18% increase from the previous year’s average of $58,545. This figure demonstrates how medical costs, lost wages, and other damages have significantly driven up the value of these claims.

Beyond the financial impact, the human toll remains deeply concerning. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 96 people died from dog bites in a recent year. Locally, the U.S. Postal Service reports that Omaha ranked 19th in the nation for dog attacks on mail carriers.

How Are Claims Calculated?

When someone is attacked by a dog, they can suffer extensive trauma throughout the body. Victims who have been admitted to emergency rooms have reported suffering deep lacerations, blood loss, broken bones, and infections, as well as emotional distress. In the long-term, victims may require plastic surgery to heal scars and disfigurements, such as costly skin graft procedures.

Overall, a bite from a dog is more than a minor scrape and bruising. So if you were attacked by a dog, the state of Nebraska allows you to file a claim against the owner under certain circumstances. Through a claim, a victim can recover both the economic costs and noneconomic costs of a bite.

Economic costs include all of the financial damages you have suffered due to the attack. While the bulk of this will include your medical bills, it can also include lost wages if you had to take time off of work to recover. By contrast, noneconomic costs include all of the non-financial damages brought on by the bite, such as emotional distress, physical pain, and loss of enjoyment of certain activities.

Altogether, a dog bite victim can pursue:

• Medical expenses, including emergency treatment, surgeries, physical therapy, and medication
• Lost wages or lost potential earnings if the victim was disabled in the attack
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress and mental anguish

It is important to understand that most dog bite claims are covered under homeowner’s insurance policies, which generally have policy limits from $100,000 to $300,000. As seen by the average value of a Nebraska dog bite claim, a claim may not reach these policy limits, but the option is still there for seriously injured victims.

If you or someone you love has been attacked by a dog, you may be eligible for compensation for your injuries and should not hesitate to contact an Omaha dog bite attorney at Bottlinger Law L.L.C. We have seen just how devastating these attacks can be and firmly believe that victims deserve full compensation for their injuries.

To get started on a claim, contact our office at (402) 505-8234.