Dog Bite Settlements in Colorado | Conduit Law

The Insurance Information Institute says the average dog bite liability claim in 2023 was $64,555. That number has climbed 50% in just 10 years.

But here’s the thing about averages—they’re useless for predicting your case. A superficial bite on the forearm and a disfiguring facial attack both get tossed into the same average. One settles for $8,000 and the other for $750,000. The average tells you nothing.

What actually determines your dog bite settlement in Colorado? Let’s get specific.

Dog Bite Settlement Ranges by Severity

Based on Colorado cases and national data, here’s a realistic picture of what dog bite claims settle for:

Injury Severity	Typical Injuries	Settlement Range
Minor	Superficial bite, minor puncture, no scarring, quick recovery	$5,000–$20,000
Moderate	Deep lacerations, stitches required, visible scarring, infection	$20,000–$75,000
Serious	Facial injuries, nerve damage, broken bones, surgery required	$75,000–$250,000
Severe/Catastrophic	Disfiguring facial scars, multiple surgeries, permanent disability, child victim	$250,000–$1M+

These ranges are broad because the specific facts of each case create enormous variation. But the factors that push your case toward the higher end are predictable.

The 7 Factors That Drive Settlement Value

1. Scarring and Disfigurement

This is the single biggest value driver in dog bite cases. Unlike car accidents, where the primary damages are pain and medical bills, dog bites leave visible, permanent marks on the human body.

Facial scarring commands the highest settlements. A scar on your cheek, lip, or forehead is something you—and everyone who looks at you—will see every single day. Courts and juries assign substantial value to this kind of permanent change.

Factors that increase scar-related damages:

• Location (face > arm > leg > torso)
• Size and visibility
• Whether it affects facial expression or movement
• The victim’s age (younger = more years living with it)
• Whether plastic surgery can improve it (and the cost of that surgery)

2. Medical Treatment Costs

Dog bite medical costs add up fast. Emergency room visits alone average $3,000–$7,000. Add surgery, wound care, antibiotics, plastic surgery consultations, and follow-up visits—a moderate dog bite easily generates $10,000–$30,000 in medical bills.

Critical for your settlement: future medical expenses count too. If you’ll need scar revision surgery in 2 years, or ongoing physical therapy for nerve damage, those projected costs get added to your claim. An attorney will work with medical experts to document these future needs.

3. The Victim’s Age

Children receive higher settlements for the same injuries. The reasons are both practical and emotional:

• Children are bitten on the face and head far more often than adults
• Facial scars on a child change as they grow—often becoming more prominent
• Psychological trauma from a childhood dog attack can last decades
• Juries are extremely sympathetic to injured children
• A child lives with scarring for more years than an adult would

4. Psychological Impact

Dog attack PTSD is real and recognized. Symptoms include nightmares, flashbacks, fear of dogs, avoidance of places similar to where the attack occurred, anxiety, and depression. In children, behavioral regression (bedwetting, clinginess, school refusal) is common.

A mental health professional documenting PTSD or anxiety disorder related to the attack adds significant value to your claim—because it proves the injury extends far beyond the physical wound.

5. Lost Income

Time missed from work for medical treatment, recovery, and the inability to perform job duties with an injured hand, arm, or face. For severe cases, reduced earning capacity—a surgeon with nerve damage in their hand, a model with facial scarring, a construction worker who can’t grip tools.

6. The Dog Owner’s Conduct

Insurance companies calculate settlement offers partly based on “what would a jury do?” Owners who make juries angry produce higher settlements:

• Prior complaints about the dog’s aggression that were ignored
• Violating leash laws
• Keeping a breed banned or restricted by local ordinance
• Knowing the dog had bitten before
• Letting children interact unsupervised with a known aggressive dog
• Showing no remorse or concern after the attack

7. Insurance Coverage Available

The practical ceiling on most dog bite settlements is the liability limit of the owner’s homeowner’s insurance. Standard policies carry $100,000–$300,000 in liability coverage, though umbrella policies can extend that to $1M or more.

If the owner is a landlord with a commercial policy, a business with general liability insurance, or carries an umbrella policy, the available coverage—and therefore the realistic settlement ceiling—increases substantially.

How Insurance Companies Lowball Dog Bite Claims

You’ll recognize these tactics:

Minimizing the Scar

“It’s barely visible.” “It’ll fade with time.” “Makeup can cover it.” The adjuster is trying to deflate the disfigurement damages—which are often the largest component of the claim. Don’t accept this. Scars from dog bites are permanent tissue damage, and “you can cover it up” is not a legal defense against disfigurement.

Blaming You

They’ll argue provocation, trespassing, or contributory negligence. “Why did you approach the dog?” “You should have known better.” Under Colorado’s comparative fault rules, if they can pin 30% fault on you, your settlement drops 30%. They’ll push for every percentage point.

The Quick Lowball

A fast offer before you know the full extent of your injuries. Before scar maturation (scars take 12–18 months to reach their final appearance). Before you’ve completed treatment. Before the psychological impact is fully documented. They want you to settle before you understand what your case is actually worth.

Denying Psychological Damages

“Everyone’s scared after a dog bite. That’s normal, not a medical condition.” This is why professional documentation matters. A diagnosed anxiety disorder or PTSD is a medical condition—not just “being scared.”

The Settlement Timeline

Dog bite cases often take longer than people expect—for good reason:

• Months 1–6: Medical treatment, wound healing, initial scar formation
• Months 6–12: Scar maturation (final appearance takes 12–18 months), psychological treatment
• Months 12–18: Maximum medical improvement, demand letter, negotiation
• Months 18–24+: Litigation if necessary

The reason for waiting: settling before scar maturation is leaving money on the table. A scar that looks angry and red at 3 months may fade significantly—or may not. You need to know before you settle, because once you sign, there’s no going back.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is a dog bite on the face worth?

Facial dog bite settlements are among the highest in personal injury law. A moderate facial scar with no surgery might settle for $50,000–$100,000. Severe facial disfigurement requiring reconstructive surgery can reach $250,000–$750,000+, especially if the victim is a child.

Will the dog be put down?

That’s an animal control decision, separate from your civil claim. Dogs that cause serious injury may be declared “dangerous” and subject to restrictions or euthanasia under local ordinances. Your settlement claim and the dog’s fate are handled independently.

Do I need a lawyer for a dog bite claim?

For minor bites with no scarring, you might handle it yourself. For anything involving scarring, surgery, infection, a child, or significant medical bills—yes. Insurance companies aggressively lowball unrepresented claimants, especially on disfigurement damages. Read about Colorado’s strict liability law to understand why legal expertise matters.

What if the owner’s insurance denies the claim?

Insurance denials in dog bite cases are often based on policy exclusions for certain breeds, disputes about the circumstances, or claims that you were trespassing or provoked the dog. An experienced dog bite attorney knows how to challenge these denials and, if necessary, file a lawsuit to get around the insurance company’s stonewalling.

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Disclaimer: This blog post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult with an attorney for advice regarding your specific situation.

Your dog bite case has a real, quantifiable value. Don’t let the insurance company tell you otherwise. Call Conduit Law—free consultation, and we don’t get paid unless you do.