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Bitten by a dog in Tuscaloosa? You may have the right to compensation, and Krebs Personal Injury Lawyers is ready to help. A dog attack can cause deep wounds, lasting scars, and real emotional trauma, especially for children. Our team holds negligent dog owners accountable so you and your family can focus on healing.
As your Tuscaloosa dog bite lawyer, we investigate the attack, identify every source of insurance coverage, and pursue the full compensation Alabama law allows. You pay no attorney fees unless we recover money for you.
Call Krebs Personal Injury Lawyers today at (205) 843-6037 for a free case evaluation with a Tuscaloosa dog bite lawyer who will fight for your recovery.
A serious dog attack leaves you dealing with pain, medical bills, and difficult questions about who is responsible. Our team steps in so you are not facing the dog owner and their insurance company alone.
​We investigate how the attack happened, identify the dog and its owner, and gather the evidence your claim depends on. Animal control reports, medical records, photographs, and witness statements all help prove what the dog owner would rather downplay.
​From there, our attorneys handle the insurance adjusters and the negotiations while you recover. Most dog bite claims are paid through the owner's homeowner's or renter's insurance, and we push for the full value of your injuries.
​Because we work on a contingency fee basis, there is no cost to get started. You pay nothing upfront, and you owe no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you.
Alabama uses multiple rules to determine when a dog owner must pay for a bite. The applicable rule depends largely on where the attack occurred.
​Under Alabama Code Section 3-6-1, a dog owner is liable when the dog, without provocation, bites or injures a person who has a legal right to be there. This statutory liability applies when the attack occurs on property owned or controlled by the owner, or when the dog pursues someone away from that property.
​When a bite occurs elsewhere, Alabama follows a common-law rule often called the one-bite rule. In those cases, we must show the owner knew or should have known the dog was dangerous. Prior aggression, earlier complaints, or warning signs can all establish that knowledge.
It is important to note a key distinction under Alabama Code § 3-6-3. If a dog bites someone on the owner's property, the owner is liable for the victim's actual expenses, such as medical bills and economic losses, even if the dog has no prior history of aggression. However, to recover non-economic damages such as pain, suffering, and permanent scarring, we often must prove that the owner knew or should have known that their dog had dangerous propensities.
​Provocation matters under either rule. If the injured person teased, struck, or threatened the dog, the owner may have a defense. Our team gathers witness accounts and records that show the attack was unprovoked.
Dog bites often cause far more damage than people expect. A single attack can leave wounds that require surgery and months of treatment.
​The injuries we see in Tuscaloosa dog bite cases include:​
Children face the highest risk in dog attacks because of their size, and their injuries are frequently to the face and head. These wounds can require reconstructive surgery and leave lasting emotional effects.
​Serious dog bites often demand ongoing care long after the wound closes. Scar revision, counseling for anxiety, and treatment for nerve damage can continue for months or years. Our team documents these long-term needs, so your claim reflects the full cost of the attack.
Pursue Your Right To Compensation After A Dog Bite Injury
No two dog bite cases carry the same value. Your recovery depends on the severity of your injuries, the cost of your care, and whether we can establish the owner's knowledge of the dog's history.
Under Alabama law, if the owner can prove they had no reason to know the dog was dangerous, recovery may be limited to economic actual expenses. Our team gathers evidence, such as prior complaints, neighbor testimony, or signs of aggression, to establish the owner's knowledge and to pursue full compensation for pain and suffering.
​Alabama law allows injured people to pursue two categories of damages. Economic damages cover measurable financial losses, including:​
Non-economic damages cover the personal toll of the attack, including:​
Alabama law may limit certain damages when the owner had no reason to know the dog was dangerous. Because these rules are complex, our team builds your claim to capture every category of compensation permitted by law.
Alabama follows one of the strictest fault rules in the country. Under the state's contributory negligence rule, an injured person found even 1% at fault for the attack can be barred from recovering any compensation.
​This rule is exactly why insurers work so hard to shift blame onto you. They may claim you provoked the dog, ignored a warning, or entered somewhere you should not have been.
​Our attorneys anticipate these tactics and build your case to counter them. We gather the evidence that keeps the focus where it belongs: on the owner who failed to control a dangerous animal.
Insurance companies rarely accept a dog bite claim without a fight. Knowing their common defenses helps us prepare for them from the start.
​The arguments we most often see include:​
Each of these defenses can be challenged with the right evidence. Our team collects witness accounts, reports, and records to address these arguments before they can derail your recovery.
​Acting early makes these defenses easier to defeat. Witness memories fade, and animal control records are easier to obtain soon after the attack. The sooner we start, the stronger your position becomes.
The steps you take after an attack can protect both your health and your claim. If you are able, keep the following in mind:​
Prompt medical care creates a record that links your injuries to the attack. That record becomes a key part of your claim.
Alabama sets a firm deadline for filing a personal injury lawsuit. Under Alabama Code Section 6-2-38, you generally have 2 years from the date of the attack to file a claim.
​Missing this deadline usually means losing your right to recover compensation, no matter how strong your case is. Different timelines can apply when the injured person is a child, so it helps to confirm your deadline early.
​Acting quickly also protects the evidence and witness accounts your case needs. The sooner we begin, the more we can do to strengthen your claim.
You may have a case if a dog bit or injured you without provocation while you were somewhere you had a legal right to be. The strongest claims involve clear liability and documented injuries. A free case evaluation is the fastest way to find out where you stand.
Our firm works on a contingency fee basis. You pay no upfront costs and owe no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you. This lets you pursue your claim without adding to your financial stress.
Most dog bite claims are paid through the owner's homeowner's or renter's insurance policy. Our team identifies every available policy so no source of compensation is missed.
You may still have a claim. When a bite happens on the owner's property, Alabama law can hold the owner liable even without a history of aggression, though the details of your case matter.
Your Recovery Deserves More Than Promises
A dog attack can disrupt your health, your finances, and your sense of safety. Krebs Personal Injury Lawyers helps injured people across Tuscaloosa hold negligent dog owners accountable and pursue the compensation they deserve.
​Our team investigates the attack, handles the insurance company, and fights for the full value of your claim under Alabama law. Attorney J.R. Krebs and our team are ready to stand with you and your family from the first call through the final resolution.
​Do not wait until the deadline to file passes and evidence fades. Call Krebs Personal Injury Lawyers today at (205) 843-6037 to speak with a Tuscaloosa dog bite lawyer and schedule your free case evaluation.
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