Aurora Dog Bite Lawyer

The moment itself is over fast, but what follows a dog attack — the fear, the stitches, the worry about a visible scar, not knowing whether the dog was vaccinated and if you need rabies treatment — can stretch on much longer, especially when a child was the one bitten. None of that is in your head. An Aurora dog bite lawyer can deal with the owner’s insurance company so your family can focus on getting through it.

• Two decades representing Colorado’s injured: Jordan S. Levine founded Levine Law more than 20 years ago, and our Aurora-area attorneys carry that work forward. Meet the team that would handle your case.
• Millions recovered, backed by real reviews: See our multi-million-dollar case results and verdicts, and read what past clients say in their reviews.
• Every kind of injury case: From dog bites to car accidents and serious-injury claims — on a contingency basis, so you pay no attorney fee unless we win.
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Evidence in a dog bite case has a shelf life: wounds heal, an owner’s account can shift once they realize what’s at stake, and an animal-services report is easiest to secure while the bite is still fresh news. Colorado backs that urgency with a hard cutoff — most dog bite claims must be filed within two years of the attack, a full year sooner than the deadline for a car crash claim. Talking to an attorney early doesn’t commit you to anything, but it does mean the record gets built while it can still be built.

What should you do immediately after a dog bite in Aurora?

Get medical care, report the bite, and document everything before details fade. In Aurora, report the attack to Aurora Animal Services, which handles local bite investigations and the rabies quarantine of the dog.

What you do right after an attack shapes your claim. To protect it:

• Get medical care fast. Dog bites carry a high infection risk and can cause deep puncture wounds and nerve damage. Serious injuries in Aurora are often treated at the Level I trauma center at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital on the Anschutz Medical Campus. Child bite victims may go to Children’s Hospital Colorado — the region’s only pediatric Level I trauma center. Early records tie the injury to the attack.
• Report the bite to Aurora Animal Services. A report starts an official investigation and the rabies quarantine of the dog. It also creates a record of the attack that can back up a claim.
• Find out the dog and owner. Get the owner’s name, address, and any homeowner’s or renter’s insurance details, plus a record of the dog’s shots if you can.
• Take photos of the injuries and the scene. Get wounds before and after treatment, torn clothing, and where the attack happened. Collect names and numbers from any witnesses — an independent witness matters most when your account and the owner’s account do not match.

What actually happens after a dog bite in Aurora?

Attacks happen everywhere — private yards, apartment complexes, Aurora’s parks, and off-leash areas. A bite investigation and quarantine through Aurora Animal Services can take days. Records or photos showing how bad the injury is may also take time to get from your doctors.

Meanwhile, the dog owner’s homeowner’s or renter’s insurer may call you quickly — sometimes playing down the attack or hinting you provoked the dog. Early statements, given before you know the full extent of scarring, nerve damage, or emotional trauma, are often used to fight fault or shrink the claim. It’s fine to give only basic facts and turn down a recorded statement until you have talked with a lawyer.

How does Colorado’s dog bite law work?

Colorado uses a two-track dog bite law under C.R.S. § 13-21-124. Which track applies decides what you can recover, and it is the single most important issue in an Aurora dog bite case:

• Strict liability track. If the dog caused serious bodily injury or death, the owner is strictly liable — the owner is responsible even if they didn’t know the dog was dangerous, so you do not have to prove they knew. But this track pays money losses only (medical bills, lost pay, and other costs you can add up).
• Negligence track. To recover pain-and-suffering pay — pain and suffering, scarring, and emotional trauma — you must prove the owner was careless or knew the dog was dangerous. This track also covers smaller injuries that don’t reach the “serious bodily injury” level.

“Serious bodily injury” is defined by C.R.S. § 18-1-901(3)(p). It means injuries with a real risk of death, long-lasting scarring, long-lasting loss or harm to a body part, or breaks, fractures, and second- or third-degree burns. Because this definition controls which damages you can get, how the injury is documented and described matters a great deal.

What injuries are common in Aurora dog attacks?

What an insurer offers almost always tracks what the medical chart says, which is why a full workup right after the attack matters even if an injury looks minor at first. The injuries listed below can range from those that heal in a few weeks to those that cause lasting, lifelong damage.

• Infection risk starts on day one. A dog’s mouth carries bacteria that a puncture wound or deep cut drives straight under the skin, which is why these bites so often need antibiotics regardless of how the wound looks at first. If the dog’s vaccination history can’t be confirmed, a doctor may also recommend the rabies vaccine series as a precaution.
• Torn tissue below the surface. Damage to nerves or muscle can limit how a hand or limb moves long after the skin itself has closed, sometimes only showing up once surgery is already on the table.
• A mark that doesn’t fade. Scarring to the face, hands, or arms is one of the most common lasting effects of a bite, especially for child victims, who are often treated at Children’s Hospital Colorado.
• A fall can hurt as much as the bite. Being knocked down during an attack can cause head trauma or a traumatic brain injury — a risk that rises sharply when the victim is a small child.
• The fear can outlast the wound. Post-traumatic stress and a lasting fear of dogs are real, documentable harms, not just an aftereffect people are expected to shake off.

A systematic review of more than 86,000 pediatric dog bite patients found that children under 6 face a higher risk of severe injury to the head, neck, and face than older children do — the age group most likely to end up with the kind of scarring and lasting harm this list describes. Quick medical and mental-health records protect both your recovery and your claim.

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Who is liable for a dog bite in Aurora?

Under C.R.S. § 13-21-124, the dog’s owner is usually the first one held responsible. That means their homeowner’s or renter’s insurance is often the one that pays a claim. But the owner isn’t always the only person who can be held responsible.

• The dog’s owner. Strictly on the hook for serious bodily injury or death; add careless conduct on top, and pain-and-suffering money comes into play too.
• Whoever controlled the property. A landlord, HOA, or property manager who knew, or reasonably should have known, that a dangerous dog was on-site can be pulled in under Colorado’s Premises Liability Act — worth checking closely given how many Aurora residents live in shared apartment or townhome communities.
• Whoever was minding the dog. A dog-sitter, family member, or anyone else in charge of the animal at the moment it bit.

What can an Aurora dog owner argue in their defense?

Colorado’s dog bite statute (C.R.S. § 13-21-124) hands owners six defenses that show up again and again — and if one of them applies, the owner isn’t liable under the statute at all, which is exactly why a claim needs to be built to survive them from day one:

• The victim was on the property unlawfully — trespassing, in plain terms. Strict liability only protects people who had a legal right to be there when the bite happened, so if the victim didn’t, the owner generally isn’t liable under the statute at all.
• The property had a clearly posted warning, like a “No Trespassing” or “Beware of Dog” sign. A posted sign is one of the clearest ways an owner can show a visitor had no legal right to be there in the first place, which feeds directly into the trespassing defense above.
• The dog was a working police or military dog on duty. Colorado carves this scenario out entirely — a bite that happens while the dog is doing legitimate law enforcement or military work doesn’t expose the owner (typically the agency) to strict liability.
• The victim provoked the dog into attacking. When provocation is what caused the bite, the owner isn’t strictly liable at all — the dog’s reaction traces back to what the victim did, not a failure by the owner to control a dangerous animal. (That’s different from partial provocation, which only shrinks the payout rather than wiping out the claim — see below.)
• The victim was a vet, groomer, dog handler, or trainer hurt while doing that job. The law treats a bite suffered on the job by someone who works with animals professionally as an accepted risk of that line of work, not something the owner has to answer for.
• The dog was working as a hunting, herding, farm, ranch, or predator-control dog on its owner’s own property. This scenario is uncommon in a built-up city like Aurora, but it’s still on the books, and it removes strict liability just as fully as any of the others when it applies.

There’s a second hurdle even after a defense fails to fully knock out a claim: Colorado’s modified comparative negligence rule (C.R.S. § 13-21-111) lets a jury assign a percentage of blame to the victim. Get pegged at 49% or below (a partial-provocation argument, say), and the payout just shrinks by that percentage. Cross 50%, and the claim is wiped out entirely.

Attorney insight: what makes Aurora dog bite cases complex?

Colorado’s two-track dog bite law trips up most victims, because the injuries easiest to prove are not always the ones that unlock full compensation for scarring and trauma.

What makes Aurora dog bite claims complex:

• Proving the bite happened isn’t the same as proving what it’s worth. Under C.R.S. § 13-21-124, a serious bite makes the owner strictly liable for the medical bills and lost income — but the pain, the scarring, the trauma often worth the most to a jury only come through on the negligence track, and that means proving carelessness.
• A disputed classification can decide the whole case. Whether the injury clears the “serious bodily injury” bar isn’t automatic, and how that gets classified determines whether the strict-liability track is even in play.
• Expect the defense to come prepared. Provocation, trespassing, a posted warning, a working police or military dog on duty — Colorado gives owners a specific menu of arguments, and a claim that hasn’t been planned around them is vulnerable.
• Venue depends on where the attack happened. Aurora sits across Arapahoe and Adams counties, so a claim may belong in the 18th Judicial District in Centennial or the 17th in Brighton, depending on the address.
• A single percentage point can end the case. Colorado’s modified comparative negligence rule means a jury finding you 50% or more at fault — often via a provocation argument — doesn’t just reduce the recovery, it zeroes it out.
• The insurer that actually pays isn’t always obvious. Usually, the dog owner’s insurance company pays for the claim, rather than the owner paying out of their own pocket. Because so many people in Aurora rent their homes, finding the right insurance policy early is a very important part of the process.

Winning your case means being prepared for trial from day one. You need to save evidence before it disappears, have medical experts document your injuries and emotional trauma in a way a jury can understand, and research the dog’s history through Aurora Animal Services. Preparing your case this carefully from the start is essential for a successful outcome.

What damages can you recover after an Aurora dog bite?

What you can recover depends on which track applies. Money losses are available under both the strict-liability and negligence tracks. Pain-and-suffering pay requires proving the owner was careless or knew the dog was dangerous.

Money losses usually include:

• Medical bills, now and in the future, including surgery, reconstructive procedures, and rehab.
• Lost pay and a lower ability to earn while you recover.
• Other out-of-pocket costs, like counseling and medicine.

Pain-and-suffering pay — available only on the negligence track — covers pain and suffering, permanent scarring, and emotional distress.

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Legal note on Colorado’s damage caps

Money losses like medical bills and lost pay are not capped in Colorado. Pain-and-suffering pay, when you can get it through the negligence track, is limited by law. For cases filed on or after January 1, 2025, Colorado raised its cap on pain-and-suffering pay to $1.5 million under HB 24-1472. That $1.5 million cap is the one that applies to a dog bite injury claim. When the conduct is extreme or reckless, extra “punishment” damages may also apply under C.R.S. § 13-21-102. Because the two-track law controls whether pain-and-suffering pay is even possible, careful records and strategy directly affect what a claim is worth.

How long do you have to file a dog bite claim in Colorado?

Colorado gives you two years from the day of the attack to get a dog bite claim filed (C.R.S. § 13-80-102). Let that date pass, and the right to sue is generally gone for good.

Child victims work differently. Colorado law treats being under 18 as a legal “disability” that pauses the two-year clock — it doesn’t start running until the child turns 18. From there, Colorado’s tolling statute (C.R.S. § 13-81-103) gives them until whichever comes later: the normal two-year window, or two full years past their 18th birthday. In practice, that can push a child’s real filing deadline out to their 20th birthday or beyond. Because so many dog bite victims are kids, this is one of the first things worth sorting out with a lawyer.

Pitfall alert: don’t let the reporting window and evidence slip away

The evidence in a dog bite case doesn’t wait for the lawsuit deadline — it starts disappearing immediately. Skip the report to Aurora Animal Services, and there may end up being no official record that the attack, the quarantine, or the dog’s bite history ever happened, and those records can make or break a claim on the negligence track. Wounds heal, and photos stop telling the full story. Owners sometimes rehome the dog or deny ever having owned it once they sense a claim is coming. Getting the report filed and the documentation started right away protects the case on both fronts — the deadline and the proof.

Why do you need a dog bite lawyer in Aurora?

Insurance companies don’t get built to pay out generously, and dog bite claims come with enough legal wrinkles that going in without a lawyer usually means leaving money on the table. The stakes climb fast once an injury is serious, scarring won’t fade, or the owner is fighting the claim outright.

• An insurer’s job is protecting its own bottom line, which in practice means disputing fault or minimizing what scarring and emotional trauma are actually worth.
• Getting paid for pain and suffering isn’t automatic — Colorado’s two-track system requires proving the owner was careless, and insurers know that burden is exactly where claims fall apart.
• Owners have real legal defenses available to them, like provocation or trespassing, and they use them.

Opponent playbook

Two arguments come up again and again from insurers and owners in Aurora dog bite cases. One is provocation — the claim that the victim teased, cornered, or startled the dog. The other is a dispute over whether the injury even clears the “serious bodily injury” bar that triggers strict liability. Both are aimed at the same target: knocking the claim off the strict-liability track so pain-and-suffering money shrinks or disappears. Levine Law’s counter starts with locking down the Aurora Animal Services report and any prior-incident history on file, then builds out the injury’s real severity through medical experts at trauma centers like UCHealth Anschutz, and gathers witness accounts while memories are still sharp.

How a Dog Bite Lawyer Helps 

A lawyer can help when an insurer or dog owner disputes your claim. They can gather evidence, document your injuries, handle negotiations, and pursue fair compensation on your behalf.

• Build your case: Gather animal control reports, witness statements, and evidence of prior incidents.
• Document your injuries: Use medical records and expert opinions to show the full impact of the bite.
• Handle insurers: Push back against attempts to minimize your injuries or deny liability.
• Pursue compensation: Account for medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and other losses.
• Prepare for trial: If a fair settlement isn’t offered, your lawyer can take the next legal steps.

What does the dog bite claim process look like?

A claim generally moves through the same four stages: consultation, investigation, negotiation, and — when the insurer digs in — a lawsuit filed in the appropriate Colorado district court.

1. Free consultation. We walk through the attack, the injuries, and which track of Colorado’s law fits the facts.
2. Building the evidence file. The Aurora Animal Services report, medical records, photos, the dog’s bite history, and witness statements all go into the file.
3. Demand and negotiation. A documented demand goes to the owner’s insurer, backed by that evidence.
4. Settlement or litigation. If the insurer won’t negotiate fairly, the case heads to court — most often Arapahoe County District Court (18th Judicial District) in Centennial, or Adams County District Court (17th Judicial District) in Brighton for attacks in north Aurora.

Timing depends mostly on injury severity and the court’s own docket.

How do you choose the right Aurora dog bite lawyer?

Look for real experience with dog bite and injury cases, knowledge of the courts serving Aurora, clear communication, and true trial readiness — not marketing slogans.

• Does the firm have a real track record?

For more than 20 years, Levine Law has represented hurt people across the Denver metro in serious-injury and premises claims. See our case results. However, past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

• Does the attorney know Aurora’s courts? 

An attorney who already knows how the 18th Judicial District operates — and when a claim shifts to Adams County instead — along with Colorado’s two-track dog bite law, starts several steps ahead. Founding partner Jordan S. Levine helped shape Colorado insurer-accountability law in Crowell v. ICAO, the same principle that plays into many injury claims today.

• Is the firm actually ready to go to trial?

Insurers pay closer attention when they know a firm won’t hesitate to go to trial. Levine Law’s attorneys carry an AV Preeminent rating — Martindale-Hubbell’s highest peer rating for legal ability and ethics — plus recognition from Super Lawyers and the National Trial Lawyers (each based on that organization’s own standards).

• Are fees straightforward? 

Levine Law takes cases on contingency — “No Win, No Fee” — so there’s no attorney’s fee unless money is recovered, and the initial consultation costs nothing.

Client testimonials

Levine Law doesn’t yet have a published review specific to a dog bite case, but clients across the firm’s injury practice describe the same thing: an attorney who’s genuinely in their corner from the first conversation on.

“I’m very grateful for the honest, hardworking support of my attorney Sarah Freedman.” — Allison Knudsonz, Google review.

You can read more verified reviews on our Levine Law Reviews page.

Disclaimer: Client reviews are individual experiences and are not a guarantee of any particular result.

Case results that reflect real experience

Levine Law doesn’t have a dog-bite-specific verdict or settlement published online yet. What the firm does have is a record of holding careless parties accountable whenever someone gets hurt by a danger another person should have controlled — the same underlying principle a dog bite claim runs on:

• $392,000 verdict, plus interest — a landlord let an apartment’s interior stairs stay in a dangerous, defective state. The tenant fell and broke her ankle, ran up about $77,000 in medical bills, and had been offered just $500 by the insurer before the jury returned its verdict.
• $925,000 settlement — a driver ran a red light and struck a pedestrian crossing the street, who suffered two broken legs and spent a week in the hospital.

More outcomes are listed on our Cases & Verdicts page.

Disclaimer: Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome; every case is decided on its own facts.

Areas served

Levine Law represents dog bite victims throughout Aurora and the Denver metro. Explore our Aurora personal injury hub, or our resources for neighboring communities:

• Denver
• Lakewood
• Glendale
• Boulder
• Colorado Springs
• Fort Collins
• Loveland

We also handle related injury matters in Aurora, including car accidents and bicycle accidents. For the statewide legal framework, see our Denver dog bite, premises liability, and personal injury hubs.

Local resources

Emergency & Trauma Care (Aurora)

• UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital — Anschutz Medical Campus, 12605 E 16th Ave, Aurora, CO 80045 (Level I)
• Children’s Hospital Colorado — 13123 E 16th Ave, Aurora, CO 80045 (pediatric Level I)
• The Medical Center of Aurora (HealthONE) — Aurora hospital and emergency care

Reporting & agencies

• Aurora Animal Services — dog bite reports and rabies quarantine (City of Aurora)
• Aurora Police Department Records — Records Section 303-739-6320, 15001 E. Alameda Parkway
• Colorado Revised Statutes — Dog Bite Law (C.R.S. § 13-21-124)

Courts

• Arapahoe County District Court (18th Judicial District) — Arapahoe County Justice Center, 7325 S. Potomac St., Centennial, CO 80112 (clerk 303-645-6600)
• Adams County District Court (17th Judicial District) — Brighton (for north Aurora)

Disclaimer: We provide these resources for convenience only; we do not endorse or profit from them.

Frequently asked questions

Is a dog owner automatically liable for a bite in Colorado?

No — it depends on how bad the injury is and the circumstances of the incident. C.R.S. § 13-21-124 makes an owner strictly liable for economic losses when a bite causes serious bodily injury or death, and it doesn’t matter whether they knew the dog was dangerous beforehand. Pain-and-suffering compensation for things like scarring is a separate matter — that requires showing the owner was careless. Having the attack on file with Aurora Animal Services tends to strengthen either kind of claim.

How long do I have to file a dog bite claim in Colorado?

The general window is two years from the attack, set by C.R.S. § 13-80-102. Child victims get a different clock — Colorado law pauses (tolls) it until they turn 18. Given how often kids end up as dog bite victims, it’s worth getting the exact deadline confirmed early, while the Aurora Animal Services file and the physical evidence are both still fresh.

What counts as “serious bodily injury” in a Colorado dog bite case?

C.R.S. § 18-1-901(3)(p) draws the line at a substantial risk of death, permanent scarring, permanent loss or impairment of a body part, or breaks, fractures, and second- or third-degree burns. How your injury is labeled determines if the owner is automatically responsible for your bills. This is why getting medical records from a major hospital like UCHealth Anschutz is a key part of your case.

What defenses can a dog owner raise in Aurora?

In Colorado, dog owners have a limited list of legal defenses. For example, they might argue the person was trespassing, the property had a warning sign, the person provoked the dog, the dog was a working police or military animal, or the victim was a vet, groomer, or handler who was injured on the job (C.R.S. § 13-21-124). A claim that hasn’t accounted for these ahead of time is at a real disadvantage.

Whose insurance pays for a dog bite in Aurora?

Usually the dog owner’s homeowner’s or renter’s insurance is where the money comes from — an important point given Aurora’s large rental market. Finding the right policy early, along with the Aurora Animal Services report and the dog’s history, is a key step in pursuing a claim under C.R.S. § 13-21-124.

Contact an Aurora dog bite lawyer today.

If you or your child was bitten by a dog in Aurora, Levine Law is available 24/7 to review your claim and explain your options at no cost.

Contact us online for a free, no-obligation consultation.

Attorney Review Disclosure

This content has been reviewed by the attorneys at Levine Law to help ensure its accuracy and compliance with applicable Colorado law. Legal services are provided by attorneys licensed to practice in the State of Colorado.

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Other Cases We Take On

Beyond dog bites, Levine Law helps injured Coloradans across many practice areas:

• Car Accidents
• Truck Accidents
• Motorcycle Accidents
• Pedestrian Accidents
• Bicycle Accidents
• Premises Liability
• Slip & Fall Accidents
• Traumatic Brain Injuries
• Spinal Cord Injuries

This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes; every case is evaluated on its own facts. This content has been prepared for review by Colorado-licensed attorneys at Levine Law.