Personal Injury and Wrongful Death

Minnesota Dog Bite Law: Punitive Damages

Our attorneys hold dog owners accountable for
gross negligence by seeking punitive damages.

Punitive damages are meant to punish a dog owner for extremely bad behavior or gross negligence. For example, if a dog had a history of biting people and the owner let the dog run off leash, there would be a claim for punitive damages by anyone who was bitten or otherwise injured by the dog. In Minnesota, there are special rules for filing a punitive damages claim.

Free consultation about dog bite punitive damages >>

Minnesota Dog Bite Law:
Minnesota Punitive Damages Statutes

In certain cases a person bitten by a dog in Minnesota may bring a claim for punitive damages pursuant to Minn. Stat. §549.191 and §549.120 against the owner or keeper of the dog.  Punitive damages are meant to punish behavior as a deterrent to future, similar behavior.  Punitive damages are awarded where compensatory damages (money for loss of income, medical expenses, pain and suffering, disfigurement) are deemed an inadequate remedy.   

Punitive Damages Claim in a Minnesota Dog Bite Case

In Minnesota, the dog bite attorney would claim that the conduct of the defendant (dog owner or keeper) could lead a reasonable person to believe that the defendant acted with deliberate disregard for the rights and safety of others in the way he handled, raised, kept, cared for and restrained and/or failed to restrain the dog the defendant owned or kept, including having knowledge of the dangerous propensities of the dog, thereby leading to a high probability of injury to the rights and safety of others.

The following are some situations that may lead to an award for punitive damages under Minnesota dog bite law:

  • The owner of the dog specifically trained the dog to randomly attack people.
  • The dog had bitten or otherwise attacked someone in the past.
  • The dog was known to be extremely aggressive.

Generally, under Minnesota dog bite law, to obtain punitive damages, the evidence must show that the owner or keeper of the dog failed to adequately restrain the dog or otherwise keep the dog from harming others.

Video: Attorney Discusses MN Dog Bite Lawsuit 

In the video below, dog bite attorney Brendan Flaherty discusses Minnesota dog bite law and facts that may provided the basis for a punitive damages claim.

Free Consultation with Minnesota Dog Bite Attorney

Our law firm has successfully obtained punitive damages in a dog bite case.  If you would like a free consultation with a Minnesota dog bite attorney at PritzkerOlsen, P.A., please call 1-888-377-8900 (toll-free) or (612)338-0202, email our Minnesota dog bite attorneys or submit our case consultation form.

Keywords: Minnesota dog bite law, punitive damages, Minnesota dog bite lawsuit, Minnesota dog bite attorney, lawyer, Minnesota pit bull attack, pit bull bite, dog attack, Minnesota Rottweiler attack, Rottweiler bite, named Minnesota "Super Lawyer," "Top 40 Minnesota Personal Injury Super Lawyer," listed in The Best Lawyers in America.


Free Case Consultation





Logos

Firm News

The Best Lawyers in America

Minnesota dog bite attorney Fred Pritzker has been notified that he will again be listed in The Best Lawyers in America for his work in personal injury and wrongful death litigation and settlement negotiations.

 

Top 40 Minnesota Personal Injury Lawyer

In recognition of his achievements, Fred Pritzker was selected as a "Top 40 Minnesota Super Lawyer." Law & Politics magazine performs the polling, research and selection of Super Lawyers “in a process designed to identify Minnesota lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.”

 

Minnesota Dog Bite Law: Punitive Damages

Our law firm has obtained punitive damages in a Minnesota dog bite case. Punitive damages are meant to punish behavior as a deterrent to future, similar behavior.

 

Pit Bull Bite and Pit Bull Attack

Pit bull bites and pit bull attacks can cause serious injury or death. There is usually a claim for disfigurement due to a face bite, arm bite, leg bite, etc. Pit bulls can also bite the head or neck and cause death. There have also been cases of amputation.

 

Rottweiler Attack and Killed by Rottweiler

Rottweilers are ranked second behind Pit Bulls for number of fatal human attacks. With a Rottweiler dog bite injury, there is almost always a claim for disfigurement because a dog bite makes jagged tears in the skin and very frequently there is loss of soft tissue. If the victim survives a bite to the face, neck, arms or legs, they are scarred physically and emotionally for life.

 

This is attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. The result of each case is determined by the specific facts and the applicable law.