This calculator estimates what a dog bite claim could be worth under Massachusetts law. It applies Massachusetts’s 51% bar rule, the three-year deadline to file suit and the insurance that usually pays, then shows the math line by line, including what you might take home after a lawyer’s fee.
Massachusetts holds dog owners strictly liable in most bite cases, so the main questions are how badly you were hurt and how much insurance the owner has.
Fault. Massachusetts uses modified comparative fault with a 51% bar. If you are found 20% at fault, your award drops by 20%. At 51% or more, you recover nothing. Insurers know this, so expect them to argue your share up.
Dog bite rule. Owners and keepers are strictly liable for any damage their dog causes, unless the victim was trespassing, committing a crime or teasing the dog.
Deadline. You have three years from the bite to file a lawsuit in Massachusetts. A claim against a city, county or state agency usually needs written notice much sooner, sometimes within months. Missing the deadline almost always ends the claim, and with it your leverage to settle.
Insurance. Most dog bite claims are paid by the owner’s homeowner’s or renter’s insurance, which usually carries $100,000 to $300,000 of liability coverage. Some policies exclude certain breeds or dogs with a bite history, so ask for the policy early.
Damage caps. No cap on injury damages. Medical malpractice and punitive damages can have separate limits.
Yes. Owners and keepers are strictly liable for any damage their dog causes, unless the victim was trespassing, committing a crime or teasing the dog.
Yes, as long as you were 50% or less at fault. Your award is reduced by your percentage, and at 51% or more you recover nothing. Provoking or teasing the dog is the usual argument.
three years from the bite.
Usually the owner’s homeowner’s or renter’s insurance. Report the bite to animal control and get the owner’s insurance details at the scene if you can.