Written by Eric A. Shore, personal injury, disability, and employment law attorney, practicing since 1994, with offices in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Florida
The Short Version
This is for anyone who wants to know what the evidence actually says about pit bull attacks. It is also for anyone who was hurt by a dog or who loves someone who was.
The answer is not simple. “Pit bull” is not one breed. It is a label that covers American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, American Bullies, and mixed breeds that look like any of them. That makes every statistic harder to read than most people realize.
What the medical literature does show is this. Pit bull type dogs appear again and again in trauma center studies involving the most severe bite injuries. A 2020 study in the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery reviewed 182 craniofacial cases at a Level 1 trauma center and found pit bulls were linked to more complex wounds and more unprovoked attacks. In fatality data tracked from 2005 through 2019, pit bulls were identified in 66 percent of the 523 recorded deaths. In 2025, U.S. insurers paid $1.862 billion in dog bite claims. The average claim was $65,450. Children face the worst outcomes because their faces and necks are at a dog’s mouth level.
At the same time, the strongest fatal-attack research finds that breed alone does not explain these cases. Neglect, poor supervision, lack of socialization, and irresponsible ownership show up in case after case.
A serious dog attack can open more than one legal claim at the same time. There may be an injury case, a disability track, and employment protections running on separate deadlines. Filing deadlines vary by state. Some are as short as one year.
If a dog attack changed your life or the life of someone you love, call the Law Offices of Eric A. Shore at 1-800-CANT-WORK. The consultation is free and we do not charge a fee unless we win.
How Do You Know If a Pit Bull Attack Caused a Serious Injury?
You know it by what happens in the days and weeks after. Not just the day of the bite.
Some injuries look minor at first. A puncture wound can drive bacteria deep into tissue. Redness appears two days later. Then swelling. Then fever. Then surgery. I have worked with people who thought they had a bad bite and learned they had nerve damage that changed how they used their hand for the rest of their life. Some victims sleep fine the first week. Then the nightmares start. Then the parking lots feel wrong. Then walking alone feels impossible.
The numbers help explain why. The American Veterinary Medical Association estimates 4.5 million Americans are bitten by dogs each year. About 800,000 need medical attention. More than half of all serious bite victims are children. According to the Insurance Information Institute and State Farm, insurers paid $1.862 billion in dog bite claims in 2025 across 28,450 claims. The average claim reached $65,450.
A pit bull attack does not always mean a trip to the emergency room and home the same night. It can mean reconstructive surgery. Skin grafts. Months of physical therapy. Years of anxiety.
Timing matters. Evidence matters. These cases are won or lost on both.
“People apologize to me for making a fuss over a dog bite. Then they show me the scar. Then they tell me they have not slept through the night since. That is not a fuss. That is a real injury.”
Eric A. Shore, Law Offices of Eric A. Shore
What Does the Medical Research Show About Pit Bull Injuries?
The research shows that pit bull type dogs appear repeatedly in studies of the most severe dog bite injuries.
There is no federal database that tracks every dog bite by verified breed. Researchers use trauma center records, hospital data, and peer-reviewed studies instead. A 2020 study published in the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeryreviewed 182 craniofacial dog bite cases at a Level 1 trauma center in West Virginia. The researchers found that pit bull terriers were associated with more complex wounds, more unprovoked attacks, and more attacks that occurred off the dog’s home property. A 2019 systematic review in the International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology found pit bull type dogs and mixed breeds were linked to more severe facial injuries than other breeds studied. In a 15-year review of fatal dog attacks from 2005 through 2019, pit bulls were identified in 66 percent of the 523 recorded deaths. Rottweilers were a distant second at about 10 percent.
No single study settles the question. What matters is that the same pattern appears across different institutions, different researchers, and different regions.
One important caution. Studies have shown that visual breed identification is unreliable. Shelter workers and veterinarians often disagree when identifying pit bull type dogs based on appearance alone. That means breed-specific statistics should always be read carefully.
The medical evidence does not tell you whether any individual dog is safe or dangerous. It tells you what happens when certain attacks occur. The severity findings are consistent.
When Are Pit Bull Attacks Most Likely to Cause Severe Harm?
The highest risk of severe injury falls on children and older adults.
Children’s faces and necks sit at the same height as a dog’s mouth. That is why children suffer disproportionate injuries to the head, eyes, and neck. Many children recover physically but struggle emotionally for years. Older adults face elevated risk because they may not be able to escape or defend themselves during an attack.
Most serious dog attacks happen at or near the victim’s home. The dog is usually one the victim already knows. That is the part most people do not expect. A stranger’s dog at a park is not the most common scenario. A family dog, a neighbor’s dog, or a relative’s dog appears far more often in the data.
Victims describe the same pattern over and over. The dog grabbed. The dog held. The dog shook. The dog continued. That sequence destroys tissue in seconds. Trauma surgeons describe deep puncture wounds, torn tendons, crushed tissue, nerve damage, and skin torn away from underlying muscle.
One myth should be addressed. Pit bulls do not have locking jaws. That claim is not supported by veterinary science. The severity of these attacks is more likely explained by body size, muscle mass, and the dog’s persistence during an attack.
When Is Breed Not the Whole Story?
Breed is one factor. It is not the only factor. The strongest research on fatal dog attacks makes this clear.
The same studies that identify pit bulls in the majority of fatal attacks also document what else was present. Neglect. Chaining. Lack of socialization. Failure to supervise children around dogs. Intact male dogs that were never neutered. Dogs that were abused. Owners who ignored warning signs.
Here is something most people do not realize. The same dog that was “fine for years” can become dangerous when circumstances change. A new baby. A new household. Less supervision. More stress. A dog that was socialized and supervised its entire life is not the same risk as a dog that was chained in a yard for three years.
This does not mean breed is irrelevant. It means that reducing severe dog attacks to one cause misses the picture. The medical literature treats breed as a risk factor, not a verdict. That distinction matters for victims and for anyone trying to prevent the next attack.
I have sat across from people who told me the dog had always been gentle. They were not lying. They were describing a dog that had never been in that situation before. The gentleness was real. The injury was also real.
What Injuries Do Pit Bull Attack Victims Suffer?
The injuries range from treatable bites to permanent disability.
Facial injuries requiring reconstruction. Surgeons repair torn tissue, reset broken bones, and graft skin. Some victims need multiple surgeries over months or years. Children are especially vulnerable because their facial bones are still developing.
Hand and arm injuries. Victims instinctively raise their arms to protect their face. That is how tendons get severed, nerves get crushed, and grip strength disappears. I have worked with people who could not button a shirt six months after an attack.
Eye injuries. Some attacks cause partial or complete vision loss. These injuries often require immediate surgical intervention and long-term follow-up.
Nerve damage. Numbness, tingling, weakness, and chronic pain can persist indefinitely. Nerve injuries do not always show up on a standard exam.
Amputations. Fingers, ears, and other body parts can be lost in severe attacks.
Permanent scarring and disfigurement. Visible scars affect how people feel about themselves for the rest of their life.
Psychological injuries. Post-traumatic stress disorder. Anxiety. Depression. Panic attacks. Nightmares. Social withdrawal. Fear of animals. Loss of confidence. These are real injuries. They deserve treatment and they deserve recognition in any legal claim.
The average dog bite hospitalization runs roughly $18,200. Severe attacks cost far more. Multiple surgeries, therapy, lost wages, and long-term care can push the real cost into six figures.
What If a Dog Attack Leaves You Unable to Work?
Most people think a dog attack creates one legal problem. Often it creates several.
The injury itself is one track. That is the personal injury claim for medical bills, lost wages, pain, scarring, and future care. Insurance usually pays. Homeowners and renters policies typically cover dog bite liability up to $100,000 to $300,000.
But what happens when the injury keeps you out of work for months? What if you cannot go back at all?
What Is a DISINJURY™ Case?
DISINJURY™ is the term we use for what happens when an injury or illness causes lasting inability to work and earn. Most firms handle injury cases or disability cases. We handle both, which matters because the same event often triggers benefits on multiple tracks at once.
Picture a delivery driver who is attacked by a dog on a residential porch. The bite tears tendons in his dominant hand. He has surgery. He starts physical therapy. Three months later he still cannot grip a steering wheel. He has a personal injury claim against the dog’s owner. He may also qualify for short-term disability benefits through his employer’s insurer. If the disability lasts 12 months or longer, he may qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). In 2026, the average SSDI benefit is $1,630 per month. The substantial gainful activity (SGA) limit is $1,690 per month. If his employer fires him during recovery, he may have a claim under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Each of those tracks has its own deadline. Each one is a separate set of rights.
Most firms handle one of those. We handle all of them under one roof.
“People come in thinking they have one problem. They have a dog bite. When we finish the intake, they learn they have three. An injury claim, a disability track, and employment rights they did not know existed. Missing any one of them costs real money.”
Eric A. Shore, Law Offices of Eric A. Shore
What Should You Do Right Now After a Serious Dog Attack?
Do not wait to see how bad it gets. Act now.
Get medical treatment the same day. Even if the wound looks manageable. Infection risk from a deep bite is real. Tell the doctor exactly what happened and which part of your body was bitten. Keep every record.
Photograph everything before it heals. The wound. The torn clothing. The location. The dog if you can do so safely. Photographs taken on day one are more valuable than photographs taken at a follow-up appointment. See our dog bite checklist for a full list of steps.
Identify the dog and the owner. Get the owner’s name, address, phone number, and insurance information. Ask if the dog’s vaccinations are current. Write everything down.
Report the attack to animal control. A formal report creates an official record. It also protects the next person.
Call the Law Offices of Eric A. Shore at 1-800-CANT-WORK. Do not give a recorded statement to the dog owner’s insurance company before you talk to a lawyer. The first conversation with us is free. We have recovered more than $250 million for over 40,000 clients across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Florida. We do not get paid unless you win.
Common Questions About Pit Bull Attacks and Injuries
Are pit bulls more dangerous than other dogs?
The medical research shows pit bull type dogs appear in the majority of the most severe dog bite injury studies and in the majority of fatal attack identifications. At the same time, breed identification is unreliable and responsible ownership plays a major role in preventing attacks.
Do pit bulls have locking jaws?
No. That is a myth. Veterinary science does not support the claim. The severity of pit bull attacks is more likely explained by body size, muscle mass, and persistence during the attack.
Who is most at risk in a pit bull attack?
Children and older adults. Children’s faces and necks are at a dog’s mouth height. More than half of all serious dog bite victims are children. Most attacks involve a dog the victim already knows.
Can you file a lawsuit after a pit bull attack?
Yes. Every state has laws that allow dog bite victims to recover damages from the dog’s owner. Some states use strict liability. Others require proof of negligence or prior knowledge. Filing deadlines range from one to six years depending on the state.
What is the average payout for a dog bite claim?
In 2025, the average dog bite insurance claim was $65,450. Severe attacks involving surgery, permanent scarring, or disability result in significantly higher recoveries.
Can a dog attack qualify you for disability benefits?
Yes. If a dog bite causes injuries that keep you from working for 12 months or longer, you may qualify for SSDI. The average SSDI benefit in 2026 is $1,630 per month. That is a separate claim from the personal injury case and has its own application process.
Does the dog owner pay or does insurance pay?
In most cases, the dog owner’s homeowners or renters insurance covers the claim. That is what liability coverage is for. The claim is against the policy, not against the person’s savings account.
What should I do after a serious dog attack?
Get medical care. Photograph injuries. Identify the dog owner. Report the attack to animal control. Call the Law Offices of Eric A. Shore at 1-800-CANT-WORK before giving any statement to an insurance company.
A dog bite is bad enough. A dog attack that requires surgery, leaves nerve damage, causes PTSD, and prevents you from working is worse. The system is not set up to make this easy on you. The injury claim, the disability benefits, and your employment rights all run on separate tracks with separate deadlines. Missing any one of them costs you money you cannot get back.
I have been handling these cases since 1994. Call the Law Offices of Eric A. Shore at 1-800-CANT-WORK. Tell us what happened. We will tell you where you stand. The first conversation is free, and we do not get paid unless you win.
Eric A. Shore
Law Offices of Eric A. Shore
1-800-CANT-WORK | 1800cantwork.com
Philadelphia, PA | Drexel Hill, PA | Cherry Hill, NJ | Atlantic City, NJ | Fort Lauderdale, FL
Free consultation. No fee unless we win.
Eric A. Shore has been licensed to practice law since 1994. He founded the Law Offices of Eric A. Shore in 1999. The firm handles personal injury, SSDI and SSI, and long-term disability under ERISA. It also handles workers’ compensation and employment law. Offices are located in Philadelphia, Drexel Hill, Cherry Hill, Atlantic City, and Fort Lauderdale. Call 1-800-CANT-WORK or visit 1800cantwork.com.
