In any civil lawsuit, you must prove the defendant is liable for your injuries and losses. Therefore, there are certain details you’ll need to establish to pursue compensation successfully. The exact details of what you need to prove will depend on the state where you live and how they handle dog bite cases. One-Bite Statutes When your state follows the one-bite rule, you can only hold the dog’s owner responsible if they knew or reasonably should have known that their dog was dangerous and, therefore, prone to biting. This is the common law rule. The dog does not necessarily have to have a violent past of biting or attacking people for the owner to have known the dog might hurt others. Instead, certain behaviors can reasonably indicate a dangerous dog, including: Growling or barking at people Chasing people Fighting with other dogs Jumping on people If it is true the dog owner did not have any idea their dog might be dangerous, it can be challenging to pursue compensation for your dog bite case. However, do not let that deter you from seeking legal counsel. An attorney can craft a legal strategy to prove the owner was still negligent to get you the compensation you deserve. Strict Liability Statutes Strict liability has replaced the common law one-bite rule in many states. Instead of being lenient with dog owners, strict liability holds owners strictly liable if their dog bites or attacks someone, period. When your state operates under strict liability, there is no need to prove the dog owner knew or should have known of their dog’s dangerous tendencies. Instead, all you need to show is that the dog attacked you unprovoked, and you suffered injuries and other related losses.