If your dog injures a person by biting, you are responsible for all of the harm suffered by the bite victim. The exceptions to this rule exist when the person was trespassing or provoking your dog. Three causes of action are available to the dog bite victim, as discussed further below.
If your dog knocks a person down, you may be responsible but establishing that type of civil claim can be much harder than a dog bite claim because strict liability does not typically attach; rather, the victim needs to establish that you were negligent, as discussed further below.