Winter Park Dog Bite Lawyer

Winter Park is a walking city. Residents bring their dogs to sidewalk cafés on Park Avenue, along the brick streets around Rollins College and onto the Cady Way Trail, which links Winter Park to Orlando. With that many people and dogs sharing tight spaces, bites happen, and many involve dogs whose owners were sure they would never bite.

Before founding his firm, David was a litigation partner at a large national insurance defense firm. With more than 18 years of experience, he knows how insurers judge a bite claim and what they look for to pay less. Today he uses that knowledge on behalf of injured people in Central Florida.

Your Rights Under Florida Dog Bite Law

Short answer: If a dog bites you in Winter Park while you are in a public place or lawfully on someone’s property, Florida law generally holds the owner responsible. You don’t need to show the dog had bitten before.

Florida Statutes § 767.01 and § 767.04 create what lawyers call strict liability for dog owners. The owner’s side can still raise defenses. The most common is that the injured person’s own carelessness contributed to the bite, which can reduce what they recover. Another is a clearly posted “Bad Dog” sign, which does not apply to children under 6 or to bites caused by the owner’s own negligence.

Where Dog Bites Happen in Winter Park

Short answer: Most Winter Park bites happen in shared public spaces like sidewalks, patios, trails and parks, or in apartment and condo buildings where neighbors’ dogs live close together.

Leash rules matter. On the Cady Way Trail, for example, the City requires pets to stay on a leash no longer than 6 feet and under the owner’s control (City of Winter Park). A dog that was off leash, or on a long retractable lead, where the rules required a short leash can support a claim that the owner was careless.

Who Investigates Dog Bites in Orange County

Short answer: In Orange County, you report a dog bite by calling 311, which sends an Orange County Animal Services officer to investigate. The Florida Department of Health oversees rabies prevention and the 10-day observation of the dog, and doctors also report bites they treat.

The Florida Department of Health in Orange County investigates reported animal bites and places the biting animal under a 10-day observation period to rule out rabies. Its rabies surveillance office can be reached at 407-858-1497. Orange County Animal Services investigates reported bites and decides whether a dog should be classified as dangerous.

Those records matter. The Orange County Comptroller audited the county’s dangerous dog program in 2018 and issued a follow-up report in 2023 that found most, but not all, of its recommendations had been put in place (Orange County Comptroller). Because official follow-up can be uneven, we gather bite reports, quarantine records and any prior complaints about the dog early in the case.

Dangerous Dogs and Repeat Attacks

Short answer: A dog with a prior “dangerous dog” classification is a serious red flag. Its owner has added legal duties, including required liability insurance, and a new attack can lead to criminal penalties.

Under §§ 767.11 and 767.12, a dog can be classified as dangerous if it has aggressively bitten, attacked or severely injured a person, has more than once severely injured or killed a domestic animal off its owner’s property, or has chased or approached people in a menacing way in incidents that were reported and sworn to. Once a dog is classified, its owner must register it every year, keep it in a proper enclosure, post warning signs, keep it muzzled and leashed off the property, and carry at least $100,000 in liability insurance. If a dog that was already declared dangerous attacks again, its owner can face criminal charges under § 767.13, and § 767.136 can apply when an owner recklessly ignored a dog’s known dangerous tendencies and someone was severely injured. A prior classification, that required insurance policy and any earlier complaints can all matter in your civil claim.

Who Pays for a Winter Park Dog Bite

Short answer: Insurance usually pays. In Winter Park, renter’s policies matter more than people expect, because many bites involve dogs living in apartments.

1. Renter’s insurance. Many tenants near downtown Winter Park and Rollins carry renter’s coverage, which often includes liability for the tenant’s dog.
2. Homeowner’s and umbrella policies. In Winter Park’s established neighborhoods, an owner’s homeowner’s policy, and sometimes an umbrella policy, may apply.
3. Landlord and business coverage. When a property manager, restaurant or store shares responsibility, its liability policy may also be available.

Breed matters to many insurers. Some Florida policies limit or exclude liability coverage for breeds such as pit bulls and American Staffordshire terriers, Rottweilers, Doberman pinschers, German shepherds, chow chows, huskies and Alaskan malamutes, Great Danes, mastiffs and wolf hybrids. Some go further and exclude animal liability on every homeowner’s policy they write, no matter the breed or size of the dog. Here is how several insurers that write Florida homeowner’s coverage describe their approach in their own published materials:

Insurer	How dog bite liability is treated	Source
Universal Property & Casualty	Blanket animal liability exclusion on all policy forms, regardless of breed	Florida binding guidelines
Citizens Property Insurance	Blanket exclusion: animal liability listed as not covered on its HO-3 policy, with no option to add it	HO-3 coverage worksheet
Florida Peninsula	Not included in the standard policy; owners can add animal liability for an extra premium, up to $25,000 in liability and $2,000 in medical payments	Florida Peninsula
State Farm	Does not ask about breed when writing homeowner’s or renter’s policies	State Farm
USAA	Lists dog bites as an example of what its homeowners personal liability coverage can cover	USAA

Based on each insurer’s published materials as of October 2026. Coverage depends on the specific policy and endorsements in effect on the date of the bite.

Even a $25,000 add-on can fall far short of the cost of a serious bite. When the owner’s policy excludes the dog or its limits are low, we look for other coverage, such as a landlord’s or business’s policy, an umbrella policy or your own coverage.

Florida is one of the busiest states in the country for these claims. It ranked second nationwide in the number of dog-related insurance claims every year from 2016 through 2024. In 2024 alone, insurers handled 1,821 Florida claims at an average cost of $55,680 (Insurance Information Institute and State Farm). Those figures are averages, not a prediction of any one case.

Common Injuries From Winter Park Dog Attacks

Short answer: Bites to the hands, legs and face are the most common, but falls on trails and sidewalks during an attack can cause injuries just as serious.

• Puncture wounds and torn skin that need stitches or plastic surgery
• Bites to the face and neck of young children at eye level with dogs
• Broken wrists, hips and ankles from being knocked down or pulled off a bike
• Nerve and tendon injuries in the hands and forearms
• Wound infections that need antibiotics or follow-up procedures
• Scarring, and fear of dogs that affects daily routines

Dog bites are not rare. Millions of people in the United States are bitten each year, and hundreds of thousands of them need medical care, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).

What to Do After a Dog Bite in Winter Park

1. Get checked right away. Have the bite examined and documented in your medical records. Emergency rooms that serve Winter Park include:•  AdventHealth Winter Park (Winter Park), open 24/7•  Orlando Health Children’s Arnold Palmer Hospital (Orlando), for childrenAn urgent care center or your own doctor may be fine for minor bites.
2. Identify the owner. Get the owner’s name, phone number, address and insurance details. At a restaurant or store, ask the manager to write down what happened.
3. Call the police if needed. Inside city limits, the Winter Park Police Department can respond and write a report. The chart below shows which number to use.
4. Report the bite. To report a dog bite in Winter Park, call Orange County Animal Services at 311 (or 407-836-3111). Animal Services will send an officer to investigate, and the dog will be observed for 10 days to rule out rabies.
5. Take photos and keep receipts. Photograph your wounds over time and keep every medical bill and prescription receipt.
6. Don’t settle on your own. Talk with a Winter Park dog bite lawyer like David B. Datny before you accept a check or give a statement to an insurance company.

Who to Call After a Dog Bite in Winter Park

Situation	Who to contact	Number
An attack is happening now, someone is badly hurt, or an aggressive dog is loose	Emergency dispatch	911
Reporting the bite so it is investigated and the dog is placed under rabies observation	Orange County Animal Services	311 or 407-836-3111
The owner is hostile or won’t share information, or you want a police report	Winter Park Police Department non-emergency line	407-644-1313
Rabies prevention questions and medical follow-up, especially if no doctor treated the bite	Florida Department of Health in Orange County (ask for Epidemiology)	407-858-1400

Deadline to File a Dog Bite Claim

Short answer: Most Florida negligence claims must be filed within 2 years under § 95.11(5)(a). Evidence like video from Park Avenue businesses can disappear much sooner, so it’s best to act quickly.

Why Winter Park Residents Choose The Datny Law Firm

Winter Park Dog Bite FAQ

A dog bit me on a Park Avenue restaurant patio. Can the restaurant be responsible?

Sometimes. The dog’s owner is responsible first, but a restaurant may share responsibility if it let a dog it knew was aggressive stay on its patio, ignored its own no-dogs policy, or failed to train and supervise its staff to enforce its rules. Under § 509.233, Florida restaurants may allow dogs in outdoor dining areas only where the local government has a permit program, and permitted restaurants must keep dogs leashed and under reasonable control. Breaking those rules can be evidence of negligence.

I was bitten at the off-leash area at Fleet Peeples Park. Do I still have a claim?

Often, yes. Going to an off-leash park does not mean you accepted the risk of being bitten. The owner still has to control a dog that shows aggression, though the insurer may argue you contributed to the incident.

I’m a student renting near Rollins and a neighbor’s dog bit me. Who pays?

Usually the dog owner’s renter’s insurance. If the landlord knew the dog was dangerous and did nothing, the landlord’s policy may also apply.

How do I find out whether the dog was declared dangerous before?

Orange County Animal Services keeps those records. We can request bite reports, prior complaints and any dangerous dog classification as part of your case.

A dog lunged at me on the Cady Way Trail and I fell off my bike. Is that covered?

It can be. Florida law covers damage a dog causes to people, not only bites. Injuries from a fall caused by a charging dog may be part of a claim against its owner. Learn more about Winter Park bicycle accident claims.

How much does a Winter Park dog bite lawyer cost?

Nothing up front. David handles dog bite cases on a contingency fee basis, so there is no fee unless we win your case, and the consultation is FREE.

Related Resources

• Winter Park personal injury lawyer
• Winter Park Publix accidents
• Publix enforces ban on non-service dogs

Talk to a Winter Park Dog Bite Lawyer Today

One bad encounter on Park Avenue or a lakeside path can mean months of treatment, missed work and bills. Call 407-753-7474 24/7, chat with us now or request a free case review to speak with Winter Park dog bite lawyer David B. Datny. There is no fee unless we win your case.