Colorado Dog Bite Settlement Calculator & Compensation

How Colorado Handles Dog Bite Claims

Colorado uses two legal paths to hold dog owners accountable:

1. Strict Liability (C.R.S. § 13-21-124)

If the dog causes serious bodily injury (SBI)—like disfigurement, permanent disability, or risk of death—the owner is liable even if the dog never bit before.

2. Negligence (a.k.a. the “One-Bite Rule”)

If the bite isn’t serious, but the owner knew or should have known the dog was dangerous (e.g., past snapping, loose fence, off-leash), you can sue under negligence.

If there’s no serious injury and no owner negligence? Sorry—you likely can’t file a claim.

What the Colorado Dog Bite Calculator Estimates

The calculator looks at 5 key areas:

1. Liability

• Did the bite cause Serious Bodily Injury (SBI)?
• Did the owner act negligently (e.g., let dog roam, ignored past aggression)?

2. Comparative Fault

• Were you trespassing?
• Did you provoke the dog?
• Colorado uses a modified comparative fault rule. If you’re 50% or more at fault, you get nothing.

3. Injury Severity

• Where and how badly you were bitten.
• The Dunbar Scale measures bite severity (from shallow scratches to fatal attacks).
• Adds impact multipliers for:
  • Face injuries
  • Scarring
  • Disability
  • PTSD or trauma

4. Economic Damages

• Medical bills (past and future)
• Lost wages
• Property damage
• These are real dollar losses and always included in claims.

5. Insurance Limits

• If the dog owner has homeowner’s or renter’s insurance, there may be a payout cap.
• No insurance? You may still win in court—but collecting might be harder.

How Compensation Is Calculated

Here’s the formula (simplified for humans):

Economic Damages 
+ Pain & Suffering (adjusted for severity) 
– Your Percentage of Fault 
= Estimated Settlement (Capped by Insurance)

Example:

You have:

• $10,000 in medical bills
• A serious bite to the face
• PTSD
• Dog owner was negligent
• You were 25% at fault
• Owner’s insurance policy is $300,000

The calculator could show:

• Economic Damages: $10,000
• Pain & Suffering: $90,000 (adjusted for injuries and trauma)
• Subtotal: $100,000
• 25% Fault Deduction: –$25,000
• Final Settlement Estimate: $75,000

Important Warnings the Calculator Shows

The calculator is smart—it gives alerts when:

• You don’t qualify for a claim under Colorado law
• Your pain & suffering damages hit the legal cap (usually ~$730K or ~$1.46M for permanent injuries)
• Your fault is too high to recover anything

What This Tool Does NOT Do

This is not a legal verdict. It’s an educational estimate—not legal advice. It doesn’t:

• Guarantee any payout
• Consider emotional factors from judges or juries
• Replace a real attorney

Why This Calculator Is Unique

This isn’t just a math tool. It’s custom-coded for Colorado law using:

• State-specific injury definitions (SBI vs. minor)
• Dunbar bite severity scale
• Liability multipliers for negligence, age, gender, and more
• Damage caps set by Colorado Revised Statutes
• Fault-based reductions per comparative negligence law

It’s an interactive, data-driven tool built to give you a clear, realistic snapshot of what your case might be worth.

What You Should Do Next

If you believe you have a case:

1. Use the calculator to estimate your settlement.
2. Save or screenshot your results.
3. Talk to a Colorado personal injury lawyer. Bring your results—they’ll help refine your case.

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