Wisconsin Dog Bite Settlement Calculator & Compensation

What Is the Wisconsin Dog Bite Settlement Calculator?

The Wisconsin Dog Bite Settlement Calculator is an interactive online tool designed to help victims estimate the potential value of a dog bite claim. It considers economic losses, pain and suffering, and legal fault—using multipliers based on victim details, injury severity, and state statutes.

It’s based on two key Wisconsin laws:

• Strict Liability Law (Wis. Stat. § 174.02): The dog owner is responsible for injuries caused by their dog, regardless of prior aggression or warning signs.
• Modified Comparative Fault (Wis. Stat. § 895.045): A victim’s compensation may be reduced if they’re found partly at fault—but recovery is barred if they’re more than 51% responsible.

How Wisconsin Calculates Dog Bite Compensation

Dog bite settlements in Wisconsin typically include two main categories of damages:

1. Economic Damages (Tangible Losses)

These are out-of-pocket financial costs that can be proven with receipts or records:

• Medical expenses: Hospital bills, surgeries, medications, therapy, follow-up visits
• Future medical care: Ongoing treatment, reconstructive surgery, or scar revisions
• Lost wages: Time off work or reduced earning ability
• Property damage: Torn clothing, broken glasses, or damaged personal items

In the calculator, you’ll enter values for each of these fields. The tool adds them to produce your total economic damages.

2. Non-Economic Damages (Pain & Suffering)

This includes compensation for the emotional and physical impact of the bite—scarring, trauma, and lifestyle disruption.

The calculator uses multipliers (based on severity) to estimate this value:

• Bite Severity (Dunbar Scale): Ranges from minor nips to life-threatening attacks
• Injury Type: Whether the bite caused nerve damage, scarring, or fractures
• Permanent Effects: Partial or full disability increases the multiplier
• Psychological Trauma: PTSD or anxiety can add substantial weight

For example, a deep puncture wound to the face with scarring and PTSD would score higher than a shallow bite on the arm with no lingering effects.

Victim Factors That Influence Settlements

The calculator adjusts the estimate using demographic and situational multipliers:

• Age of Victim: Children under seven are legally presumed incapable of negligence (Wis. Stat. § 891.44), so fault isn’t applied.
• Gender: Female victims may see slightly higher pain and suffering multipliers due to facial scarring concerns.
• Incident Location: If the victim was trespassing or provoking the dog, fault is assigned.
• Provocation: “Unprovoked” bites result in full liability; “significant provocation” can cut settlement value dramatically.

The 51% Fault Bar Rule

Wisconsin follows a “51% bar” rule.
If you’re 51% or more at fault, you cannot recover any damages.
If your share of fault is below 51%, your payout is reduced proportionally.

Example:

• Total calculated damages: $100,000
• Your fault: 25%
• Final payout: $75,000

The calculator automatically applies this reduction and issues a warning if fault exceeds the legal limit.

Example Calculation

Let’s break down a sample scenario:

Result:

• Economic damages: $8,000
• Pain & suffering (multiplied): ≈ $60,000
• Estimated total settlement: ~$68,000

If the owner’s insurance policy limit is $50,000, your settlement would be capped at that amount.

Why This Calculator Is Useful

• Quick Insight: Gives victims an instant estimate before speaking with a lawyer.
• Transparency: Shows how each factor influences compensation.
• Educational Value: Explains Wisconsin’s unique comparative fault system in practice.

However, it’s not a substitute for legal advice. Every case has unique details—like prior bite history, breed aggression, or city ordinances—that can change the outcome.

Legal Considerations in Wisconsin

1. Double Damages for Repeat Offenders: If the dog has bitten before, owners may owe double damages under Wisconsin law.
2. No “One-Bite” Rule: Unlike many states, Wisconsin holds owners strictly liable even for a dog’s first attack.
3. Insurance Caps: Most homeowner policies cover dog bites up to $100,000–$300,000. Claims beyond that may require personal asset recovery.

Key Takeaways

• Wisconsin dog bite victims can claim economic and non-economic damages under strict liability.
• Fault over 51% eliminates recovery entirely.
• Children under seven cannot be found negligent.
• The calculator offers an accurate ballpark estimate, not a legal verdict.
• Consulting a Wisconsin personal injury attorney ensures you capture the full value of your claim.