Arkansas Dog Bite Settlement Calculator

Under Arkansas's strict liability statute for dog bites, an owner is responsible for their dog's attack even on the dog's very first incident. Unlike states following the "one-bite rule," Arkansas does not require the victim to prove the owner knew of the dog's dangerous tendencies. This straightforward standard substantially simplifies liability proof in Arkansas dog bite cases.

Arkansas gives you 3 years from the date of the incident to file a lawsuit, which is in line with the national average of 2.7 years. This is a standard timeframe, but acting sooner preserves evidence and strengthens your position.

In Arkansas dog bite cases, you can recover damages only if your fault is less than 50%. If the jury finds you equally at fault (50/50), you recover nothing. This threshold makes the fault determination in dog bite cases especially consequential — the difference between 49% and 50% fault is the difference between receiving compensation and receiving nothing.

Arkansas dog bite damages typically include medical expenses (emergency care, surgery, plastic surgery for scarring, antibiotics, rabies shots), lost wages, pain and suffering, and scarring or disfigurement damages. In cases involving children or facial injuries, non-economic damages can be substantial. Arkansas courts also consider the psychological impact of a dog attack, including PTSD and cynophobia (fear of dogs), as compensable harms.