WATERBURY, CT – November 09, 2026 — Dog attacks can cause puncture wounds, infection, scarring, and lasting psychological trauma, and Connecticut law provides injured victims with a strict path to recovery. Waterbury dog bite attorney Dan Petroskey of DeFronzo & Petroskey, P.C. (https://www.defronzolawfirm.com/waterbury-dog-bite-lawyer/) has released a guide explaining who is liable after a dog attack, how the state’s strict liability statute works, what damages are recoverable, and how homeowners insurance applies to a claim.
According to Waterbury dog bite attorney Dan Petroskey, Connecticut General Statutes Section 22-357 holds a dog’s owner, keeper, or both strictly liable for damage the animal causes, without any need to prove the dog had bitten before or that the owner acted negligently. “Connecticut places financial responsibility directly on the person who chooses to own or keep the dog,” Petroskey explains. “An owner cannot avoid liability simply by showing the dog had a clean record or had never shown aggression before.”
The statute does recognize limited exceptions, and Waterbury dog bite attorney Dan Petroskey points out that liability does not attach when the injured person was committing a trespass or another tort, or was teasing, tormenting, or abusing the dog. Lawful visitors, including mail carriers, delivery drivers, meter readers, invited guests, and people on a public sidewalk, remain protected. Children under the age of seven receive additional protection, as the statute presumes a young child was not trespassing or provoking the animal, placing the burden of proof on the defendant.
Petroskey notes that more than one party can owe compensation for the same attack. Connecticut defines a keeper as a person other than the owner who harbors or possesses a dog, which can include a dog sitter, roommate, relative, or boarding facility depending on the facts. In addition, under the landmark case Giacalone v. Housing Authority of the Town of Wallingford, a landlord may face a common-law premises liability claim when they knew or should have known of a dog’s vicious propensities in an area under their control and failed to take reasonable steps to address the danger.
The guide outlines the immediate steps that most affect a claim: obtaining same-day medical care, photographing the injuries and the scene, and reporting the bite to animal control. Emergency physicians at Saint Mary’s Hospital and Waterbury Hospital treat bite wounds with irrigation, antibiotics, and tetanus or rabies prophylaxis, and those records establish the date, cause, and severity of the injuries in writing. Connecticut law requires an animal control officer to quarantine a dog that has bitten a person for ten days so the animal can be observed for signs of rabies.
Attorney Petroskey emphasizes that bite victims may recover both economic and non-economic damages. “Visible scars on the face, neck, arms, or hands often drive a significant portion of a settlement, since the disfigurement remains permanent,” he says. Economic damages cover emergency treatment, surgical repairs, medications, physical therapy, lost wages, and future costs such as scar revision surgery, while non-economic damages address pain, disfigurement, and psychological trauma including anxiety and post-traumatic stress.
Petroskey also warns about filing deadlines that depend on the legal theory involved. A statutory claim under Section 22-357 is subject to a three-year limitation period under Section 52-577, while a separate negligence claim is generally subject to the two-year period in Section 52-584. “Evidence degrades long before any formal deadline arrives,” Petroskey advises. “Witnesses relocate, scarring changes appearance, and municipal animal control files are archived, which makes early involvement essential.”
On the subject of insurance, the dog bite lawyer explains that homeowners and renters policies often include personal liability coverage that can respond to a bite claim, subject to policy terms and limits. He cautions that carriers frequently extend early settlement offers before a wound fully heals or before providers determine whether scar revision surgery will be necessary, and that accepting such an offer permanently closes the claim. Case value ultimately depends on injury severity, permanence, medical costs, lost income, scar visibility, and available coverage.
DeFronzo & Petroskey, P.C. represents dog bite victims throughout Waterbury and the surrounding New Haven County towns, including Naugatuck, Wolcott, Cheshire, Prospect, Middlebury, Southbury, Beacon Falls, Oxford, Seymour, and Meriden, with cases filed in the Waterbury Judicial District courthouse on Grand Street. The firm handles claims on a contingency fee basis, carrying forward a practice with more than sixty years of history in the community.
For those injured in a dog attack, consulting a Waterbury personal injury attorney may help preserve evidence, identify every applicable insurance policy, and protect the right to full compensation before accepting any settlement.
About DeFronzo & Petroskey, P.C.:
DeFronzo & Petroskey, P.C. is a Waterbury, Connecticut personal injury firm located at 255 Bank Street, Suite 2B, that has represented injured people in the community for more than sixty years. Led by attorney Dan Petroskey, the firm focuses on dog bite claims, motor vehicle collisions, slip and falls, and premises liability matters throughout New Haven County. For a free consultation, call (203) 756-7408.
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Company Name: DeFronzo & Petroskey, P.C.
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Phone: (203) 756-7408
Address:255 Bank St # 2b, Waterbury, CT 06702
City: Waterbury
State: Connecticut
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Website: https://www.defronzolawfirm.com/