Dog Bite Lawyer Mississauga

Ontario Has No "One Free Bite" Rule

This is the single most important thing to understand about a Mississauga dog bite claim. In some jurisdictions an owner escapes liability for a dog's first attack because they had no prior warning it was dangerous. Ontario is not one of them.

Under the Dog Owners' Liability Act the owner is strictly liable for damages resulting from a bite or attack — regardless of whether the dog had ever shown aggression, and regardless of whether the owner was careless. You do not need to prove negligence. You need to prove the dog bit you and that you suffered damages.

The Act also applies where a dog bites or attacks another person's domestic animal and it extends to attacks that cause injury without a bite at all — for example, a large dog knocking an elderly person down.

Who Actually Pays a Dog Bite Claim?

Almost never the owner personally. Dog bite claims in Mississauga are typically paid by the owner's home or tenant insurance liability coverage, which exists precisely for this. This matters because many bite victims know the owner — a neighbour, a friend, a relative — and hesitate to claim. You are claiming against a policy, not against a person's savings.

Why Dog Bite Injuries Are Undervalued

Insurers routinely treat bites as minor puncture wounds. In reality the lasting damage is often:

• Permanent scarring and disfigurement — especially facial, which carries significant general damages
• Nerve damage in the hand or forearm, affecting grip and work capacity
• Infection — bites carry a high infection rate, sometimes requiring surgical debridement
• Psychological injury — PTSD, anxiety and lasting cynophobia, particularly in children

Children are bitten disproportionately, and are far more likely to be bitten on the face and head because of their height. A child's facial scarring claim is a serious, high-value matter — and note that the two-year limitation period does not begin to run for a minor until their 18th birthday.

What Your Mississauga Claim Could Be Worth

• Minor puncture, full healing: $5,000 – $20,000
• Bite requiring stitches, modest scarring: $20,000 – $60,000
• Significant or facial scarring: $60,000 – $200,000
• Nerve damage / permanent functional loss: $150,000 – $500,000+
• Child facial disfigurement: often the highest — future surgeries and lifelong impact

What To Do After a Mississauga Dog Bite

1. Get medical attention immediately — infection risk is real, and it documents the injury.
2. Identify the owner and get their name, address and insurance details.
3. Report to Peel Region Animal Services — this creates the official record.
4. Photograph the wound the same day, then weekly as it heals and scars.
5. Get witness names and contact details.
6. Ask about the dog's vaccination history.
7. Call a lawyer before speaking to the owner's insurer.