Georgia dog bite law in Atlanta
In Atlanta, as everywhere in Georgia, you show the owner knew the dog was dangerous or that it was off a leash a local law required. The rule is O.C.G.A. 51-2-7.
The time to sue is 2 years, set by O.C.G.A. 9-3-33. Insurers know the date too, so do not let it slip.
One more Georgia rule to know. Your share of fault: 50% or more and you recover nothing (O.C.G.A. 51-12-33(g)).
Read the full Georgia dog bite laws for the exceptions and the rules on shared fault.
Reporting the bite and filing in Fulton County
Report the bite to Fulton County Animal Services. Give the date, the place, the dog and the owner's name if you know it. The report also becomes a record for your claim.
Most of Atlanta is in Fulton County, where Fulton County Animal Services takes bite reports. The State Court of Fulton County hears injury cases; the part of the city in DeKalb County files in DeKalb instead.
If the claim does not settle, it is filed with the State Court of Fulton County.
Atlanta dog laws and a dog bite lawyer: what the free call covers
- Whether Georgia's rule fits what happened and what the owner knew about the dog.
- Whose policy pays, usually the owner's home or renters insurance.
- Your own last day to file, which comes sooner against a public body.
Want a rough number first? The settlement calculator asks three questions.
