Massachusetts dog bite law in Boston
The owner or keeper pays for any damage the dog does, unless you trespassed or teased it. That is M.G.L. c. 140, s. 155 and it covers a bite anywhere in Boston.
You have 3 years to file a lawsuit (M.G.L. c. 260, s. 2A). A claim can settle with the owner's insurer sooner, but the date still matters.
One more Massachusetts rule to know. Child under 7: presumed not to have provoked the dog (M.G.L. c. 140, s. 155).
Read the full Massachusetts dog bite laws for the exceptions and the rules on shared fault.
Reporting the bite and filing in Suffolk County
Report the bite to Boston Animal Care and Control. 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.
Boston Animal Care and Control handles bite reports in the city. Suffolk County Superior Court hears larger injury claims at its courthouse in Pemberton Square.
If the claim does not settle, it is filed with the Suffolk County Superior Court.
Boston dog lawyer for bite cases: what the free call covers
- Whether Massachusetts'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.
