Landlord Liability for Dog Bite Injuries
When a tenant’s dog attacks and injures someone, the dog owner is the primary liable party — but the landlord may also bear responsibility. Landlords who know that a tenant keeps a dangerous dog and fail to take action can be held liable for resulting bite injuries. This theory of liability is particularly important when the tenant lacks adequate insurance or assets to cover the victim’s damages, as the landlord’s commercial property insurance often provides a significant additional source of recovery.
At Roden Law, our landlord liability dog attack lawyers represent victims across Georgia and South Carolina who have been bitten by dogs at rental properties, apartment complexes, and leased homes. We investigate whether the landlord had knowledge of the dangerous dog and failed to act — and we pursue every available source of compensation.
Georgia Landlord Liability for Dog Bites
Georgia courts have recognized landlord liability for dog bites under the principles established in the state’s dog bite statute (O.C.G.A. § 51-2-7) and general negligence law. A landlord may be liable when they had actual knowledge that the tenant’s dog was dangerous or vicious, they had the ability to remove the dog or require the tenant to remove it (through lease provisions or local ordinances), and they failed to take reasonable action to protect others from the known danger.
Evidence of landlord knowledge includes prior bite incidents on the property reported to the landlord, complaints from other tenants or neighbors about the dog’s aggressive behavior, animal control citations or dangerous dog classifications known to the landlord, observations by property managers or maintenance workers of the dog’s aggressive tendencies, and breed restrictions in the lease that the landlord failed to enforce.
South Carolina Landlord Liability for Dog Bites
South Carolina applies the strict liability standard of S.C. Code § 47-3-110 to dog owners, but landlord liability requires a separate negligence analysis. A South Carolina landlord may be held liable when they knew the tenant’s dog was dangerous, they had the authority to require removal of the dog, they failed to exercise that authority, and the failure to act was a proximate cause of the victim’s injuries. South Carolina courts have also imposed liability on landlords who maintained control over common areas — hallways, parking lots, laundry rooms, playgrounds — where the attack occurred.
Lease Provisions and Landlord Duty
Many rental agreements include provisions addressing pets and dangerous animals. Common lease provisions include breed restrictions prohibiting specific breeds, weight limits on permitted pets, requirements for renter’s insurance with dog bite liability coverage, provisions allowing the landlord to require removal of a dangerous animal, and pet deposit and pet rent requirements. When a landlord includes these provisions but fails to enforce them — for example, allowing a tenant to keep a prohibited breed or failing to require removal after a bite incident — the landlord’s negligence is strengthened. Conversely, a landlord who has no pet policy and no knowledge of a dangerous dog faces a weaker liability claim.
Apartment Complexes and Property Management Companies
Dog attacks at apartment complexes and multi-family housing present additional liability theories. Property management companies that oversee daily operations may be liable for failing to enforce pet policies, failing to address complaints about aggressive dogs, maintaining inadequate fencing around common areas, and failing to respond to reports of loose or unleashed dogs on the property. Our attorneys investigate the roles of property owners, management companies, and on-site managers to identify every potentially liable party and source of insurance coverage.
Insurance Coverage in Landlord Liability Cases
Landlord liability claims often involve multiple insurance policies: the tenant’s renter’s insurance covering the dog owner’s liability, the landlord’s commercial property insurance covering premises liability, the property management company’s professional liability policy, and umbrella or excess liability policies. Our attorneys identify and pursue every available policy to maximize recovery. This layered approach is especially important in severe dog bite injury cases where the tenant’s renter’s insurance alone is insufficient to cover catastrophic injuries.
Why Choose Roden Law for Landlord Liability Dog Attack Cases
Our attorneys have experience holding landlords and property management companies accountable for dog bite injuries across Georgia and South Carolina. We investigate lease provisions, complaint histories, animal control records, and property management practices to build strong landlord liability cases. We work on a contingency fee basis — no fee unless we win your case.
