What Is a Dog Bite Case in Savannah, GA?

If you’ve been injured in a Savannah, GA accident, Roden Law’s Dog Bite Lawyers are here to help. Our Savannah office serves victims throughout Savannah, Pooler, Richmond Hill, Hinesville, Statesboro, Brunswick, and surrounding Southeast Georgia communities. Why Choose Roden Law for Your Savannah Dog Bite Lawyer Case? Our attorneys have recovered over $300 million for […]

— Reviewed by Eric Roden, Founding Partner, CEO at Roden Law

Key Takeaways

If you were injured in a dog bite in Savannah, Georgia, you generally have 2 years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit (O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33). Georgia follows a modified comparative negligence rule — you can still recover as long as you are Modified — recover if less than 50% at fault, with your award reduced by your percentage of fault. There is no cap on compensatory damages in an ordinary Georgia injury case. Roden Law represents Savannah injury victims on a contingency fee: the consultation is free and there is no fee unless we win.

If you’ve been injured in a Savannah, GA accident, Roden Law’s Dog Bite Lawyers are here to help. Our Savannah office serves victims throughout Savannah, Pooler, Richmond Hill, Hinesville, Statesboro, Brunswick, and surrounding Southeast Georgia communities.

Why Choose Roden Law for Your Savannah Dog Bite Lawyer Case?

Our attorneys have recovered over $300 million for personal injury victims across Georgia. We handle every case on a contingency fee basis — you pay nothing unless we win your case. Our Savannah team regularly appears before the Chatham County Superior Court and understands local procedures and filing requirements.

Georgia Personal Injury Law

Under Georgia law, injured parties have a limited time to file a personal injury claim. In Georgia, the statute of limitations for most personal injury cases is 2 years from the date of injury (O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33). Georgia follows a modified comparative fault rule — you can recover damages as long as you are less than 50% at fault (O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33).

Contact Our Savannah Office

Don’t wait to get the legal help you need. Call our Savannah office at (912) 303-5850 for a free, no-obligation case review. We’re available 24/7 and there are no fees unless we win your case.

Roden Law’s Savannah Dog Bite Lawyers proudly serve Savannah, Pooler, Richmond Hill, Hinesville, Statesboro, Brunswick, and surrounding Southeast Georgia communities.

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What to Do After a Dog Bite in Savannah, GA

  1. Get medical attention — bite wounds infect. Puncture wounds close over bacteria and often need irrigation and antibiotics. Facial bites and any bite to a child warrant immediate care.
  2. Identify the owner and get the dog's vaccination records. Name, address, and insurance if they will give it. Rabies vaccination status determines whether you face a post-exposure treatment decision, and it needs answering today.
  3. Report the bite to animal control. This is the step people skip because they do not want the dog harmed. It also creates the official record — and the history of prior complaints that often decides the case.
  4. Note whether the dog was loose, and photograph where it happened. In Georgia, showing the dog was off-leash in violation of a local leash or restraint ordinance can establish liability without proving the dog had ever bitten before (O.C.G.A. § 51-2-7). South Carolina imposes liability on the owner regardless of the dog's history (S.C. Code § 47-3-110).
  5. Photograph the wounds as they heal, not just today. Bite injuries scar, and scarring is a large part of the claim — particularly for children. Photograph on a consistent background at regular intervals.
  6. Ask around about the dog's history. Neighbors frequently know about earlier snaps, lunges, or complaints that never reached animal control. That knowledge is evidence.
  7. Do not let the owner talk you out of a claim as a favor. These claims are usually paid by homeowner's or renter's insurance, not out of the owner's pocket — which is exactly what that coverage exists for. Roden Law offers free consultations.

Georgia Dog Bite Law

Statute of Limitations 2 years (O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33)
Comparative Fault Modified — recover if less than 50% at fault (O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33)

Filing a Personal Injury Case in Savannah

Filing a personal injury case in Savannah means filing in Chatham County Superior Court at 133 Montgomery Street, where civil complaints are submitted electronically through PeachCourt eFileGA, Georgia’s statewide e-filing system. Georgia law gives an injured person two years from the crash date to file under O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33, and Georgia’s modified comparative negligence rule (O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33) bars recovery only if the plaintiff is 50% or more at fault.

Local injury patterns reflect Savannah’s role as a port city: I-95 through Pooler, I-516 from the Port of Savannah, and the I-16/I-95 interchange concentrate commercial-truck crashes, while DeRenne Avenue, Abercorn Street (SR 204), and the historic downtown grid generate persistent pedestrian and intersection collisions. Seriously injured victims across southeast Georgia are routed to Memorial Health University Medical Center on Waters Avenue — the region’s only Level I trauma center — frequently arriving by LifeStar helicopter.

Two Georgia rules matter most for Savannah cases: O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11 allows “added-on” UM/UIM stacking above the at-fault driver’s limits, and O.C.G.A. § 40-1-112 permits direct action against a motor carrier’s insurer — a meaningful advantage in port-related truck-crash litigation.

Do I Have a Dog Bite Case in Savannah?

Georgia is a modified one-bite state under O.C.G.A. § 51-2-7: the owner is liable only if the dog was vicious or dangerous *and* the owner knew it. The Georgia Supreme Court in *Steagald v. Eason*, 300 Ga. 717 (2017), confirmed that violation of a local leash ordinance can substitute for the scienter element. You have 2 years to file under O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33.

Types of Compensation in Georgia Dog Bite Cases

Standard tort damages apply — past and future medical expenses, lost wages, scarring and disfigurement, and pain and suffering. Scarring claims are particularly powerful with child plaintiffs and frequently support seven-figure recoveries when the bite is to the face or hands. There are no special damage caps in either Georgia or its neighboring state for ordinary dog-bite cases. Homeowners’ insurance is the typical funding source, but many policies exclude specific breeds or impose dog-bite sub-limits — coverage analysis is critical and often uncovers landlord, daycare, or commercial-property defendants beyond the dog’s owner.

Free Case Review — No Fees Unless We Win Available 24/7 · Georgia & South Carolina
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Roden Law Dog Bite Lawyers in Savannah, GA Results at a Glance

$300M+ Recovered for injured clients across Georgia and South Carolina
4.9 / 5.0 Average client rating across hundreds of verified Google reviews from our six offices
5,000+ Cases successfully handled since 2013
62 years Combined attorney experience across 5 office locations

Source: Roden Law firm records and verified Google Business Profile reviews, updated July 2026.

Recent Case Results

Settlement $27,000,000 $27,000,000 Settlement | Truck Accident
Verdict $10,860,000 $10,860,000 Verdict | Product Liability
Recovery $9,800,000 $9,800,000 Recovery | Premises Liability

Results shown are gross settlement/verdict amounts before fees and costs. Past results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

About the Author

Eric Roden, Founding Partner, CEO at Roden Law

Eric Roden

Founding Partner, CEO

Frequently Asked Questions

Contact Our Savannah Office Today

If you were injured in Savannah and believe another party is at fault, contact us for a free, no-obligation review. Call (912) 303-5850 — no upfront cost.