Oregon Dog Bite Lawyer — Free Consultation
Mixed Statute State
Oregon's strict liability statute — ORS 31.360 — makes dog owners and possessors liable for bites and other injuries without any requirement to prove prior knowledge of the dog's dangerous propensities. Oregon bans breed-specific ordinances statewide, and the 'not greater than' comparative fault rule means a plaintiff at exactly 50% fault still recovers half their damages.
Your Rights After a Dog Bite in Oregon
If a dog has bitten or injured you in Oregon, state law provides meaningful protection. ORS 31.360 imposes strict liability on the dog's owner or possessor — no evidence of prior bites, and no proof the owner knew about any danger, is required. If their dog injured you, they are liable.
Oregon's statute covers the 'owner' and the 'possessor' of the dog — a dog walker, boarding facility, or any person in actual custody of the dog at the time of the attack faces the same direct strict liability as the registered owner. The statute also covers 'bitten or otherwise injured,' sweeping in knockdowns, claw injuries, and any other harm the dog causes.
Oregon uses modified comparative fault under ORS 31.600 with a 'not greater than' standard. A plaintiff found exactly 50% at fault still recovers half their damages — only at 51% or above is recovery barred. Provocation can reduce your award as comparative fault or serve as a complete defense if the conduct rises to deliberate action directed at the dog.
Two years is the filing deadline under ORS 12.110. The Oregon Tort Claims Act (ORS 30.275) requires written notice within 180 days for government entity claims — a police K-9 bite must trigger that notice review immediately.
Oregon bans breed-specific ordinances under ORS 609.205. The § 31.360 liability analysis is entirely breed-neutral — the defendant cannot argue you should have recognized the breed's danger and avoided the dog.
Multnomah County Animal Services (503-988-7387) handles Portland and unincorporated Multnomah County. The animal control file documents the dog's identity, vaccination status, and initiates quarantine — and may contain prior complaints that support concurrent negligence theories.
4 questions a Oregon attorney will ask you
Answer these to see which factors strengthen or complicate a claim under Oregon law.
Question 1 of 4
Who had the dog at the time of the attack?
ORS 31.360 extends strict liability to the possessor of the dog, not only the registered owner.
Oregon Dog Bite Laws
ORS 31.360(1) provides: "The owner or possessor of any dog is liable in damages to a person that is bitten or otherwise injured by the dog, without proof that the owner or possessor knew or had reason to know that the dog had the propensity to cause the type of injury that occurred."
Full breakdown of the statute, comparative negligence rules, and exceptions: Oregon Dog Bite Laws →
What Compensation Can You Recover?
Economic damages include all documented financial losses: emergency care, surgery, physical therapy, lost wages, and future medical costs. Oregon has no statutory cap on economic damages in dog bite cases against private defendants.
Non-economic damages — pain and suffering, emotional distress, permanent scarring, and loss of enjoyment of life — are fully recoverable without a cap against private defendants. Severe attacks producing permanent facial or hand scarring, post-traumatic stress, or permanent functional loss support significant non-economic awards.
Possessor liability under ORS 31.360 expands the recovery pool in commercial caregiver cases. A boarding kennel or dog-walking service in actual possession at the time of the attack is directly liable on the same strict liability theory as the registered owner, and typically carries commercial general liability insurance with higher per-occurrence limits than a homeowners policy.
Oregon's statewide breed preemption eliminates the breed exclusion argument that defendants use in some other states to characterize the victim's approach as a knowing assumption of risk.
See typical dollar ranges: Oregon Settlement Amounts →
Steps to Take After a Dog Bite
Oregon's strict liability rule eliminates the need to prove prior owner knowledge — but strong cases require immediate, organized evidence gathering. Seek medical care first. Photograph the wound before treatment, and again at 24 hours and one week. Get the owner's or possessor's full name, address, and insurance information. Report the bite to local animal control: Multnomah County Animal Services (503-988-7387) for Portland; Washington County Animal Services (503-846-7041) for Beaverton-Hillsboro; Lane County Animal Services (541-682-3638) for Eugene. The official animal control report documents the dog's identity, vaccination status, and prior complaints. If the dog was in a commercial possessor's custody — dog walker, boarding facility — identify that business and their insurer immediately; ORS 31.360 possessor liability runs against them on the same strict liability terms as the registered owner. Request prior animal control records for the dog's address in writing. Gather witness names. Send camera footage preservation requests within 24 hours of the bite — most systems overwrite on a short cycle. Do not give a recorded statement to any insurer without speaking with an Oregon dog bite attorney first.
What happens after a dog bite in Oregon
Most claims move through the same six stages. Timings vary — these are typical, not guaranteed.
The bite
Day 0Get the owner's name, address, phone and insurance details before leaving if you safely can, and photograph the scene — in Oregon that includes any posted signage, not just the wound.
Medical treatment
Same dayDog bites carry a real infection risk from bacteria like Pasteurella and Capnocytophaga. A same-day record also becomes the document every later stage of the claim rests on.
Report & evidence
Days 1–7Report to animal control, which starts the rabies observation period and creates a timestamped official record independent of the owner. Photograph the wound again as it heals, and collect witness contacts.
Insurance claim
Weeks 1–8Most claims are paid by the owner's homeowners or renters policy. Adjusters typically call early to request a recorded statement — their job is to limit the payout, so it's worth getting advice before you're on record.
Attorney consultation
Any time — freeConsultations are free and contingency-based, so cost is rarely the deciding factor. Most attorneys will tell you plainly if a claim is simple enough to handle alone.
Settlement or lawsuit
Before the 2- years from the date of the injury deadlineMost claims settle without a lawsuit. If yours doesn't, Oregon requires suit within 2 years from the date of the injury (ORS 12.110(1)) — and an attorney generally won't settle before your treatment reaches maximum medical improvement.
Statute of Limitations
Two years from the date of the injury under ORS 12.110(1). For a minor, ORS 12.160 tolls the period during minority. The critical exception is claims against governmental entities. The Oregon Tort Claims Act (ORS 30.275) requires written notice to the appropriate governmental body within 180 days of the date the injury was suffered — reduced to 30 days for claims against emergency service providers. A bite by a police K-9, a county animal control dog, or any government employee's dog during employment must be identified against the 180-day (or 30-day) window immediately. Missing it bars the government-entity claim permanently regardless of how much of the two-year period remains.
Full breakdown of the statute, its exceptions, and how shared fault is handled: Oregon dog bite laws →
Find a Dog Bite Lawyer Near You in Oregon
Oregon dog bite questions, answered
The questions Oregon readers ask most often. General information, not legal advice.
Does Oregon require proof of a prior bite?
No. ORS 31.360 is a strict liability statute — owners and possessors are liable without any showing of prior knowledge of the dog's dangerous propensities. Oregon also extends liability to the possessor of the dog, not only the registered owner.
Does Oregon allow breed-specific ordinances?
No. ORS 609.205 prohibits local governments from enacting breed-specific ordinances. The § 31.360 strict liability analysis is entirely breed-neutral — the claim turns on the facts of the attack, not the breed of the dog.
What is the filing deadline for an Oregon dog bite case?
Two years from the date of injury under ORS 12.110. For minors, ORS 12.160 tolls the period. Government entity claims require written notice within 180 days under the Oregon Tort Claims Act (ORS 30.275); claims against emergency service providers require notice within 30 days.
Can a dog walker or boarding facility be liable under Oregon law?
Yes. ORS 31.360 extends strict liability to the “possessor” of the dog, not only the registered owner. A dog walker, boarding kennel, or any person in actual custody of the dog at the time of the attack is directly liable on the same terms as the owner.
What should I do right now?
Tick these off as you go. Nothing is saved — this is a checklist to work through, not a form.