If a dog bit you or your child in Laurel, Maryland law may let you recover money for medical bills, lost wages, scarring, and pain. You pay nothing unless we win.
My experience was fantastic, Charlotte was a big help and had the lawyer return my call within minutes. Jason was extremely knowledgeable and very helpful. I will have them represent me and my family.More
A free case review with no obligation, and no fee unless we win. Someone on our team reads every message that comes in.
Would rather talk now? Call (888) 844-5373
At Pinder Plotkin, the initial consultation is free, whether by phone or in person. We represent clients on a contingency fee basis — we only charge you after we recover compensation on your behalf. Our fee is increased if a lawsuit is filed. There won't be any charges if we don't win.
Pinder Plotkin Legal Team holds a 4.9-star average across 900+ verified client reviews. Here’s what injured Marylanders say about working with us.
I have worked with Pinder Plotkin on a car accident and they were nothing but professional. The whole team were very caring and kept me informed through the whole process. I could not think of a better firm to represent me.More
Received support from Day 1. No question went unanswered and they worked to make sure I was comfortable and understood everything. Very patient in ensuring my needs are met. I am grateful.More
I been a client since 2017 and I had a good experience with them as far as getting results and being treated like family, I had a major injury and the whole team was very supportive and stayed on top of my case, I was able to maintain my bills due to being out of work for a year and had a favorable outcome with my settlement which helped me start my business ventures, so thanks again to the team and if need be I’ll have them represent me in the future.More
Jason, Charlotte, and Tony were absolutely amazing! I was in a car accident 4 years ago, they made sure I was taken care of and even though we had a lot of set backs due to Covid, they never made me feel like my case (or me) were not important. Tony knew my medical history better than I did, Charlotte was always an absolute delight to talk to and was so kind, and Jason was just great! I'm really sad that I won't be talking to them anymore, they became like family! I know that is something a lot of people say, but it is 100% true with this team.More
Great team took my cases when most wouldn’t did all the work fluently and worry free would not be any happier 😊. Highly recommend them for your legal servicesMore
I cannot thank the team at Pinder Plotkin enough for their compassion, patience, and relentless dedication throughout my car accident case. They went above and beyond — jumping through hoops, explaining every step with care, and standing by me when I felt overwhelmed or lost. The communication was incredible, and I always knew I was in good hands. I truly appreciate everything they did to help me get through such a stressful time. Highly recommend to anyone looking for people who genuinely care about their clients.More
Mr Jason, Mr Balsamo, Nancy and the team worked on my case meticulously until I got justice. Thanks Nancy for your assurance and patience. If you need a team of injury lawyers, Pinder Plotkin team should be your first call.More
To be honest, I wasn’t sure how this process would go since I usually let the auto insurance company handle accident. However, I would not hesitate to call upon the Pinder Plotkin legal team FIRST. They took on my case and exceeded expectations and removed any doubts I had. The folks at Pinder Plotkin fought through a long drawn out case, keeping my best interests in mind. A settlement was reached, more than what I would say, your insurance company would give. I’m extremely happy with the Pinder Plotkin team for their hard work, dedication to me as a client and as a veteran. I was treated with compassion, empathy and they communicated every step of the process. I high recommend the Pinder Plotkin legal team for your legal services. Thank you Pinder Plotkin, truely, thank you.More
Get a fast, free estimate of what your case could be worth.
The calculator below is a working tool, not a contact form. Seven steps, a few minutes, and you get an estimated settlement range for a Maryland dog bite claim.
Free and no obligation. Your contact details and consent are required before the estimate is shown. The result is an estimate for information only — it is not legal advice or a promise of any outcome.
If the dog bite happened when the dog was confined or on a leash, this creates a rebuttable presumption of the owner's knowledge that their dog was violent or dangerous. If the owner doesn't rebut that presumption and a jury finds the owner knew the dog was dangerous, the owner is liable for the injuries.
When a dog causes injury while running at large, Maryland law imposes strict liability on the owner — regardless of the dog's breed — unless the injured person was trespassing, committing a crime, or provoking the dog. Laurel sits primarily in Prince George's County, with parts reaching into Anne Arundel, Howard, and Montgomery Counties, so local leash and animal-control ordinances vary — in a notable recent change, Prince George's County repealed its nearly 30-year pit bull ban on November 18, 2025 and replaced it with a permit and registration system.
You shouldn't wait to seek medical care if you've been bitten. Bite injuries left untreated often result in serious infections or even rabies.
If the accident happened in a public place or you don't know the owner from your neighborhood, get identifying information — a driver's license is usually the best source — so you can make a claim later.
Photograph the injury and the animal, if it's safe to do so.
Get the name, phone number, and address of any witness to the incident.
Report the incident without delay to the local animal control department.
If the dog was running loose off the owner's property when it bit someone, Maryland law holds the owner strictly liable, regardless of any prior bite history.
If the dog had bitten before, or the owner had reason to believe it was dangerous, Maryland law presumes the owner is liable — shifting the burden to them to prove otherwise.
Most dog bite claims are paid through the owner's homeowners' or renters' insurance policy, not out of the owner's pocket.
Maryland's statute of limitations gives you three years from the date of the bite to file a claim. For a child victim, that window is extended until the child turns 18.
We pull animal control records, prior complaint history, and vet records to show whether the owner knew or should have known the dog was dangerous.
We gather medical records, photos of the injury and scene, witness statements, and any available video to document exactly what happened and how badly you were hurt.
Investigations, expert opinions, and medical record requests cost money up front. We advance those costs so you don't pay anything out of pocket while your claim is being built.
Most dog bite claims are paid by the owner's homeowners' or renters' insurance, not the owner directly. What your case is worth depends on your injuries, medical treatment, and how the bite has affected your life.
Most policies include liability coverage that applies to dog bites. We identify the applicable policy and deal directly with the insurer on your behalf.
If there's no applicable insurance, we can pursue a claim against the owner personally for your medical bills, lost wages, and other losses.
Dog bite claims are usually paid by a homeowner’s or renter’s policy, and most policies cover them — which means the fight is rarely about coverage and usually about the wound. Scarring drives value more than treatment cost does, and a facial scar on a child is valued differently from the same scar elsewhere, which is why photographs over time and a plastic surgery opinion matter more than the emergency room bill.
Maryland law helps more than most states. Since 2014, an owner faces a rebuttable presumption that they knew their dog was dangerous — the owner has to disprove it, rather than you having to prove the old one-bite knowledge. Where the dog was running at large, the standard is stricter still, with narrow exceptions for trespass, provocation and crime.
How Maryland personal injury settlements are calculated — the multiplier and per diem methods, the damages caps, the deadlines, and our settlement calculators.
No two cases are worth the same, but insurers lean on two common methods to estimate pain and suffering. Understanding them helps you spot a lowball offer. Try our free Maryland Dog Bite Settlement Calculator for a personalized estimate.
Emergency treatment, reconstructive surgery, scar revision, physical therapy, and any future care your injury requires.
Compensation for physical pain, permanent scarring or disfigurement, and the emotional toll of a dog attack — including fear of dogs going forward.
These injuries can temporarily or permanently hinder your quality of life. Anyone requiring extended medical care or dealing with a lack of mobility is also likely to be affected by job loss, expensive hospital bills, depression, lost wages, inability to perform routine tasks, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Dog bites are more common than most people realize — and Maryland's laws give victims real leverage when it happens.
According to the CDC, about 4.5 million dog bites happen in the U.S. each year, and roughly 1 in 5 — about 800,000 — need medical attention, with children ages 5–9 among the most common victims (CDC; American Veterinary Medical Association).
Source & method
Counts are Maryland Judiciary Case Search records for Jason Plotkin and Anthony Balsamo as attorneys of record, filed January 1, 2017 through September 4, 2026. Court filings only — most injury claims settle before a lawsuit is filed, so these are a floor, not a total. A filing count is not a results claim, and prior filings do not guarantee a similar outcome in any future matter. To verify, search “Plotkin, Jason” or “Balsamo, Anthony” as Attorney at casesearch.courts.state.md.us.
Our free ebook covering Maryland dog bite law, liability, and what to do after an attack.
Download the guide
Jason Plotkin’s personal account of surviving a car accident and the road to recovery.
Buy on AmazonYes, for bites that kill or cause serious injury. Maryland law also creates a rebuttable presumption that the owner knew or should have known the dog was dangerous, shifting the burden of proof to the owner.
Generally three years from the date of the bite. For a child victim, that deadline is extended until the child turns 18.
Most claims are paid through the dog owner's homeowners' or renters' insurance policy. If no insurance applies, the owner can be held personally liable.
Maryland follows contributory negligence, so if the insurer can show you were even slightly at fault, it can bar your recovery entirely. An experienced lawyer can help protect against that argument.
No. Maryland's dog bite law focuses on the owner's knowledge and the circumstances of the bite, not the dog's breed.
Get medical care right away, identify the dog and its owner, photograph the injury and scene, report the bite to animal control, and speak with a lawyer before giving a statement to any insurance company.
It depends on your medical treatment, scarring, lost wages, and the emotional impact of the attack. U.S. insurers paid an average of about $65,450 per dog bite liability claim in 2025.
We work on contingency, so there's no upfront cost. We only get paid if we recover compensation for you.
Still can’t find what you’re looking for? Call us at (888) 844-5373 and ask — there is no charge and no obligation to hire us.
329 Prince George St, Laurel, MD 20707 · Call (888) 844-5373 to schedule a visit. · View on Google
We handle dog bite cases throughout the Laurel area and the surrounding counties.
Jason Plotkin does not just take Laurel cases — he shows up in the community. He serves as a Director of the Laurel Board of Trade, hosts Around Town on Laurel TV, and has moderated the Laurel Candidates Forum for the past two election cycles. When you work with our firm, you are working with people who know this city — its roads, its courts, and its neighbors.
Free case review, no pressure, no fee unless we win. Reach out and one of our attorneys will walk you through your options.
Call (888) 844-5373
