By Marcos Garza

A dog bite takes seconds. The medical bills, scars, missed work, and stress can last for months or years.

If a dog has bitten you or someone you love in East Tennessee, what you do next can protect both your health and your legal rights. Here is a short, practical guide.

Quick Answer: What Should I Do After a Dog Bite?

After a dog bite in Tennessee, here is what to do:

• Get medical care right away.
• Report the bite to your local health department and animal control.
• Collect the owner’s and dog’s information.
• Photograph everything.
• Get witness contact details.
• Preserve your evidence, and speak with a personal injury attorney well before the one-year filing deadline.

6 Steps to Take After a Dog Bite

1. Get Medical Treatment

Even a bite that looks minor can lead to infection, tissue damage, or scarring. Treatment may include cleaning the wound, stitches, antibiotics, a tetanus shot, or a rabies exposure evaluation.

Your medical records also matter legally. They document your injuries, your treatment, and what future care you may need in a dog bite injury claim.

2. Report the Bite

The Tennessee Department of Health advises reporting animal bites to your local health department and local animal control. In Knox County, that means the Knox County Health Department and animal control.

Don’t assume someone else will do it. A report creates an official record and helps officials check the dog’s rabies status.

3. Get the Owner’s and Dog’s Information

If it is safe, try to get:

• The owner’s name, address, and phone number
• The dog’s name and breed
• Rabies vaccination details and tag number
• The veterinarian’s name
• Homeowner’s or renter’s insurance information
• The names of any witnesses

State health officials specifically recommend getting the owner’s contact information and the dog’s rabies vaccination and tag details.

4. Take Photographs

Photos are some of the strongest evidence in a Tennessee dog bite case. Capture:

• The wound, bruising, and swelling
• Torn or bloody clothing
• The location, including gates, fences, or warning signs
• The dog, if you can do so safely

Keep photographing as your injury heals. Pictures from week three can look very different from pictures on day one.

5. Identify Witnesses

Get names and phone numbers from anyone who saw what happened. Witnesses can say whether the dog was loose, whether the owner was in control, and whether the dog had acted aggressively before. That matters most if the owner later disputes your story.

6. Preserve Your Evidence

Keep medical records and bills, prescription receipts, photos and videos, animal control and health department reports, and proof of missed work. Save every text, email, and message with the dog owner or an insurance company. Don’t delete anything related to the incident, including social media posts.

What Does Tennessee Law Say About Dog Bites?

Tennessee’s dog bite statute, Tennessee Code Annotated § 44-8-413, requires dog owners to keep their dogs under reasonable control and prevent them from running at large.

An owner who breaches that duty can be held liable when a person is injured in a public place or lawfully on someone else’s private property. The owner may be liable even if the dog never showed dangerous behavior before and the owner had no reason to expect it.

So “my dog has never bitten anyone” does not automatically end a claim.

What If the Dog Bit Me at Someone’s Home?

The rules are different on residential, farm, or other noncommercial property when the dog’s owner owns the property or is there with the owner’s permission, such as a tenant. In that situation, you generally must show the owner knew or should have known the dog was dangerous. Ordinary premises liability and comparative fault rules can also apply.

This is one reason the specific facts of your case matter so much.

What If the Owner Says It Was My Fault?

That statement is not the final word. Tennessee’s statute does not impose liability in limited situations, including when:

• The dog was a police or military dog doing its official work and the injured person was involved in the conduct that prompted its use
• The injured person was trespassing on the owner’s private, nonresidential property
• The injured person provoked the dog
• The dog was protecting its owner or another innocent person from attack by the injured person

Tennessee also uses comparative fault, which means a person’s own share of responsibility can affect their recovery. A bite on a Knoxville sidewalk is analyzed very differently from a bite after someone enters private property uninvited or provokes a dog.

How Long Do I Have to File a Dog Bite Lawsuit in Tennessee?

Generally, one year. The dog bite statute uses the same time limit as other personal injury actions under Tennessee Code Annotated § 28-3-104, which is typically one year from the date of injury. Limited exceptions can apply.

Waiting can hurt your claim. Evidence fades, witnesses become harder to find, and insurance companies often start building their position early.

Frequently Asked Questions About Dog Bites in Tennessee

• What should I do after a dog bite in Knoxville?

Seek medical care, report the bite to the Knox County Health Department and animal control, collect the owner’s and dog’s information, photograph your injuries, identify witnesses, and keep all records. Then consider speaking with a Knoxville personal injury attorney.

• Can I sue if the dog has never bitten anyone before?

Possibly. Tennessee’s dog bite statute allows owner liability in certain situations even if the dog had no history of aggression. The location of the bite and the circumstances matter.

• What if I was bitten in a public place?

A bite in a public place, such as a sidewalk or park, can fall under Tennessee Code Annotated § 44-8-413 if the statute’s requirements are met.

• What if I was bitten at the dog owner’s home?

Different rules may apply. On the owner’s residential, farm, or other noncommercial property, you may need to prove the owner knew or should have known the dog was dangerous.

• How long do I have to bring a dog bite claim in Tennessee?

Generally one year, though exceptions may apply. Because a missed deadline can seriously affect your rights, speak with an attorney promptly.

• Talk to a Knoxville Dog Bite Attorney

Every dog bite case is different, and this article is general information, not legal advice. If you or a family member was injured, the team at Garza Law Firm can review what happened and explain your options. Call 865-351-3135 or fill out our online contact form.

Meet some of our personal injury and dog bite attorneys.

Learn more about Tennessee law involving a serious dog bite injuries.