Ohio Dog Bite Law (2026)

Comparative research source: Michigan State University Animal Legal & Historical Center, 2025 survey. Individual statutory citations control.

Who is liable for a dog bite in Ohio?

Strict liability: the owner is generally liable for bite injuries even if the dog never bit anyone before.

Practical consequence: when the statute's conditions are met, you generally do not need to prove the owner knew about prior viciousness. Coverage may be limited by location, lawful presence, provocation, police-dog exclusions, the type of harm, and other statutory defenses.

Deadline to file: 2 years

Ohio's general statute of limitations for injury claims is 2 years. Special rules can extend it for minors: common in dog bite cases, since children are the most frequent victims. See the full Ohio statute of limitations guide.

How fault rules affect your claim

Modified comparative negligence (51% bar): you recover nothing if you are more than 50% at fault.

Damage-limit note: Ohio caps non-economic damages in most tort claims (Ohio Rev. Code § 2315.18) at the greater of $250,000 or three times economic loss, and in no event more than $350,000 per plaintiff or $500,000 per occurrence. The cap does not apply to catastrophic injuries: permanent substantial physical deformity, loss of a limb or of a bodily organ system, or a permanent injury that prevents caring for yourself independently.

Estimate your numbers with the dog bite settlement calculator or see average dog bite settlement amounts.