Ohio Revised Code § 955.28 removes one of the biggest obstacles dog bite victims face in other states: there is no “one bite rule” here. A Columbus dog owner does not get a free pass because their dog had never bitten before. If their dog bit you, they are liable — full stop. What that means practically is that your ability to recover depends far less on proving negligence and far more on documenting the full scope of your damages.

That documentation is where most unrepresented victims fall short. Emergency room records establish what happened on day one. They don’t capture the reconstructive surgeries, the nerve damage assessments, the psychological treatment for post-traumatic stress, or the lost wages during a prolonged recovery. A serious dog bite — particularly an attack on a child’s face or neck — can involve multiple surgical specialists at OhioHealth or Nationwide Children’s Hospital, months of wound care, and permanent scarring that affects a person’s life in ways no single medical report fully reflects.

Columbus also presents specific exposure patterns worth understanding. The city’s density of residential neighborhoods, from German Village and Victorian Village to newer developments in Powell and Hilliard, means dogs are everywhere — in fenced backyards, on neighborhood walking trails, and in high-foot-traffic areas near Ohio State University’s campus. Delivery workers, postal carriers, children playing in familiar yards, and guests at social gatherings are attacked more often than most people realize.

Victims also have the right to pursue damages beyond medical bills. Ohio law allows recovery for pain and suffering damages, disfigurement, emotional distress, and lost earning capacity. For fatal attacks — which do occur, most often involving young children or elderly adults — families may pursue a wrongful death claim that encompasses the full financial and human cost of the loss. Acting quickly protects these rights. Evidence deteriorates, witnesses become harder to locate, and Ohio’s statute of limitations sets a hard deadline that cannot be extended by circumstance.

While dog bite claims are a significant part of the practice, Clark Perdue’s experience extends across the full range of catastrophic injury and wrongful death litigation. Clark Perdue regularly represents families dealing with assisted living abuse and long-term care negligence, where vulnerable residents suffer harm through understaffing, neglect, or mistreatment. Medical negligence cases — including birth injuries, surgical mistakes, misdiagnosis, and emergency room errors — receive the same rigorous, attorney-led approach applied to every case the firm accepts. Catastrophic auto and truck crashes, particularly those involving drunk or distracted driving, round out the firm’s core focus areas.

Beyond these primary areas, Clark Perdue also handles child injury cases, premises liability claims, and injuries from fires or explosions, along with product liability matters involving dangerous drugs and unsafe medical devices. Many of these cases begin in Ohio but extend into surrounding states, with pharmaceutical and device litigation sometimes reaching a national scope. Whatever the source of the injury, the same standard applies: direct attorney involvement, a deliberately limited caseload, and preparation built for claims where the outcome truly matters.