Insurance payouts for dog bites and other dog-related injuries in the United States have climbed sharply, outpacing ordinary inflation. For injured people, the trend underscores the importance of documenting the full consequences of an attack—and choosing counsel who carefully manages the expenses of pursuing compensation.
Nationwide, according to the Insurance Information Institute and State Farm, homeowners insurers paid approximately $1.86 billion in dog-related liability claims in 2025, compared with $602 million in 2016. That represents a 209% increase in total payouts. Over the same period, the number of claims rose 57%, while the average cost per claim increased 97%, from $33,230 to $65,450. These figures include bites and other dog-related injuries, such as injuries caused by being knocked down. The numbers in Pennsylvania are very similar.
For comparison, general consumer prices rose approximately 34% between 2016 and 2025, calculated using the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ annual average Consumer Price Index. Average claim costs therefore grew nearly three times as much, in percentage terms, as general prices. Ordinary inflation alone does not explain the increase.
Why are claims becoming more expensive?
Medical expenses are an important factor. Emergency treatment, surgery, rehabilitation, and scar care can create substantial bills. A 2023 Tangram Insurance article cited general emergency room visit costs of approximately $2,400 to $2,600 and average daily hospital costs near $2,883. These are historical, general estimates—not fixed prices for treating a dog bite or necessarily facility fees alone. Severe attacks requiring extensive surgery and hospitalization can produce much greater expenses.
The type of care patients receive also matters. A 2012 ABC News article identified greater use of advanced treatment, including plastic surgery for children, as a contributor to rising payouts. Treatment intended to minimize permanent facial scarring can involve substantially more than cleaning a wound and placing a few stitches.
Settlements and verdicts also account for losses beyond medical bills, including lost earnings, pain, disfigurement, and emotional trauma. Insurers use the term “social inflation” to describe legal and societal pressures that increase claim costs beyond ordinary economic inflation. Larger settlements and jury awards can contribute, although the national payout figures alone do not establish that juries have become more sympathetic or explain how much each factor contributes.
Higher payouts do not automatically mean a larger recovery for every victim.
National averages do not determine an individual case’s value. Indeed, the average claim cost fell 5.5% in 2025 even as total payouts increased. The injuries, evidence, available insurance, and expenses of pursuing a particular claim remain critical.
Litigation expenses have increased, too. In our experience, a deposition transcript that might have cost approximately $100 fifteen years ago can now cost $500 or more, depending on its length and the services ordered, such as a word index, which can increase the cost by 25 percent. Obtaining testimony from a qualified dog behavior expert can also add substantial expense. Because advanced case costs are typically reimbursed from a settlement or verdict under the fee agreement, unnecessary spending can reduce what the client ultimately receives.
How we capitalize on the increased payout amounts
Careful planning makes a difference. An experienced plaintiff’s lawyer should spend money where it strengthens the case, evaluating whether each deposition, expert, or investigative expense justifies its cost.
Our Pittsburgh Dog Bite Lawyers personally perform investigative work, including visiting an attack scene and taking photographs when appropriate. We do not deduct a separate “investigation” charge from our clients’ settlements or verdicts for that work. Hiring a private investigator for a task we can handle ourselves may simply create an avoidable expense. We also skip the “word index” when ordering deposition transcripts, which can add 30 percent to the cost.
When we order the deposition transcript, we pass on the costly “word index.” Instead, we use “command” + “F” on our macs, to word search just as easily. Overall, our goal is to pursue full compensation while managing case costs judiciously—because what matters to an injured client is the recovery they actually keep.
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