I'm in a similar situation. I was bitten by a neighbor's loose dog when I tried to put it and her buddy on a leash and see its tag to contact the owner. The dog bite was pretty deep.

I contacted the owner requesting restitution. They offered to only pay my medical bills, and basically said that it was my own fault for being bitten, so they refused to compensate me for pain and suffering. Since my medical and lost wages were less than $500, I may end up in small claims court for pain and suffering.

My question is: would the courts really deny me pain and suffering compensation because I tried to help the dog? It wasn't like the dog was running around out of control, and I was able to secure his buddy, so I had no reason to believe this dog would bite me. The bite occurred while I was planning my wedding, so it did give me emotional distress, and was quite painful. Seven months after the incident, in my wedding photos you can distinctly see the scarring.

As for how much I asked for, I asked for 5 times my medical, given my wedding. Does that seem in line with other damages awarded?

Thank you!