Bit By A Loose Dog In My Own Yard, Medical Bills For Rabies Shots Are Costing Me Thousands (tx)

I live in Texas and was outside in my front yard when a someone’s dog that had gotten out of their yard charged me and bit me twice. One of those bites punctured deep into my hand and I needed to go to the ER.

Since I didn’t know the dog, I got rabies shots and had to go in multiple times for follow up shots. Animal control seized the dog, monitored it for rabies, and they said they released it back to the owners after it showed no signs of rabies.

I just got my medical bill for my ER visit. If I didn’t have insurance the ER visit alone would’ve cost me $35,000, because they priced the rabies shot at $30,000. With my insurance the bill came out to $1500, but now I’m being charged $850 for every additional rabies vaccine I had to get after the initial ER visit.

My medical bills have gone up to over $6000 with the ER visit, each additional shot, and the emergency physician bill. I feel like because I got bit by someone else’s dog who came at me in my yard, I shouldn’t have to pay for these bills, but I’m unsure of my legal options.

I have documented everything, with bill statements, photos, videos of the dog after it let go of me, and records from animal control.

What are my legal options? Can I press charges for this?