Dog Bite Injuries

Dog bites can happen suddenly without warning or after the dog exhibits aggressive behavior. If you get bitten by a dog through no fault of your own — due to the owner’s negligence, such as they didn’t keep their dog on a leash or they allowed it to jump a fence — you may be entitled to compensation. To be sure, find a good dog bite lawyer. Call the best dog attack lawyers near me in New Jersey at RAM Law. If you’re injured due to a dog bite, get the compensation you deserve.

What Should I Do if a Dog Bites Me?

Insurance companies commonly take dog bite claims seriously. While some claims are processed quickly, others may have delays or disagreements, particularly if responsibility is uncertain or there are issues about the claim’s authenticity. If a dog has bitten you, take a few important steps, such as:

Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water. This reduces the danger of infection.
If the cut is bleeding heavily, apply pressure with a clean towel to stop it before cleaning.
After washing the wound, use an antiseptic solution or ointment to help prevent infection.
Cover the wound with a clean bandage or gauze.
Even if the cut appears slight, visit a doctor.
Report the dog bite to your local animal control or health department.
Take photos of the wound and keep track of any medical treatments you receive. This could be useful if you need to file a claim with your insurance company or seek legal action.
Schedule a consultation with a dog bite lawyer right away.

Dog bite injuries are common. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 4.5 million people are attacked by dogs in the United States each year. Puncture wounds, lacerations, bruises and tissue damage are all possible injuries. These injuries can be minor or catastrophic, and in some cases, there’s a risk of infection, particularly if the wound isn’t thoroughly cleaned and treated. Severe cases can even lead to death.

A dog bite incident on someone else’s property may result in a premises liability lawsuit if the property owner’s failure to control their pet led to the injury. An experienced dog bite attorney makes sure the process is quick and smooth especially when the injuries have led to severe injuries. To make sure you receive the best compensation for your damages, rely on dog attack lawyers near me in New Jersey at RAM Law. Your personal injury attorney from RAM Law can help you get justice.

What Are My Legal Options After a Dog Has Bitten Me?

In New Jersey, if you’ve been bitten by a dog, you have legal rights that protect you and allow you to seek compensation for your injuries. Your dog attorney near me at RAM Law educates you about your legal choices, which include:

In a lot of cases, dog bite claims are handled by the dog owner’s homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy. You can also file a claim with your insurance carrier.
If negotiations with the insurance provider are ineffective, or if the offered compensation is insufficient to cover your losses, you can file a lawsuit against the dog owner.
In the case of dog bites, New Jersey applies a “strict liability” strategy. This means that dog owners are often held responsible for any harm caused by their dogs.
In some cases, mediation may be a better option than litigation. This involves a neutral third party facilitating negotiations between you and the dog owner or their insurance company to achieve an agreement.
If the dog owner’s actions were extremely negligent, or if the dog has a history of attacking people, you might want to file a criminal complaint against them.

Your legal options might be affected by other factors too. That’s why you’re advised to discuss the entire case with a professional dog attack attorney. Some of those factors may include:

If you provoked the dog or were entering private land at the time of the event, you may not be able to claim damages.
If you were somewhat to blame for the incident, your compensation may be reduced according to your degree of responsibility.
The dog owner may claim that they made reasonable efforts to avoid the attack, such as posting warning signs or restricting the dog, which could affect responsibility.
The dog owner’s insurance coverage and policy limits may influence the amount of compensation available to you.
Your case may also be affected by local statutes or regulations governing leash laws, pet licensing and animal control.
The severity of your injuries and the cost of medical treatment can both affect the value of your claim.

What Kind of Compensation Can a Dog Bite Lawyer Get Me?

The exact amount of compensation that may be awarded to you depends on multiple factors like how much injury you have, how severe it is, how that injury is affecting your day-to-day life and activities, and lastly what evidence you have and how that supports your claim. A general standardized compensation is divided into two kinds of damages:

Monetary damages. This includes costs that are quantifiable like your medical bills, treatment costs, lost income and wages, any future costs and if you’ve suffered a loss of your earning capacity.
Non-monetary damages. This includes the damages you’ve suffered that can’t be measured in numbers, like the pain you’ve suffered, the emotional damage the injury has caused, disfigurement, disability and any other suffering.

For personal injury claims, each state has a defined period under which you can file your claim. In New Jersey, the time duration to file a dog bite injury claim is usually two years from the date of the attack. If you delay filing your claim within the statute of limitations, your case may be dismissed by the court, which can end your chances of receiving any type of compensation. However, there are some exceptions for the period, such as:

If you didn’t notice the damage right away
If the person bit was a minor under the age of 18 when the attack took place, since the period within which legal action can be taken will be either frozen or prolonged until the child attains adulthood
If you weren’t mentally well at the time of the attack, in which case, time may be given until you recover
If the attack happened on a property that’s owned by the government
If agreements were made between both parties, which in some unique cases can change the statute of limitations

Why Do I Need a Dog Attack Lawyer Near Me?

Figuring out the legal complexities, statute of limitations and any local laws regarding such cases can be difficult for a layman. You need someone who is experienced and has up-to-date knowledge about dog bite injury cases. Hiring a dog bite injury lawyer eases the process and ensures that you get compensated for the damage and injury you’ve suffered. Other reasons why a dog attack lawyer is necessary for you include:

A dog bite attorney assesses the strengths and weaknesses of your claim and thoroughly considers liability.
Your NJ dog attack attorney assesses your chances of success and how strong your claim is.
During the settlement process, your RAM Law lawyers negotiate your best interests and deal with communication between you and the insurance companies involved.
A lawyer investigates thoroughly, looking at all the pieces of evidence that were missing, medical bills and past behavior of the dog.

If the settlement meeting isn’t successful, the case may be taken to court, which can be very challenging at times. A lawyer can represent you in court and defend your legal claims from biases. Liability is established based on a variety of factors, the most important of which will be whether the dog’s owner was irresponsible during dog management, resulting in the attack. Faults can include delayed, inadequate or no notice concerning the dog’s risk.

Are There Any Approaches to Prevent Dog Bite Incidents?

While getting a dog can be exciting and an emotional experience, remember that you have a certain responsibility towards it. Start training your dog from a very early age so that disciplined behavior becomes habitual. From time to time, introduce your dog to people outside of your home, but make sure you’re supervising him. Take your dog to public spaces and introduce him to new places other than your home so he can get used to walks. Some other ways dog owners can prevent such incidents include:

Always checking your dog, especially at times when they become nervous or anxious
Creating proper boundaries and fences, so your dog can’t jump or suddenly run out
Keeping him on a leash every time you go out
Learning his patterns and indicators of when your dog is getting stressed or when he is about to get aggressive
Paying attention to his barking

As a visitor or non-dog owner, however, you may be the cause of such incidents without even realizing it. Even so, you can take some measures to reduce dog bite incidents from your end. You can prevent them in many ways, including:

Staying away from dogs you don’t know
Not petting a dog without asking the owner
Not running or yelling in front of the dog
Not teasing him by taking his food or toys
Not disturbing them while they’re eating

When You Are Bit by a Dog, Our Injury Lawyers at Rebenack, Aronow & Mascolo, L.L.P. Will Help

An injury from a dog bite can be life-changing and saddle you with mounting medical expenses, pain and suffering. Our seasoned Personal Injury lawyers at Rebenack, Aronow & Mascolo, L.L.P. can help. Call 732-247-3600 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation. We are located in New Brunswick, Somerville, and Freehold, New Jersey, and we serve clients in Middlesex County, Monmouth County, and Somerset County.

Sources:

https://www.helmerlegal.com/practices/personal-injury-negligence/animal-dog-bites/

https://www.dogbitelaw.com/dog-bite-victims/for-dog-bite-victims

https://www.danielstark.com/dog-bite/

https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/free-books/dog-book/chapter11-4.html

https://www.findlaw.com/injury/torts-and-personal-injuries/dog-bites-and-animal-attack-overview.html

https://www.justia.com/injury/premises-liability/animal-dog-bites/

https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/free-books/dog-book/chapter11-5.html

https://www.traceysolicitors.ie/en/accident-in-a-public-place/dog-bite-injury-claims/

https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/new-jersey-dog-bite-laws.html

https://mileylegal.com/understanding-dog-bites-responsibility-liability-and-prevention/

https://news.leavitt.com/personal-insurance/dog-bites-protecting-your-assets-and-preventing-claims/