NJ Dog Bite Law – Can I sue a dog owner for damages for pain and suffering?
Filed under Dog Bites, FAQs - Dog Bite Lawsuits, NJ Dangerous Dogs FAQ on January 19, 2011
I was bitten by a dog. Do I have a claim against the dog’s owner even if the dog never showed signs of aggression before?
Yes. New Jersey is a strict liability state. This means a dog never gets a “free bite.”
New Jersey Dog Bite Law Lets You Sue a Dog Owner for Damages
If you have been bitten or attacked by a dog in New Jersey, our personal injury dog bite attorneys can help you sue the owner of the dog for damages. Our lawyers know it can be difficult to file a claim against a friendly neighbor, family member, or other owner of a dog after an attack. The dog’s owner may try to convince you not to file a claim against them because their dog “never showed signs of aggression before.” But if you do not file a claim against a dog’s owner in a timely manner you could end up having to pay all your own medical expenses.
Title 4. Agriculture and Domestic Animals; Chapter 19. Dogs, Taxation and Liability for Injuries Caused by. 4:19-16; Liability of owner regardless of viciousness of dog, states:
“The owner of any dog which shall bite a person while such person is on or in a public place, or lawfully on or in a private place, including the property of the owner of the dog, shall be liable for such damages as may be suffered by the person bitten, regardless of the former viciousness of such dog or the owner’s knowledge of such viciousness.”
In other words, even if a dog has never bitten or attacked someone before, New Jersey dog law allows the victim of a dog bite to recover certain damages. Serious dog attacks can cause substantial injuries that may require multiple surgeries, and the trauma from dog attacks may mean a dog bite victim will need long-term counseling.
Our New Jersey Dog Bite Lawyers Can Help
Our expert New Jersey dog bite lawyers will seek compensation for your all medical expenses already incurred, as well as future medical and therapy expenses. In some cases, we may also be able to pursue additional damages for pain and suffering (emotional distress.)
If you have been seriously injured by a dog, you need an experienced New Jersey dog bite lawyer. Our lawyers specialize in settling dog bite claims, but if we have to go to court, our attorneys will fight hard to get you the fair compensation you deserve.
If you have been serioulsy injured by a dog, contact our lawyers today. If we take your case, we will work on a contingency basis. That means until we get you compensation, you pay us nothing.
