Dog bites can be serious cases, often resulting in significant scarring and injuries. New Jersey recognizes injury claims for people bitten by dogs and has enacted a law that specifically protects persons from dog and animal attacks.

In almost all cases, the owner of the dog or animal is automatically responsible for any bites caused by their dog or animal regardless of the owner’s conduct in trying to prevent the bite and regardless of whether the owner knew or should have known the animal would bite.

Injuries Caused By Dog Bites

A dog can inflict lots of damage pretty quickly. The young and the elderly are most prone to serious injuries because they often can’t run away or fight off the animal.  Their skin is also most prone to puncture, tears and scarring.  Children often suffer facial injuries due to their height, and they also tend to experience the worst mental trauma.  After a dog bite in New Jersey, children often develop a phobia of dogs and may even avoid their own family pets.  Dog bite injuries often cause the following serious injuries:

• Facial lacerations
• Blindness
• Disfigurement and scarring
• Nerve Damage
• Amputation or partial amputation of fingers, nose, ears and other extremities
• Fractures
• Emotional trauma
• Death

Who is Responsible to Pay Damages in New Jersey

New Jersey is a strict liability State when it comes to dog bites.  That means that dog owners are automatically held responsible for the actions of their dogs when they bite someone else.  This is so even when the dog owner may not have known the dog would bite and even if the dog had never bitten anyone before.  Others can also be held responsible for dog attacks, including landlords, dog sitters, or business establishments that allow dogs to be on their premises but only the dog owner can be held strictly liable for a dog bite or dog attack.  Against others, you must prove their conduct was negligent, (unreasonable conduct) and the unreasonable conduct caused the dog bite injury.

In almost all cases, the homeowners insurance policy for the dog owner pays for the homeowner’s attorney and pays the settlement.  With respect to business establishments or landlords, the claim is almost always paid by the general liability insurance policy maintained by the business.

Compensation for New Jersey Dog Bite Victims

Injured dog bite victims in New Jersey are entitled to fair compensation for their pain and suffering, disability and impairment and loss of  the enjoyment of life.  The demand made in each case will vary upon the circumstances but may include the following:

• Immediate and future medical expenses
• Lost wages and income
• Pain and suffering from the dog bite or dog attack
  • Scarring and disfigurement
  • Emotional trauma
  • Loss of companionship
• Punitive damage for egregious conduct by the dog owner

The Rossetti DeVoto Advantage

We are big enough to inflict some serious damage on defendants as you can see from our verdicts and settlements, but small enough to be nimble and move quickly.  When you hire us, you get immediate action and your case gets off to the right start.  In our experience, great things seem to always flow from the evidence that we obtain in those crucial moments after an incident.  Not all law firms can do that.  They simply have too many lawyers, too many cases and too much going on.  To be sure, there are times when its just impossible to retain a lawyer immediately after an accident.  Not to worry, we will do everything in our power to protect you as best as we can, including filing emergent actions in court to preserve evidence before it is destroyed.

Representing clients who were injured in dog bite cases requires experience, compassion, and talent.  Our team of talented attorneys and experts know how to get the job done.  We have an outstanding track record of success, we care about our clients and will fight for you the same way we would fight for our own family members.  Until the end!  Until it’s right.

Have you or a loved one been a victim of a dog bite or dog attack?  If so, contact us and we will be happy to review your case at no obligation.

To learn more, click here to read the Animal Bites FAQs