Dog attacks often result in serious injuries. Severe lacerations, soft tissue damage, nerve damage and bone fractures are all common, and, in some cases, dog attack victims can suffer permanent effects.
The financial costs of recovering from a dog attack can also be substantial. Medical bills can easily climb into the tens of thousands of dollars; and, if you are unable to work as a result of your injuries, you could fall behind on your other bills as well. Fortunately, New Jersey’s dog bite laws are favorable for victims, and it will often be possible to file a successful insurance claim with the help of an experienced personal injury attorney.
New Jersey Law Protects Dog Attack Victims
New Jersey’s dog bite statute establishes “strict liability” for dog owners. This means that dog owners can be held liable for victims’ injuries without proof that the owner failed to adequately restrain the dog or take other measures to prevent an attack. This is true for attacks that occur on both public and private property:
“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.”
The law allows for the recovery of all injury-related losses, including current and future medical expenses, prescription costs, lost earnings, and pain and suffering. To ensure that you can seek the full compensation to which you are legally entitled, you should see a doctor promptly, and you should discuss your claim with an attorney right away.
Recovering Your Losses After a Dog Attack Usually Means Filing an Insurance Claim
Since many dog attacks involve friends’ or family members’ pets, many dog attack victims have concerns about asserting their legal rights. However, most dog attack claims are covered by insurance, and this means that most dog owners do not have to pay out of pocket to cover victims’ losses.
If the dog’s owner has homeowner’s insurance or renter’s insurance, this insurance policy will most likely apply. Similarly, if you have a claim against a kennel, boarding facility or other business, then the business’s insurance policy will most likely cover your injury claim as well. In either case, securing coverage will require evidence of liability, and recovering full compensation will require proof of your financial and non-financial losses.
Speak with a New Jersey Dog Attack Lawyer for Free
To collect evidence of liability and prove how much you are entitled to recover, you will need to work with an experienced lawyer. To schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with a New Jersey dog attack lawyer at Helmer, Conley & Kasselman, P.A., call 877-435-6371 or tell us how we can contact you online now.
