South Jersey Dog Bite Attorneys 

Understanding Dog Bite Liability in New Jersey

New Jersey follows a “strict liability” rule when it comes to dog bites. This means:

• Strict Liability: Dog owners are responsible for injuries caused by their dogs, even if the dog had no history of aggression or biting behavior.
• Public and Private Places: The law applies if the dog bites someone in a public space or on the dog owner’s property.
• However, there are exceptions where strict liability may not apply:
• Trespassing: If the person bitten was trespassing on the dog owner’s property without permission, the owner might not be held liable.
• Provocation: If the victim provoked the dog by teasing or physically harming it, the owner may not be responsible for the bite.

Dog Bite Lawsuits: How to Prove Negligence

In some cases, strict liability may not apply, and you may need to prove negligence on the part of the dog owner. Here’s how:

• Proving Negligence: To win a negligence case, you need to show that the dog owner failed to take reasonable steps to prevent the attack. This might include:
  • Failing to properly leash or contain the dog
  • Ignoring known aggressive behavior in the dog
  • Not warning others about the dog’s dangerous tendencies
• Recklessness: If the owner’s actions were particularly reckless or intentional, you may be entitled to additional compensation for the harm caused.
• Witness Testimony: Having witnesses to the attack, as well as evidence of the dog’s history, can help build a stronger case for negligence or recklessness.
• Expert Testimony: In some cases, expert testimony may be needed to show the severity of the injury or to establish the dog’s dangerous history.

By gathering evidence and demonstrating negligence, you can increase your chances of receiving fair compensation for your injuries.

The Serious Injuries Caused by Dog Bites

Dogs are the most popular domesticated animal in the world, and up to 47 percent of American homes have a dog. Dogs are such a common feature of everyday life, it’s easy to forget how dangerous they can be. The reality is that dogs are capable of inflicting serious and even fatal injuries.
In fact, there are about 4.5 million dog bite injuries in the U.S. every year. Children are more likely than adults to suffer a dog bite injury, with children between the ages of five and nine at the highest risk of being bitten by a dog.
In our New Jersey dog bite practice, we handle a wide range of devastating dog bite injuries. Although dog bite injuries range in severity, some of the most serious injuries include:

• Amputations
• Nerve damage
• Puncture wounds
• Rabies disease
• Organ damage
• Lacerations

In the most serious cases, a dog bite victim must undergo cosmetic surgery to repair the damage inflicted by a dog. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, infection is also a serious risk in dog bite cases, with one in five dog bites becoming infected. Victims face life-threatening infections, such as Colostrum tetani, which produces the tetanus toxin and can quickly cause paralysis and death. Dog bite injury victims can also contract MRSA, which is a deadly staph infection notorious for being resistant to many types of antibiotics.

Dog bite victims can also suffer lasting emotional and mental damage. According to Dr. Larry Schmitt, a pediatric psychiatrist, children are much more likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder following a dog attack. In many children with dog bite-related PTSD, symptoms including excessive anxiety, irritability, depression, sleep disturbances, and poor performance in school. For these young victims, being attacked by a dog is akin to an adult being set upon by a bear. From a child’s perspective, the dog is much more massive than an adult would perceive it.