Experienced New Jersey Dog Bite Lawyer
Let the Lee Law Firm Help Maximize Your Recovery after a Dog Bite or Animal Attack
There’s a lot of truth in the old adage that “a dog is man’s best friend.” While most canines are harmless, there are unfortunately too many dogs whose owners have bred them to be aggressive or to instill fear. When you encounter one of these animals, you can find it nearly impossible to escape without serious potential injury. That’s when you need the proven personal injury attorneys at the Lee Law Firm.
At the Lee Law Firm, we offer a free initial consultation to anyone who has been hurt in an unprovoked attack by a dog or other domestic animal. To schedule an appointment, call our offices at 973-295-5847 or send us an email.
What Are the Different Types of Dog Bite Injuries?
The injuries suffered in an attack by a vicious dog can be extensive, including:
- Puncture wounds, which can lead to infection, scarring or disfigurement
- Nerve damage at or around the site of a bite, scratch or contusion
- Broken or crushed bones
- Damage to connective tissue, such as muscles, tendons, ligaments and cartilage
- Head trauma, including eye or ear injuries
- Significant soft-tissue damage, including lacerations and contusions
- Emotional distress, including PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)
What Are the Dog Bite Laws in New Jersey?
Like most states, New Jersey has a written law imposing strict liability on dog owners in lawsuits for personal injury. Strict liability means that the injured person does not need to show that the dog’s owner was careless or negligent—to have a claim, the victim need only show that he or she was bitten and that the dog was owned by the defendant.
That law imposing strict liability only applies when there has been an actual bite. Furthermore, it requires that the injured party either be on public property (a sidewalk, for example), or legally on private property (with the express of implied permission of the owner) at the time of the attack. There is no requirement in New Jersey that the dog’s owner have any prior knowledge of attacks or of a dog’s aggressive behavior. If there’s evidence that the dog bit the victim, the dog’s owner will be responsible for all injuries sustained in the attack (such as slip and fall injuries when the dog knocked the victim down).
An injured person can still bring a lawsuit for damages, even though there’s no evidence the dog actually bit the victim. In such circumstances, the lawsuit would be based on a legal theory of negligence. The injured party would then need to show that the dog’s owner failed to act as a reasonable person would have under the circumstances.
How Can the Lee Law Firm Help You with Dog Bite Claims?
The Lee Law Firm will be your advocate throughout the legal process, from the filing of a complaint through the gathering and preservation of evidence to settlement negotiations or trial, if necessary. We’ll carefully investigate your claims, interviewing all relevant witnesses and traveling to the scene of the attack, if necessary. We’ll prepare and file all documents necessary to successfully litigate your claim and will be your voice in all hearings, meetings and legal proceedings.
We will help you seek full and fair compensation for all your losses, including wages and income, unreimbursed medical expenses, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of consortium or companionship, and pain and suffering. We handle claims involving all types of injury, from soft-tissue trauma to serious and catastrophic loss, including broken bones, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord trauma, paralysis, permanent scarring and disfigurement, and amputation or loss of limb. We also take wrongful death cases.
Schedule Your Free Consultation with a New Jersey Dog Bite Lawyer Today
In the aftermath of a dog bite or animal attack, you want an experienced and knowledgeable lawyer to help you recover fully for all your losses. We can help. Don’t delay because of concerns about cost–we won’t charge you for your initial interview and will handle your claim on a contingency basis, earning attorney fees only if we recover compensation for you.
To schedule a meeting, contact us online or call our offices at 973-295-5847. Evening and weekend appointments are available upon request. We will also visit you in your home or at the hospital, if necessary. Nosotros Hablamos Español!