Dogs have been a part of human’s lives for as long as anyone can remember. We all love our furry friends, as they become parts of our families and we treat them as such. But it is important to note that although every dog looks friendly and tempting to go up and pet, that’s not the case in some instances.
Make sure to educate your children on the proper ways to handle an unfamiliar dog. Yes, they are so sweet, fluffy, and doe eyed, but there is always an outlier. Dog bites can lead to serious injury, and no matter the size of the dog, a dog bite has consequences. It can lead to fatal infections, amputations, and even disfiguration. Protect yourself and your family by educating yourself on the New Jersey Law when dealing with a dog bite incident.
Here are a few things you should know about the dog bite laws in New Jersey:
- Damages include actual expenses and intangible costs.
This means you could receive compensation for your injuries and medical bills, but there is no price on disfigurement. Your life could be changed dramatically, therefore your lawyer could argue that you must live with this disfigurement for the rest of your life, making you deserving of a larger settlement.
- Dog owners whose pets are labeled as a danger to society will face consequences.
If your dog has been labeled as a danger to society, there could be a multitude of punishments that you may face. This could lead to a court order for euthanasia of your animal. Another possible scenario could be that the judge orders your dog to attend obedience classes until they are deemed not a danger to society.
- DON’T WAIT—if you are bitten or attacked, you only have two years to file a lawsuit.
It is so important to take action immediately after your dog bite incident. There is only so much time the state allots for victims to file a lawsuit. After two years, there is a possibility that you can no longer hold that dog owner liable. This is a sad fact, but if you are seriously thinking of filing and want a successful outcome, do it as early as possible so you can get what you deserve!
- Your settlement could be reduced if you played a part in your attack/injuries.
A dog is an animal, and they have different instincts than humans. Sometimes in certain cases, a stranger will agitate a dog and play a part in their attack, if the court decides that you played a role in getting bit in any way, it can dramatically reduce your settlement.
- New Jersey is one of the strictest liability states.
This is an important fact to note, a biting dog’s owner is liable for ANY and ALL injuries caused by that certain dog bite. It does not matter if they warned others or made it known that the dog bites. If it happened, they are liable.
If you have been involved in a dog bite incident in New Jersey, make sure to educate yourself with these 5 tips!
Content edited by personal injury attorney Judd Shaw. From the beginning, Judd established a set of Core Values laying out the pursuit for excellence in client service. He is a regular host of the Working The Wow podcast, with the belief that providing an exceptional client experience is just as important as delivering a quality service or product. You can find us in Red Bank and Tom‘s River, New Jersey.