Injuries caused by dog bites occur more frequently that you may think. In the U.S., in 2014, 42 people were killed by dogs, 350,000 were seen in emergency rooms and over 850,000 received some type of medical care for an attack.
Obviously, the size of the dog, breed, length of the attack and location on the body where the attack occurred will determine the severity of the injuries. The face, arms and legs are the most common areas of an attack, resulting in ripped or torn skin, muscles, tendons, crushed bones, nerve damage, massive infection and scarring. Many of these injuries can require significant medical care and surgeries and result in permanent damage and disfigurement. Although many dog bites occur on public property and parks, the usually victims of dog bites are children, postal workers, delivery, utility, maintenance people, or anyone else whose required to be on the dog owners property.
New Jersey has a specific Dog Bite statute, N.J.S.A. 4:19-16, which allows those injured by a dog bite to hold the owner of the dog strictly liable for all the injuries they've suffered. Basically, strict liability means that the victim does not have to prove the dog owner was negligent, knew the dog was vicious, or that that the dog had ever acted viciously before this attack. Essentially the victim only has to show that they were on public property or on the owners property with permission and were bitten by the dog.
Dog bites are the only injuries covered by the Statute. If someone is hurt by a dog in any other way, the victim would have to prove the owner was negligent. This applies to any type of animal or injury, such as being knocked down by a dog, bitten by a bird, snake, etc...
I've handled numerous cases involving dog bites and injuries caused by animals. If you or a loved on has been been injured by a dog bite, or any other animal, call me for a free consultation.
All the Best!
Randy C. Redden
(856) 448-6200
Obviously, the size of the dog, breed, length of the attack and location on the body where the attack occurred will determine the severity of the injuries. The face, arms and legs are the most common areas of an attack, resulting in ripped or torn skin, muscles, tendons, crushed bones, nerve damage, massive infection and scarring. Many of these injuries can require significant medical care and surgeries and result in permanent damage and disfigurement. Although many dog bites occur on public property and parks, the usually victims of dog bites are children, postal workers, delivery, utility, maintenance people, or anyone else whose required to be on the dog owners property.
New Jersey has a specific Dog Bite statute, N.J.S.A. 4:19-16, which allows those injured by a dog bite to hold the owner of the dog strictly liable for all the injuries they've suffered. Basically, strict liability means that the victim does not have to prove the dog owner was negligent, knew the dog was vicious, or that that the dog had ever acted viciously before this attack. Essentially the victim only has to show that they were on public property or on the owners property with permission and were bitten by the dog.
Dog bites are the only injuries covered by the Statute. If someone is hurt by a dog in any other way, the victim would have to prove the owner was negligent. This applies to any type of animal or injury, such as being knocked down by a dog, bitten by a bird, snake, etc...
I've handled numerous cases involving dog bites and injuries caused by animals. If you or a loved on has been been injured by a dog bite, or any other animal, call me for a free consultation.
All the Best!
Randy C. Redden
(856) 448-6200
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