People who own dogs in New Jersey must keep them under control. If a NJ dog bites and injures someone, the owner can be sued for all damages. This includes medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages, future treatment, and any other expenses resulting from the dog bite.
How Does the Dog Bite Law Work?
The New Jersey dog bite statute specifies strict liability. This means that it does not matter what circumstances surround the dog bite or who was at fault — if a dog bit someone and caused injury, the dog owner must pay compensation; period. A dog owner cannot get out of his or her obligation by saying that you provoked the dog or that he or she was following leash laws.
Dog bite laws are tough in New Jersey for many reasons. One of them is to discourage people from having dangerous breeds of dogs. Many dogs are bred specifically to cause harm, and owning such an animal will likely result in a serious injury and an expensive lawsuit. Peter J. Luizzi and Joseph Lepore recently settled three dog bite cases resulting in over $500,000 in settlements.
Other Kinds of Animal Attacks
Not all dog attacks fall under strict liability. For example, if a dog knocked you down and did not bite you, the situation is slightly different. A knockdown, while not covered by strict liability, would still be governed by any negligence on part of the dog owner. Our Brick attorneys can review your Ocean or Monmouth County or NJ animal attack case and advise you as to the merits of your case.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about how the New Jersey dog bite law applies to your specific situation, contact our personal injury lawyers and arrange a free, no obligation initial consultation at our Brick office. We will help you any way we can.