Edison Dog Bite Lawyers

The severe injuries, emotional trauma, and financial burdens that unexpected dog bites can inflict on victims can dramatically change your life. If someone else’s negligence causes you to suffer a dog bite in Edison, you may have the legal right to compensation to cover the costs of your injuries. Our Edison dog bite lawyers at Lombardi & Lombardi, P.A. have years of experience helping personal injury clients pursue justice for their damages; let us tell you what you need to know.

What Are Your Rights After a Dog Bite in Edison?

New Jersey’s stringent dog bite laws aim to protect victims and hold dog owners accountable, and they apply whether the bite occurred on public or private property. As a victim of a dog bite in Edison, you have rights under New Jersey’s “strict liability” laws: you can hold a dog owner liable for injuries their dog caused you, even if the dog had no history of aggression.

You do not need to prove the owner’s negligence or any foreknowledge that the dog would bite—in most cases, you primarily need to demonstrate that you were legally on the property where the attack occurred and that the dog injured you. If you were not legally on the property, however, the court could severely curtail your claim.

How Serious Are Dog Bite Injuries?

Some bites result in deep wounds, broken bones, nerve damage, or permanent scarring; in severe cases, you may require reconstructive surgery or ongoing medical care. Additionally, a dog bite could expose its victims to infections, such as rabies or tetanus.

Bites can also leave lasting psychological effects: victims often suffer from anxiety, fear of animals, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after an attack. New Jersey courts consider non-physical injuries as seriously as they do physical ones and factor them into any compensation consideration.

Due to their smaller stature and inability to defend themselves, child victims of dog bites often sustain serious or life-threatening injuries to the face, neck, or hands, with long-lasting physical and emotional impacts.

Who Can Be Held Responsible for a Dog Bite?

In most cases, dog owners bear the responsibility for bite attacks because New Jersey’s strict liability statute removes the need to prove negligence. Even if the owner claims ignorance of their dog’s aggression, the law still holds them liable.

However, in some instances, other parties might share responsibility: for example, if a landlord knowingly allowed a dangerous dog to live on their property, they could face liability for injuries the dog caused. If a dog walker or caretaker had responsibility over the dog at the time of the attack and failed to control it properly, they could also bear liability for any injuries.

What Compensation Can You Recover After a Dog Bite?

Recovering compensation after a dog bite can help ease the attack’s financial and emotional toll on you. New Jersey courts often provide two types of compensation to dog bite victims. The first type, ‘economic damages,’ helps cover tangible costs like medical expenses, emergency care, reconstructive surgery, and rehabilitation. It also attempts to compensate you for lost income due to an inability to work, as well as any other associated costs with specific dollar amounts.

The courts also provide ‘non-economic’ damages, which try to make up for damages without an associated dollar amount. These injuries often include pain, suffering, and a degraded quality of life.

Additionally, if the court decides that the dog owner or liable party acted with gross negligence or malicious intent, they could award you punitive damages to punish the responsible party and deter similar behavior in the future.

What Should You Do After a Dog Bite?

Seek medical attention right away, even if the injury seems minor. Prompt treatment can prevent infections, and if you decide to file a claim down the road, the medical record can act as documentation to prove your injuries.

Report the attack to local authorities, such as animal control or the police—when they generate an official incident report, you can use a copy of this report to substantiate your version of the story. If possible, collect contact information from the dog’s owner and any witnesses to the incident, but avoid discussing fault or signing any agreements without consulting a lawyer.

Keep any torn clothing or personal items damaged during the attack, as they can help paint a clearer picture of what occurred and support your claim. Consider maintaining a journal of your recovery process to highlight the physical and emotional toll of the injury.

In some cases, the dog’s vaccination records can also help, as the dog’s vaccination can impact how you build your legal case.

Why Should You Hire an Edison Dog Bite Lawyer?

If and when you decide to go to court, an experienced dog bite lawyer can investigate the circumstances of your attack, identify liable parties, and build a strong case on your behalf. They may also consult experts, such as animal behavior specialists or medical professionals, to strengthen your claim.

A skilled Edison dog bite lawyer will possess a deep understanding of New Jersey’s dog bite laws and have a proven track record of success when representing bite victims. Your lawyer should have the local connections to effectively advocate for your rights, handle communications with insurance companies, and negotiate on your behalf.

If you cannot reach a settlement with an insurance company, or if they refuse to pay you the compensation you deserve, an effective lawyer can represent you in court, build your best case, and present it as effectively as possible.

Get Legal Help from the Edison Dog Bite Lawyers at Lombardi & Lombardi, P.A.

Dog bites can upend your life, but you do not need to face the legal aftermath of your injury alone. If you need legal help and peace of mind while dealing with the financial burden and emotional distress from your attack, go to the Edison dog bite lawyers at Lombardi & Lombardi, P.A. Contact us at 732-906-1500 or fill out our online form for a free consultation. With our offices located in Brick, Freehold, and Edison, New Jersey, we proudly serve clients throughout the state, including Point Pleasant.