Dog attacks can be terrifying to experience, but you must know what to do after a dog bite to protect yourself physically and financially. One of the most important things you must know is how to report a dog bite correctly.
How you report a dog bite depends on where the attack happened. Because Long Island is in both Suffolk County and Nassau County, each process is a bit different.
Reporting Dog Bites in Suffolk County
To file a report in Suffolk County, call the Suffolk County Department of Health Services at 631-853-0333.
Suffolk County requires emergency services to report all dog bites, but you should report your dog bite as well.
Reporting Dog Bites in Nassau County
To report a dog bite in Nassau County, call the Health Department at 516-227-6993. The Health Department will run through the next steps with you.
When should I report a dog bite?
Report your dog bite as soon as possible after getting medical attention. You can also have a friend or family member report the bite while you are receiving medical attention.
You will need to have the following information in order to report a dog bite on Long Island:
Reporting a dog bite is imperative. It can help protect your safety and your finances. It can also help protect future victims of dog bites.
What will officials do with the dog?
What happens to the dog after a dog bite depends on whether the dog received a rabies vaccination. After the attack, the law usually requires the owner to quarantine the dog for 10 days to check for rabies.
Depending on the nature of the attack, the owner may quarantine the dog at home or may have to quarantine the dog at a facility.
How does reporting the bite help my claim?
Without a dog bite report, it will be extremely difficult to recover compensation for your injuries. Your dog bite report is the backbone of your case; without it, you have no proof of the attack. Therefore, you have no proof that you deserve compensation.
Reporting will also help if the dog bites another person. Because New York is a “one-bite rule” state, unless the dog has a history of viciousness, victims will only be able to recover compensation for medical bills, not pain and suffering and mental anguish.
A dog bite can change your entire life, but it does not have to. Call the Long Island dog bite lawyers at Goldstein & Bashner for help filing a dog bite claim today: 516-874-4362.
Goldstein and Bashner
