Queens Dog Bite Lawyer

When people are injured as the result of a dog attack, they may assume that the dog’s owner will be held responsible. Unfortunately, New York’s dog bite laws are more complicated than that. Unlike many other states, New York uses a strict “one-bite-rule” for any damages caused by a dog bite.

Considering that dog bites can result in severe and permanent injury, these rules are somewhat old-fashioned. However, if a plaintiff can prove that the dog in question had a violent history, their claim can be handled in a fashion similar to any other case of personal injury.

If you or a family member has been injured by a dog bite, contact a Queens dog bite lawyer to pursue compensation for your injuries. A skilled lawyer can help you through a difficult situation.

Dog Bite Laws

There are two categories of dog bite laws. The first imposes strict liability on a dog owner whose dog bites another person or service animal. However, this is only true if the dog is classified as a dangerous dog. This is a dog that has attacked a person or animal without justification in the past, or that behaves in a way that would lead an ordinary person to fear the animal. If a plaintiff can show that the dog has been labeled as dangerous, the dog’s owner will be automatically liable for only any medical costs associated with that dog’s bite.

In many cases, the court will conduct its own investigation into whether the dog was dangerous in the past and update a database that lets the public know of any dangerous dogs.

Any damages beyond the straight medical costs of recovery, such as pain and suffering or lost wages must be claimed through a different kind of law, and pursued by an experienced dog bite lawyer in Queens.

Proving Negligence

For these other non-economic damages, a plaintiff and their attorney must pursue their animal attack case by claiming that the owner knew that their dog was dangerous and that the owner was negligent in keeping the dog properly restrained. This can be by not walking the dog on a leash, not properly fencing a yard, or by allowing the dog to roam the neighborhood.

Once again, the key element here is that the dog owner knew that the dog was dangerous. When a dog bite occurs, this database should be the first place that a potential plaintiff looks.

What is the Statute of Limitations for Dog Bite Cases?

There is also a strict time limit that all plaintiffs must meet for any case alleging personal injury. Known as the statute of limitations, this law bars any lawsuit from being filed more than three years after the date of injury. For this reason, time is of the essence.

How a Queens Dog Bite Attorney Can Help

When people have been injured as the result of a dog attack, it can be difficult to understand what rights they have. Dog bite laws are complicated and can easily confuse people who are not familiar with them.

A Queens dog bite lawyer knows the law and how it affects peoples’ claims for damages against the owner. By investigating the dog’s history, when combined with the facts of the case, the attorney works to get injured individuals the compensation that they deserve.

Whether the bite happened due to the negligence of the dog’s owner or simply was the result of a run-in with a known dangerous animal, contact an attorney today. The lawyer will guide you through the process and fight to bring the dog owner to justice.