Who is responsible for a dog bite?
You may be wandering here in the state of New Jersey. If you’re a victim of a dog bite attack, who is responsible for your injuries. Well, in New Jersey we have a law called strict liability. What that means is that it doesn’t matter if the dog hasn’t bitten anybody else in the past, or if the dog wasn’t deemed dangerous or vicious prior to your attack. What matters is that if the dog bit you and attacked you once, that is serious enough to warrant a civil case. The dog owner under the statutes in the state of New Jersey will be responsible for whatever acts the dog committed.How To Protect Your Children From Dog Bites in New Jersey
About 4.7 million Americans every year are bitten by dogs. Half of those cases are children between the ages 5 and 9. While many dog bites require minimal medical care, there are also plenty of dog bites that become costly injuries, with some leading to serious complications. To keep your kids safe from a pet attack, practice these safety tips.
Preventing Dog Bites From Your Own Family Pets
- Adopt only from a reputable breeder and do research on the dog or puppy you are planning to take home. Note its behavior, habits, and suitability for your family. You’ll want a family pet that is socialized enough around kids.
- Teach your children not to bother the dog when it leaves the room or goes to its dog crate. These indicate that it wants to be left alone.
- Teach your children never to harass the dog such as by grabbing something away from it, pulling on its tail, climbing on it, dragging it around, or hitting it.
- Educate about dog behavior and body language in a way that kids understand. Point out specific examples that indicate when your pet dislikes something (such as growling, baring its teeth, freezing and staring, and holding its tail up straight).
- If your pet dog seems aggressive, consider spaying or neutering, as these can make dogs less likely to bite.
Preventing Dog Bites From Other People’s Pets
- Remind your children to stay away from an unknown dog, especially if it is unsupervised or loose. Alert animal control if an aggressive dog is wandering around.
- When encountering a dog with its handler, always ask the handler if it is safe to pet the dog. Never approach the animal without asking first.
- Remind children to be gentle with other people’s dogs. No yelling, grabbing or making sudden movements.
- Teach your children, that if the dog turns hostile or overly friendly, the best thing to do is to “be a tree”: stand quietly, then “fold your branches” (keep arms and hands down, clasped together), and “watch your roots grow” (keep head down as if looking at your feet). This may signal the dog to go away.
- Teach your children that if a hostile or overly friendly dog knocks them down, they should “be a rock”: curl into a ball with hands covering their head and neck.
What To Do If Your Child Is Bitten By A Dog
Avoid overreacting in case of a bite as this could escalate the animal’s aggression. If possible, get the dog behind a barrier. If your child has a laceration from the bite, call a doctor. In the meantime, wash the wound with a saline solution and apply pressure around it.
The doctor will determine if the bite has caused damage to muscles, tendons, or other structures, then recommend the appropriate treatment. You must be prepared for basic treatments such as stitching and antibiotic prescriptions.
If you or someone you know was bitten by a dog, , talk to an attorney about possible compensation. New Jersey has strict laws regarding the liability of dog owners and handlers. A judgment against a negligent dog owner would help with your losses, achieve a measure of justice, and possibly deter other negligent owners.
Why A Dog Bite Can Be More Costly Than You Think
Dog attacks are not uncommon in our neighborhoods, with some 4.7 million Americans being bitten by dogs each year. A dog bite can be a significant injury – medically, financially, and legally. In fact, an insurance industry report found that in 2018, the average cost of dog bite claims nationwide was $39,017. Another study found that a dog bite can lead to a hospital stay that costs an average of $18,200.
One reason why pet bites can get costly is that they often require professional medical care. The first line of treatment for dog bites starts with anesthesia, allowing the doctor to explore the wound. They will then wash it with a saline solution to clean out as much bacteria as possible.
With the wound cleaned, the doctor will determine whether it needs stitches (sutures). If the wound is small enough to heal on its own – or if it is located on the hand or foot – the physician will only prescribe antibiotics to the patient to prevent potential infection. But if the wound gapes open, is deep or jagged, or won’t stop bleeding, stitching is likely needed, incurring an additional expense for the patient.
In more serious cases where there is considerable skin damage, skin loss, or nerve damage, the dog bite injury will need surgical procedures such as nerve graft or z-plasty (a type of plastic surgery).
There are also many cases where the bite injury leads to complications. These can include bacterial infections, nerve or muscle damage, broken bones, tetanus, and rabies infection. Each will require its own treatment apart from the wound treatment itself.
A real problem is if the dog has not been recently vaccinated for rabies, is a feral dog, or a dog that manages to get away after the bite and cannot be located. In this case, you may have to undergo a series of shots over a ten-day period. Your medical professional will be your best source of advice on whether this will be needed.
On top of all these, an animal attack can create psychological or emotional trauma on the victim. The scientific community agrees that psychological scarring, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), can be as real as any physical injury. Thus, these conditions should not be discounted. A dog bite victim may need to see a psychotherapist or other mental health professional to help manage the psychological impact of the incident.
What are common injuries from dog bites?
About Grossman Law
For over 25 years, Personal Injury Attorney Scott Grossman has been fighting for the rights of the injured throughout New Jersey. He has helped thousands obtain their fair and just monetary compensation to pay for medical treatment, pain and suffering, and more. Mr. Grossman and his legal team truly care about their clients and provide each with devoted and individual personal attention. Whether you have been the victim of an NJ motor vehicle accident, trucking accident, dog bite, brain injury, construction accident, pharmacy error, wrongful death, workplace injury or any other type of injury, we are here to help you recover the fair and just compensation you truly deserve.
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