Dog bites can happen in a flash, and can cause life-changing injuries, scarring or death. New Jersey emergency rooms treat thousands of victims every year, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. Many more people receive treatment for dog bites from local clinics and primary care physicians. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that between 2001 and 2003, some 4.5 million people suffered a dog bite each year, but that figure is thought to be higher these days. Not all victims survive. During the past few years, thirty to thirty-five people have died every year from injuries caused by vicious dog attacks.

Dog bites can range from minor injuries to severe, life-threatening wounds depending on the size and breed of the dog, as well as the circumstances of the attack. Common types of dog bites include: 

Particularly concerning are bites to vulnerable areas such as the face, neck, or hands, which can result in permanent scarring, disfigurement, or nerve damage. Children and the elderly are especially vulnerable to serious dog bite injuries due to their size, fragility, and inability to defend themselves. Many dog bite victims also suffer from emotional trauma and psychological conditions like PTSD or cynophobia (fear of dogs) long after their physical wounds have healed.

According to the Zebra, New Jersey ranks 9th in the United States for the number of dog bite insurance claims. Additionally, in 2023, there were 649 dog bite insurance claims in New Jersey, with a total value of $40.4 million. 

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), over 4.5 million people in the United States are bitten by dogs each year. About 800,000 of these bites require medical attention. Unfortunately, children are the most common victims, with over half of all dog bite victims in the US being children.

These statistics show that dog bites are, unfortunately, common. If you or a family member was bitten in New Jersey, it is important to understand your legal options. 

The New Jersey Dog Bite Law is primarily governed by N.J.S.A. 4:19-16, which holds dog owners strictly liable for injuries caused by their dogs biting someone. Here are the key points:

This law aims to protect the public by ensuring that dog owners are responsible for the actions of their pets, promoting safer interactions between people and dogs. However, if you or your child was bit by a dog, contact a New Jersey dog bite lawyer near you to discuss your case.

Due to the alarming frequency of dog bites, many communities have breed-specific legislation limiting ownership of certain breeds of dogs that attack more often, commonly called Breed-Specific Legislation.

New Jersey does not have statewide breed-specific legislation (BSL) that bans or restricts specific dog breeds. This means at the state level, there are no laws that target particular breeds such as pit bulls, Rottweilers, or other breeds sometimes considered dangerous.

Instead, New Jersey approaches dog regulation through “behavior-based” laws that focus on the actions of individual dogs rather than making assumptions based on breed. Under New Jersey law, a dog may be declared “potentially dangerous” or “vicious” based on its specific behavior, regardless of its breed.

However, it’s important to note that while there is no statewide BSL, some individual municipalities in New Jersey may have their own local ordinances that place restrictions on certain breeds. These local regulations can vary significantly from one town to another, and they may include:

If you own a dog that might be subject to breed-specific concerns, it’s advisable to obtain a dog bite attorney, so they can check with your local municipal government to understand any breed-specific ordinances that might apply in your specific community.

Children are attracted to dogs and that attraction can lead to a situation where a dog bites a child. Children under the age of twelve are involved in fifty percent of dog attacks, and eighty-two percent of dog bites treated in emergency rooms involved children under the age of fifteen. Children below the age of ten suffer seventy percent of dog-bite fatalities. Unattended children are 370 times more likely than an adult to die from a dog attack. Bites to the head occur in sixty-five percent of attacks that happen to children. Boys who are less than fifteen years old are attacked more often than girls of the same age. Quite often children are bitten or attacked after attempting to pet a strange dog.

Since children are most often the victims of dog attacks, teach your children to avoid all strange dogs. Also, teach your children not to tease, chase or throw things at dogs behind fences or gates. In the event of an attack, teach your children to protect their face and neck and to roll into a ball, be very still and as soon as it is safe, find an adult to help them. If you have been a victim of a dog bite or animal attack please contact our NJ dog bite lawyers here at Mazie Slater.

When pursuing a dog bite case in New Jersey, the legal process typically follows these key steps:

Our dog bite attorneys will review your case during a free consultation, examining the circumstances of the bite, your injuries, and the applicable laws to determine liability and potential compensation.

Our dog bite lawyer will gather evidence, including medical records, photographs of injuries, witness statements, animal control reports, and the dog’s history of aggressive behavior. We may also research the dog owner’s insurance coverage.

Most dog bite cases begin with a claim against the dog owner’s homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy. Our attorneys will prepare and submit a demand letter outlining your injuries, damages, and compensation request.

Our dog bite lawyers will negotiate with the insurance company to reach a fair settlement. This process may involve multiple rounds of offers and counteroffers.

If a fair settlement cannot be reached, our attorneys will file a dog bite lawsuit. Under New Jersey’s statute of limitations, this must be done within two years of the incident, unless the victim is a child.  In that event, the child has until age 20 to file a lawsuit.

Both sides exchange information through written questions (interrogatories), document requests, and depositions where parties and witnesses provide sworn testimony.

Before trial, the court may require a mediation session where a neutral third party helps both sides try to reach an agreement. If settlement attempts fail, the case proceeds to trial, where both sides present evidence and arguments. In New Jersey dog bite cases, your attorney must prove:

If successful, you may receive compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, scarring/disfigurement, emotional distress, and in some cases, punitive damages.

Most dog bite cases in New Jersey settle before reaching trial, allowing victims to receive compensation without the time and expense of court proceedings. Having an experienced personal injury attorney with a specific understanding of dog bite law to guide you through this process is essential to securing the maximum compensation you deserve.

The value of your dog bite case is influenced by the severity of the injury and the extent of the losses you have suffered. Our experienced dog bite attorneys at Mazie Slater Katz & Freeman can assist you in accurately assessing all your damages, which may include:

A significant dog bite injury, especially a dog bite that causes scarring,  may require extensive rehabilitation and could result in long-term effects that impact your ability to engage in your normal life activities. You may be entitled to compensation for these losses, and our New Jersey dog bite lawyers are committed to maximizing your claim to secure the compensation you deserve.

Our dog bite lawyers have had incredible success in dog bite lawsuits. For example, we recovered a $1.4 million dollar jury verdict for a New Jersey man scarred in a vicious dog attack. This personal injury case involved claims of negligence and fraud against Lancaster County Prison relating to their donation of a vicious Rottweiler to our client. Lancaster County Prison neglected to advise our client that the dog had “irreversible medical problems” and had attacked on numerous previous occasions. Shortly after taking possession of the dog, our client was viciously attacked and sustained severe injuries to his arm and leg. After a three-week trial, the jury returned a verdict of $1.4 million in our client’s favor. Our team of lawyers for dog bites has extensive experience handling these kinds of lawsuits. And we can collect the damages you deserve if you were attacked by a dog.

At Mazie Slater Katz & Freeman, our dog bite attack attorneys specialize in protecting the rights of dog bite victims and fighting to recover damages for personal injuries and other losses caused by the animal attack. Our team of New Jersey dog bite lawyers will assess the situation, visit the site, take photos, document your injuries, and provide the most aggressive and effective legal representation during your lawsuit. Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.

If you or a loved one has been a victim of a dog attack, please contact Mazie Slater Katz & Freeman and one of our dog bite lawyers in New Jersey will contact you within twenty-four hours to discuss your case.