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Dog Bites

Last Updated: Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Many dog owners throughout New York City and the rest of the tri-state area simply do not take the measures necessary to ensure their pets do not hurt others through vicious biting incidents. As an aside, it is never the fault of the dog that does the biting; when dog bites occur it is not only the pet owner who has not intervened at the time of the incident, but the pet owner also is negligent in the fact that he has not properly trained his dog.

Dog bites continue to be common occurrences all throughout New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. That is, despite the fact that judges and juries continue to award victims of these assaults with monetary awards that cover the costs of medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages and other future income opportunities, as well as nursing care.

In some instances, when it can be proven a dog was instructed by its owner to attack someone, punitive damages have been awarded.

If you have been bitten by an unruly or aggressive dog, or one that simply has not been properly trained by its owner, there are important steps that must be followed to ensure both that your health and well-being are protected, and that you are well-positioned to recover a monetary award necessary to move forward with your life.

For starters, you must report the incident to the police. No matter how seemingly insignificant you perceive the bite to be, it is always best to file a police report. Even if you can barely see a cut or scrape, the chance you have been infected with rabies or another insidious disease will always exist. And if it does, the loss of one of your limbs could result.

Once you have called the police and a first-responder to treat your wounds, you will want to identify the dog's owner as well as any insurance policies, either yours of those in the name of the dog owner, that could cover the incident.

Next, it is imperative to gather as much physical evidence as possible to corroborate your account of what happened. This could include the taking of photographs of the location in which the attack took place, in addition to any holes in fences that enabled the dog to attack you.

A list of names of witnesses to the attack and their contact information could also prove helpful in your pursuit of justice.

Any dog attack that occurs on public property, or on the dog owner's private property if you were either invited there or were there carrying out official business as stipulated in a city of state statute, such as a postal worker delivering mail, can give rise to a lawsuit.

Understandably, dog biting incidents are serious matters that require the counsel of experienced and knowledgeable attorneys. As a vast majority of dog bite victims are small children, we always bring a heightened level of compassion and sensitivity to these cases.

Simon Bennett Robbins Oppenheim & Taft works on every case to ensure our clients receive the maximum possible payout. We never charge a fee for initial consultations and we don't get paid unless our clients receive a financial award. We therefore only take on dog bite and other personal injury cases in New York that are meritorious; we therefore never give any of our clients false hope of receiving a payout.

If you, a family member, or another loved one has been bitten by a dog, no matter the severity, we encourage you to call our office today.

Simon Bennett Robbins Oppenheim & Taft looks forward to speaking with you soon.