Franklin Square Dog Bite Lawyer
Dogs can bite unexpectedly and without any warning signs, and these animals can attack friends or family members in a household absent any provocation. In too many dog bite cases, a young child sustains life-threatening injuries that ultimately prove fatal, although animal attacks can result in serious and debilitating injuries to victims of all ages. If you or someone you love sustained serious injuries in a dog bite incident in New York, you should learn more about filing a claim by getting in touch with our Franklin Square dog bite lawyers as soon as possible.
Getting the Facts: Dog Bite Statistics in Franklin Square
Dog bites are serious. The following are some facts and figures from DogsBite.org:
- Around 4.5 million dog bites happen every year in the US;
- About 20 percent of all dog bites in the US become infected;
- Approximately 27,000 people had reconstructive surgery for dog bite injuries in 2018 alone;
- Average cost for a hospital stay related to a dog bite is more than $18,000;
- More than 1,000 people receive treatment in emergency departments every day for dog bite injuries; and
- Children under the age of 10 account for more than one-third of all fatal dog bite injuries.
Liability for Dog Bites in Franklin Square, New York
Some states impose strict liability on dog owners for dog bites regardless of whether the owner had any knowledge of the dog’s viciousness or propensity for violence. New York is a little bit different. Under New York law, dog owners are still strictly liable for injuries their dogs cause when the bite is unprovoked. However, anyone who has been injured in a dog bite incident must be able to show that the owner had a “dangerous dog.”
If you can prove that the dog meets the requirements of a dangerous dog, then the owner can be strictly liable for your medical costs. A dangerous dog, according to New York law, is defined as an animal that, without justification (in other words, the dog was not provoked), does one of the following:
- Attacks and either injures or kills another person, a companion animal, or a domestic animal; or
- “Behaves in a manner which a reasonable person would believe poses a serious and unjustified imminent threat of serious physical injury or death.”
To be clear, if you can show that the dog is a dangerous dog, there is no need to prove that the dog owner was negligent in order to seek damages for your medical bills. The owner will be strictly liable for those injuries. If you want to seek damages beyond medical costs, you will need to prove that the owner knew or should have known that the dog was likely to bite because it previously behaved in a vicious manner or in a way that suggested the animal had a propensity for violence.
Contact Our Franklin Square Dog Bite Attorneys Today for Assistance
Getting bitten by a dog can be devastating, especially when a friend, family member, or neighbor owns the dog. Yet it is important to hold a dog owner accountable for harm, regardless of whether you know the owner. Dog bites can result in extensive hospital bills and further damages like lost wages. Our dog bite lawyers in Franklin Square can help you to seek financial compensation for your losses. Contact Giuffré Law Offices, P.C. to learn more about filing a dog bite claim in New York.
