Queens Dog Bite Lawyer
Experienced Queens Dog Bite Lawyer Helping Victims of Dog Attacks Get The Compensation They Deserve
Who doesn’t love a fluffy Pomeranian, a friendly Labrador Retriever, or even a smart and playful German Shepherd? They’re not called man’s best friend for nothing. The only problem is, a dog that belongs to someone else may not be friendly to strangers, and if they feel threatened, their instinct may be to bite.
When you’re bitten by a dog, or worse, your child is attacked, the incident can be understandably traumatic. In such cases, it’s best to work with a knowledgeable and experienced dog bite lawyer that can help you secure fair compensation for your ordeal. You want to believe that dog owners will take responsibility for their pets, but they may turn around and try to blame you, stating that you provoked their pup.
With a seasoned dog bite lawyer like the attorneys at Shaevitz & Shaevitz on your side, you can fight to prove owner liability and secure the compensation you need to pay for medical bills and other costs. When you’re coping with pain, emotional trauma, and recovery following a dog bite incident, let our qualified lawyers square off against negligent owners and ruthless insurance companies to ensure the financial recovery you deserve, so you can get on with your life.
Why Do You Need A Dog Bite Lawyer?
Dogs may be domesticated, but that doesn’t mean they lack animal instincts or urges. Whether they’re playfully tussling or they feel threatened, they may bite, leaving you dealing withy physical and emotional trauma.
In fact, this happens a lot more than you might suspect. Studies show that over 4 million people each year are bitten by dogs in the U.S. In roughly 6,000-13,000 cases, this results in hospitalization to treat injuries, while an average of 19 deaths per year are attributed to dog attacks. In 2019, the number was much higher, with 48 people reportedly suffering fatality related to dog bite attacks.
Unfortunately, children under the age of 10 account for over half of deaths related to dog bites, with over 40% of fatality victims under the age of four (i.e. infants and toddlers). This may be because children are more likely to pet strange dogs or because they’re less capable of defending themselves.
Whether an adult or a child is attacked by a dog, you want to make sure the responsible party is held liable, so you aren’t stuck with medical bills and other expenses through no fault of your own. A qualified and experienced dog bite lawyer, like the attorneys at Shaevitz & Shaevitz, is more than capable of providing the legal guidance and support needed to ensure your expenses are covered.
What Are The Most Common Injuries in Dog Bite Incidents?
While many dog bite cases result in only minor physical injuries, the truth is that you can suffer additional trauma during the course of these violent and unexpected attacks, whether wounds are minor or severe. Regardless, a reputable dog bite lawyer can help you seek compensation for the most common injuries sustained in a dog attack, such as:
- Cuts, scrapes, and puncture wounds
- Sprains and strains (or other soft tissue injuries)
- Eye injury
- Head or brain injury (such as concussion)
- Spinal cord injury
- Infection
- Broken bones
- Loss of limb
- Paralysis
- Death
- and more
You might have lasting pain and scarring, or even disfigurement. In addition, it’s not unusual to suffer emotional distress. When a strange dog attacks you, it’s normal to experience issues like anxiety and even PTSD in the aftermath. You might naturally develop a fear of dogs that you didn’t have before.
In some cases, you may be unable to return to work temporarily or permanently, or you may find it difficult to leave the house or enjoy life as fully as you did before, due to lasting physical, mental, or emotional damage. In such cases, you deserve fair compensation, and an experienced dog bite lawyer at Shaevitz & Shaevitz will fight to ensure you get it.
How Is Liability Determined in Dog Injury Cases?
Although some breeds are thought to be more aggressive than others, temperaments tend to vary from one dog to the next. As a result, some states have enacted “one bite” laws to protect dog owners from liability in the case of a fluke situation, wherein an otherwise friendly dog bites someone. In other words, a dog that has a history of friendly behavior doesn’t carry the same liability as dogs that have a history of bad behavior, inferring that their owners should have known better and taken steps to stop them from biting again. An experienced dog bite lawyer can help you navigate dog bite law.
New York does not have a one bite rule. No matter how friendly a dog normally is, the owner is liable if it bites someone. However, under New York law, a dog owner is responsible for medical bills resulting from a dog bite incident, not necessarily other costs if it is a singular incident. If the dog has a history of attacks, however, owners can be held liable for other damages. This is also the case any time owners behave in a negligent manner by failing to fence their property, keep their dog on a leash, or keep a close eye on their animal.
It’s important to understand, however, that there are cases where owners are not considered liable, as when someone provokes a strange dog, resulting in an attack. If an owner tries to claim that you provoked their dog when you didn’t, you’ll certainly want an experienced dog bite lawyer on your side to argue your case for compensation.
What Compensation is Available for Dog Injury Claims?
When you’re bitten by a dog and you seek compensation, you might reasonably expect to be paid back for medical costs resulting from the incident. However, there could be other costs associated with such attacks, along with non-monetary damages. A knowledgeable and experienced dog bite lawyer can help you secure compensation for damages like:
- Medical bills and rehabilitation
- Lost wages
- Emotional trauma (leading to anxiety, depression, PTSD, etc.)
- Pain and suffering
- and more
If you suffer extreme injuries that lead to scarring, disfigurement, loss of limb, paralysis, and so on, you could be entitled to further compensation, and in some cases, an argument can be made for loss of enjoyment of life, depending on the severity of the attack and lasting damage.
Schedule A Free Consultation With An Experienced Dog Bite Lawyer at Shaevitz & Shaevitz
There’s no reason to go it alone when you’re trying to recover from a dog bite incident. The trauma of this situation can leave you understandably rattled and facing a long road to recovery, not only physically, but mentally and emotionally. On top of that, pet owners may try to blame you for the incident, and insurance providers will try any tactic to delay or deny recovery in your case.
A caring dog bite lawyer at Shaevitz & Shaevitz is on your side, and we have the expertise and resources to investigate the incident, gather evidence, and determine the extent to which an owner or others (such as property owners) are liable for the attack. You need to focus on recovery, not worry how you’re going to pay bills when you can’t work and medical costs are piling up. Let the dedicated Queens dog bite attorneys at Shaevitz & Shaevitz do what we do best and get you the compensation you deserve.
At Shaevitz & Shaevitz Law Offices, our dog bite lawyers have 65 years of experience winning cases like yours. Contact us today at 718-291-3400 or 718-LAW-SUIT to schedule a free consultation and learn what we can do to make your life easier.