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Posted in Premises Liability on November 12, 2025
New Yorkers love our dogs, but encountering a snarling, vicious dog and suffering one or more painful, destructive bites is a devastating reminder that dogs are animals. Like other animals, dogs have mysterious motives and instincts we don’t always understand and cannot predict.
If you or a loved one suffered the injuries and trauma of dog bites in New York, you deserve compensation for your economic losses, pain, suffering, and emotional trauma — contact a NYC premises liability lawyer today.
Settlements for dog bite injuries can vary widely depending on the severity of the injuries and whether or not there was permanent harm, such as disfigurement, scarring, or loss of limb; however, according to the Insurance Information Institute, over $1 billion was paid out in dog bite claims nationwide in a single recent year. The data listed the average dog bite settlement at $64,555.
When considering your own possible settlement, it’s important to understand that reaching an average requires including both unusually high settlements and those that are very low. A New York dog bite lawyer can give you a clearer picture of the value of your case based on its unique circumstances.
Some states have strict liability laws for pet owners, holding them financially accountable for any property damage or injuries caused by their pet from the moment they take ownership or control. New York, like a handful of other states, operates under a “One-Bite Rule” for dog bite cases. This law doesn’t hold a dog’s owner strictly liable unless the dog has bitten at least once before, recognizing that a pet owner cannot know that their dog may become aggressive unless it has happened previously.
It’s important to note that this does not mean a dog-bite victim cannot recover compensation if the dog has never bitten before, but under the one-bite rule, a successful claim typically requires proving that the owner was aware that the dog was aggressive or had previously acted aggressively.
In April of 2025, a New York court ruling opened the door for increased liability for pet owners. In Flanders v. Goodfellow, the court ruled that a dog owner can be held liable when it is proven that they were negligent in their handling of the dog, even if the dog has never bitten before. This allows more dog bite injury victims to recover compensation for their damages without having to prove that the dog’s owner was aware of the dog’s aggression.
Dogs have sharp teeth meant for puncturing and tearing meat as well as for defense. Medical professionals and animal trainers measure the severity of dog bites by the Dunbar Dog Bite Scale, with injury severity ranging from a mild abrasion that doesn’t break the skin (Level 1) to a dog attack that causes consumed flesh and/or death (Level 6). Dog bites are painful and disfiguring, often leaving permanent scars. Dog bites are also prone to infection. The most common injuries in New York dog bite cases include the following:
If a dog causes fatal injury, the dog bite lawsuit becomes a wrongful death claim against the dog’s owner. Most dog bite settlements in New York come from the owner’s property liability insurance. A personal injury lawyer in New York City will help you get the compensation you deserve.
New York’s dog bite laws are complex, requiring experienced handling and compelling evidence to recover damages such as medical expenses, lost wages, and compensation for pain, suffering, emotional trauma, and, in some cases, catastrophic injury.
Contact The Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel for experienced representation with a commitment to compassionate legal advocacy.
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