NYC Personal Injury Lawyer » Dog Bite

Queens Dog Bite Lawyer

Were you or a loved one bitten by a dog in Queens, NY? Don’t hesitate to contact the Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel Personal Injury Lawyers to learn more about your right to compensation. An experienced Queens dog bite lawyer can help you fight to recover fair compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and your pain and suffering. 

Our legal team has over 25 years of experience fighting for injured clients in the big apple. We’ve recovered tens of millions of dollars in compensation and are well-prepared to fight for your family.

Call our law offices in Queens, New York at (212) 564 2800, to schedule a free consultation today to discuss your dog bite claim in more detail.

How the Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help With a Dog Bite Claim in Queens

Dogs are unpredictable. Even if a pet owner believes their dog is friendly, it’s never entirely possible to know how they’ll react in a situation. That’s why dog owners must take precautions to keep others safe from bites and attacks.

If you were bitten, you’ll quickly find that New York dog bite laws are complicated. An experienced Queens personal injury lawyer can make all the difference to your case. At the Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel Personal Injury Lawyers, we have over 25 years of combined experience handling complex personal injury cases.

Hiring us means you’ll have a lawyer to:

• Thoroughly investigate to gather evidence about the dog’s history of aggressive behavior
• Defend you if the owner blames you for provoking the animal
• Identify all parties who may share liability, including the owner, landlords, dog walkers, etc.
• Negotiate with the insurance company to maximize your settlement

Our AV-rated law firm has won some of the largest settlements and verdicts in the five boroughs. You can count on our Queens personal injury attorneys to do everything possible to recover the money you need. 

All you have to do is call our law firm for the legal advice you deserve today.

How Common Are Dog Bites in Queens, NY?

The CDC estimates that about 4.5 million Americans are bitten by dogs each year. Some of those bites are serious. On average, about 337,000 people visit the ER for dog bite injuries each year. About 800,000 require some type of medical attention.

Roughly 600,000 dogs call New York City home. Many of those dogs are in Queens, concentrated around Astoria Park and in Middle Village. Some Queens neighborhoods rank among the highest in the nation when it comes to dog bites.

A study revealed that, on average, about 6,028 New Yorkers visit the emergency room, and another 315 are hospitalized with dog bite injuries each year. In a single year, dog bite-related hospitalizations totaled more than $17 million citywide.

While more dog attacks occur on Staten Island, Queens is the borough with the highest rate of emergency room visits (1,781 in a single year).

What is My Queens Dog Bite Case Worth?

There are multiple factors that could potentially influence the value of your personal injury claim.

Examples include:

• The type and severity of your injuries
• The cost of your past and future medical treatment
• Whether you’ll suffer permanent disfigurement or disability
• Your out-of-pocket costs
• Your age and the impact of the attack on your emotional wellbeing

The circumstances surrounding the bite are also important–and so is the dog’s past behavior. Call for a free case evaluation today to learn more about how we can help calculate the fair value of your personal injury case.

What Types of Damages Are Available to Dog Bite Victims?

If you can prove the owner was liable, you can recover compensation for economic damages and non-economic damages.

Your economic damages cover your financial expenses and losses, such as:

• Past and future medical costs
• Lost wages and income during recovery
• Lost future earning potential
• Reconstructive surgeries
• Rehabilitation 

Non-economic losses are your more subjective, personal damages, such as:

• Pain and suffering
• Mental anguish
• Diminished quality of life
• Physical disfigurement and scarring
• Anxiety
• Depression
• PTSD
• Loss of consortium

Do you have questions about the types of damages you may be entitled to receive? Call for a free case review today.

Can I Recover Damages If I’m Being Blamed for a Dog Bite in Queens, New York?

Dog owners have a number of ways to defend themselves from liability in dog bite cases. 

Typically, New York follows a pure contributory negligence law. When someone contributes to the cause of their injuries, their damages are reduced according to their own share of fault.

Under New York dog bite laws, a dog owner may not be liable if the victim provoked, abused, or threatened the animal. In other words, if your own actions played a role in the dog attack, you could be barred from seeking compensation.

We’ll Fight to Recover Compensation for All of Your Dog Bite Injuries

Dog bites can cause significant injuries. When a dog attacks, the victim is often thrown to the ground. That means your injuries could be much more significant than lacerations and puncture wounds.

At the Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel, LLC, we’ll fight to recover fair compensation for all of your dog bite injuries, including:

• Broken bones
• Eye injuries
• Facial injuries, disfigurement, and scarring
• Infection
• Brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Head injuries
• Neck injuries
• Concussions
• Back injuries
• Amputation injuries, which may be caused by infection
• Paralysis
• Catastrophic injuries
• Wrongful death of a loved one

Call our lawyers in Queens to learn more about how we can help you get through this challenging time.

How Do I Establish Liability in a New York Dog Bite Case?

Some states have adopted a “one bite rule.” In these states, owners are only liable if their dog has bitten someone in the past. In other words, dog owners only pay damages if they knew their dog was dangerous.

Other states apply a strict liability rule where dog owners are liable regardless of whether they knew about their dogs’ vicious tendencies.

New York applies a mixed rule. Under New York dog bite laws, dog owners are always liable for medical expenses if their dog attacks someone. In cases where a “dangerous dog” causes injuries, the owner can be strictly liable for all damages (including damages for pain and suffering, disfigurement, etc.).

To recover compensation beyond medical bills, the victim must prove one of the following:

• The owner knew or should have known that the dog was dangerous
• The dog owner was negligent, and that negligence caused the dog bite or attack

A dog can be classified as dangerous if:

• the dog had previously attacked a person, farm animal, or pet and caused serious physical injury or death, or
• The dog has a known vicious propensity because of a previous unjustified attack on a person, which caused serious physical injury or death

Many dog bite claims turn on whether the owner knew or should have known that their dog was dangerous. It can be challenging to prove that a dog had displayed dangerous tendencies in the past.

How Can I Prove a Dog is “Dangerous”?

Proving that a dog has displayed threatening or vicious behavior in the past isn’t always easy. However, it’s often necessary to recover damages beyond your medical expenses. 

An experienced Queens dog bite attorney at the Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel can help you find the evidence you’ll need. 

For example, a dog may be classified as dangerous if there is evidence that:

• The dog has bitten in the past
• The dog has a history of behaving aggressively with neighbors and other animals
• The dog owner uses a muzzle or other restraints
• There have been prior complaints about the dog

Our lawyers will speak with neighbors and interview witnesses who might support your case. We’ll also locate any animal control or police records related to the dog.

Can I Recover Compensation if the Dog Owner Was Negligent?

Like anyone else, dog owners can be held liable for negligence. You may be entitled to damages if you can prove that the dog owner’s negligent maintenance of the dog caused your injuries.

For example, a dog owner may be negligent if:

• The owner failed to keep the pet confined in a secure area
• The dog was roaming the streets alone
• The dog owner violated local leash laws

You may also be entitled to compensation under New York premises liability laws if you were bitten while visiting someone else’s property.

How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Dog Bite in New York?

Most dog bite victims have three years to file a personal injury lawsuit under the statute of limitations in New York. If you wait any longer, you’ll risk losing your right to compensation entirely.

Contact a Queens Dog Bite Lawyer for a Free Consultation

Were you or your child bitten by a dog in Queens? The Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel Personal Injury Lawyers can help you fight to recover fair compensation. This website is for general informational purposes only. To discuss your case, call to schedule a free consultation with an experienced Queen’s dog bite lawyer today.