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How To Sue A Dogs Owner
As a dog bite attorney, I sometimes hear from dog bite victims that they don’t think that they can sue the dog’s owner because the dog that bit them never bit anyone else before. And I wonder about all the dog bite victims that don’t even come to see me because they think that they have no right to sue for a dog’s first bite.
But they are mistaken if they think that. The one bite allowed rule may be the law in some states. But, in New Jersey, there is no such requirement. A dog owner is responsible even for a dog’s first bite.
To recover personal injury damages in a New Jersey dog bite case, you basically have to prove just three things.
First, you have to prove that the people you are suing actually owned the dog. Second, you have to prove that you were not trespassing on the premises where you were bitten. Third, you have to prove that the dog actually bit you.
That’s it. Of course, this being a legal matter, there are some other issues and complications that may arise. I will deal with those in future posts.
The takeaway is that, if you or someone you know is bitten by a dog, you or that someone should see a dog bite lawyer immediately. As in any case, there is a time limit to sue. If you miss the deadline, you will be forever prevented from recovering anything. Even if your case has merit.
My office offers a free consultation for dog bite victims. Please contact us if you have been bitten by a dog.
If you are interested, you can read here the actual jury instructions that judges use to explain basic New Jersey dog bite law to juries.