Many people in New Jersey own dogs and consider them to be members of their families. Accordingly, when a dog bites another person who is legally present on private property or who is on public property, the dog’s owner will be strictly liable to pay damages for the injured person’s losses.
Strict liability for dog bites in New Jersey means that injured victims will not have to prove that the dog’s owner was negligent or that the dog had a previous history of viciousness. The dog’s owner will be liable to pay damages for the resulting injuries and losses.
The dog bite statute does not cover situations in which dogs cause injuries in other ways, however. In those cases, the victim will need to prove that the dog’s owner was negligent in his or her handling of the dog. For example, if a dog is unleashed and knocks down a person who is injured in the fall, the victim will need to prove that the owner was negligent in allowing the dog to run loose without a leash.
People who are bitten by dogs in New Jersey may be entitled to recover compensation to pay for their losses. Serious dog bites can leave people with severe injuries and permanent scarring. An experienced personal injury lawyer might help the victims of dog attacks to hold the owners liable so that that they can recover compensation for their losses. If a person’s injuries are caused by some other types of actions by a dog other than a bite, the lawyer may help his or her client prove negligence in order to recover damages for the victim’s economic and noneconomic losses.