Man’s best friend can be aggressive and unpredictable at times. If you sustained injuries because of a dog bite in Jersey City, you could possibly recover compensation from the dog’s owner. New Jersey has a “strict liability” law with regards to dog bites, and this law makes the dog owner liable for the injuries and damages suffered by the victim. If you win the case, the dog owner will be asked to pay damages depending on the extent of your injuries. Working with a Jersey City personal injury lawyer can be hugely advantageous.
Here are some aspects worth knowing.
Winning a negligence claim
There are many ways in which a dog can harm a human. It may not always refer to a direct bite. For instance, a dog may have chased you on your motorcycle. In such cases, the strict liability law may not apply. You have to prove three key things to win a negligence claim.
Firstly, the dog owner had a duty of care, and secondly, the dog owner didn’t do enough to prevent the incident from happening. Thirdly, you have to prove that you were injured because of the dog bite because the owner breached the “duty of care”. It is important to understand that many factors can influence what you get in a settlement. For instance, if the dog had a history of aggressive behavior or has bitten humans in the past, the owner was expected to know that and take adequate measures to prevent untoward incidents.
The need for a dog bite lawyer
The dog owner would obviously want to defend their position. There are two typical defenses that dog owners use. The first one is trespassing. For instance, if you were on private property when the incident happened, the owner may claim that you are responsible for the accident. The second one is shared blame. The dog owner may claim that you teased the dog or did something that caused the animal to respond or behave in a certain way. Hiring a dog bite lawyer is necessary for protecting your rights. A good lawyer can take measures to ensure that you don’t settle for less, and more importantly, they will gather evidence.
Dogs are one of the friendliest, most caring, and loving animals we see around us. They are loyal towards their owners and ensure that they are safe from any threat. However, the sad truth is, some dogs can be hazardous, and their bites can result in severe injuries.
Many dog owners are unaware that dog bites can lead to legal actions against them, and they might have to compensate the victim for their damages and injuries. If you believe the dog bite was a result of the owner’s negligence, the victim can file a lawsuit against the dog owner with the help of a dog bite attorney Manchester.
The statute of limitations in NJ only allows two years to file a dog bite case, and therefore, if you don’t seek legal advice in time, you may end up sustaining losses for no fault of your own.
