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New Jersey Dog Bite Attorney

Need To File For Compensation? Call (732) 440-3089.

Did you know that around 4.5 million Americans are bitten by dogs every year? In New Jersey, dog bite cases are governed by the Dog Bite Statute. This law says that if an owner’s dog bites another person, they are responsible for compensating the victim for any damages caused by this bite.

Even if the dog didn’t bite a person, owners may still be held liable for any other injuries the dog may have caused. In short, if you were in a public place or lawfully in a private place at the time of the attack, you may have grounds to file a lawsuit for the dog bite.

Specifically, New Jersey Statute Section 4:19-16 states that:

“[t]he owner of any dog which shall bite a person while such person is on or in a public place, or lawfully on or in a private place, including the property of the owner of the dog, shall be liable for such damages as may be suffered by the person bitten, regardless of the former viciousness of such dog or the owner’s knowledge of such viciousness.”

It's important to note that your own behavior may prevent you from recovering compensation if you were bitten by a dog. New Jersey law will consider if you were legally on the land at the time of the dog bite. If you were considered a trespasser, or on the land without permission, you may have a difficult time recovering. Likewise, the law considers if you aggravated the dog and/or enticed the dog to attack.

How Long Do I Have to File a Claim?

Typically, under New Jersey law, you have (2) two years from the time of the dog bite to bring a lawsuit. If you were a minor at the time of the attack, you have (2) two years from your eighteenth birthday. Many people are concerned that the dog owner will be personally responsible to pay the money awarded in a lawsuit. The homeowner’s insurance of the dog owner, however, will usually cover the money paid.

If you or a loved one suffered a dog bite, do not hesitate to exercise your legal right to seek compensation.

I’ve Been Bitten by a Dog. What Should I Do?

Some people don’t realize right away that they have legal options to pursue financial recovery after a dog attacks them. Their primary focus may be getting medical attention and care. After that, questions may start to arise. Who is responsible for the dog? Will you have to pay for medical expenses out of pocket? What can you do to hold the owner accountable? That is where Levinson Axelrod, P.A. comes in. Our New Jersey dog bite lawyers understand dog bite cases and can guide you through this time.

We can help you with the following steps:

Making sure you get the best possible medical care
Gathering sufficient evidence to build your claim
Identifying the owner and taking legal action against them
Preparing your case to go all the way to trial
Negotiating a just settlement out of court if possible

You can rest assured knowing that our legal team will be there for you through every step when you entrust your dog bite case to us. We understand the laws surrounding dog bites and attacks and can use our insight and legal resources to ensure you are given the maximum compensation possible. From evaluating the emotional damage done by the dog attack to documenting the physical lacerations, we walk you through every key step.

Your Neighbors. Your Lawyers.

You don’t want just any trial attorney representing you in court. You want a local advocate who cares about your case and your future. Our New Jersey dog bite injury attorneys have 80 years of collective experience and are proud to represent clients throughout our communities. From Monmouth County to Somerset County, we have 10 offices throughout the state to serve injured individuals in all 21 New Jersey counties.

Give us a call today at (732) 440-3089 to get started on your case.

Only the Best Possible Result

Helping Clients Get the Compensation They Need

Medical Malpractice Settlement $12,500,000
Tractor-Trailer Jury Verdict $8,000,000
A 35-year-old laborer who resides in Kearny was seriously injured while working on the median of a highway when a passing tractor-trailer lost a wheel that struck him. Evidence at trial established that after a recent tire change, the lug nuts were not properly secured by both the owner and the independent contractor who had installed the tire. Our client suffered severe head and orthopedic injuries and is now totally disabled as a result of the accident.
Personal Injury Settlement $7,000,000
A Middlesex County man was severely injured and burned as a result of a collision with a truck. The truck driver had lost control of his vehicle and had come through a median barrier which had failed to redirect the truck away from oncoming traffic. Expert testimony established that the median barrier was defective and therefore failed to protect motorist from this type of accident.
Premises Liability Jury Verdict $7,000,000
A woman was putting her 3-year-old son on a carnival amusement ride while holding onto a portable fence when she received an electrical shock. Our client was hospitalized and later developed Traumatic Dystonia, a condition that caused tremors in the hand and makes the fingers curl.
Personal Injury Jury Verdict $6,000,000
A female drunk driver crashed into plaintiff’s vehicle causing multiple fractures to the right ankle and foot. Plaintiff’s doctor testified that plaintiff would be under pain management protocol for the rest of his life due to this condition.
Tractor-Trailer Settlement $3,700,000
A Morristown woman was injured when her vehicle was struck by a tractor-trailer that lost control on black ice on Interstate 287. The defendant's truck had jack-knifed as it was changing lanes in order to avoid an earlier accident. The accident resulted in our client suffering severe head injuries.
Product Liability Jury Verdict $3,500,000
Worker injured by product defect on his commercial truck.
Personal Injury Verdict $3,200,000
Levinson Axelrod, P.A. Partner Kim Gozsa recently obtained a $3.2 million dollar verdict on behalf of a client who was injured in a slip and fall accident at an outlet shopping plaza in Jackson, New Jersey. The substantial jury award stems from a case in which Kim’s client slipped and fell on ice on a sidewalk at the Jackson Premium Outlets, an outlet shopping center in Jackson Township, New Jersey.
Personal Injury Settlement $3,000,000
A 31-year old iron worker was injured in a construction site accident when he was struck in the head by a cinder block. Despite the facts that he was wearing a hard hat at the time, the plaintiff still received a serious closed head injury resulting in both memory loss and total disability. The case was handled by both Richard Levinson and James Dunn and settled at the time of trial.
Premises Liability Jury Verdict $3,000,000
An Edison delivery man slipped on a wet floor while delivering a package. He broke his knee in the fall and suffered an injury to his spine, which in turn aggravated pre-existing conditions of incontinence and impotence which had been caused by previous injuries.
Premises Liability Jury Verdict $3,000,000
Our client, a North Plainfield man, was injured when he slipped and fell on snowy steps while exiting his building. He suffered a lumbar disc injury, requiring surgery. The jury found his landlord 100% liable for the accident for failing to clear the steps to the building.
Wrongful Death Jury Verdict $3,000,000
A worker developed asbestosis and lung cancer due to Asbestos exposure. Evidence at trial proved asbestos to be a defective product, which causes harm to workers who use it. Jury awarded the victim's widow damages for wrongful death.
Inadequate Security Jury Verdict $2,700,000
A mother of nine was shot and killed while working at a convenience store. Evidence at trial proved a lack of adequate security, including a panic button and outgoing phone line, had placed this worker at risk. Expert testimony also established that there was an increased risk of criminal activity in convenience stores which had inadequate surveillance equipment. The matter was upheld on Appeal, and settled prior to being reviewed by the New Jersey Supreme Court.
Third-Party Work Injury Settlement $2,650,000
The plaintiff sustained a traumatic amputation of one leg, and a crush injury to the opposite foot, in a construction site accident. The claim was brought against the Department of Transportation, as it had a duty to monitor safety on the work site and its failure to do so contributed to the happening of this accident.
Premises Liability Settlement $2,500,000
Our client was injured while delivering a 3,000 pound piece of equipment to defendant's premises. The defendant's employees were assisting our client in unloading the product when one of them prematurely activated the lift gate, causing the piece of equipment to fall and strike his legs. He suffered serious injuries to both legs, requiring multiple surgeries.
Personal Injury Settlement $2,500,000
A $2.5 million settlement secured by Levinson Axelrod, P.A. Partner Brett Greiner.
Auto Accident Settlement $2,500,000
Levinson Axelrod Partner, Mark V. Kuminski represented a local Franklin Township woman who was involved in a three-car motor vehicle accident. The incident occurred when one of the drivers, later named as the defendant in the personal injury lawsuit filed by Mark and our firm, rear-ended a vehicle that had been stopped. Mark’s ability to express the full scope of damages incurred by our client, proved successful in compelling the jury to rule in our client’s favor.
Personal Injury Settlement $2,500,000
Our client suffered a traumatic head injury after falling due to an unsecure railing.
Motorcycle Collision Settlement $2,500,000
A young man was seriously injured while riding his motorcycle to work when another driver made a left hand turn in front of him, leaving our client had no memory of the accident. He suffered a number of serious fractures and underwent multiple surgeries, leaving him with disabilities. The case settled on the second day of trial.
Personal Injury Jury Verdict $2,250,000
The plaintiff injured her ankle when she stepped into a cement cut out in a commercial sidewalk where a tree had been planted. The plaintiff had been walking on the sidewalk on her way to a down town holiday festival. Her attention had been distracted by a negligently placed chestnut grilling stand, thereby diverting her attention away from the cut out. The plaintiff brought claims against both the property owner and the operator of the chestnut stand.

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