New York Dog Bite Attorney Serving NYC and the Hudson Valley
Dog bites and animal attacks can be painful, traumatic events that cause serious personal injury, including facial disfigurement and scarring, with debilitating physical and psychological conditions that can last for years. Some dog bite victims develop a fear of open spaces and can no longer enjoy life like they once could. Tragically, small children are often victims of animal attacks because they are too young to fully appreciate the danger of a strange animal. Young children are also the most likely to suffer the most serious injuries and experience the most severe long-term effects. Vicious dog attacks have even taken the lives of children and adults and continue to do so at the rate of about two dozen every year. In Orange County and along the Hudson Valley, Goshen personal injury and wrongful death attorneys Dupée & Monroe, P.C. represent the victims of dog bites and their families, fighting to obtain compensation for the victims and hold dog owners accountable to prevent future attacks.
Compensation for Victims Under New York’s Complicated Dog Bite Laws
New York dog bite law contains a complicated mix of strict liability and negligence theories. When strict liability applies, this means it is not necessary to prove negligence or fault on the part of the dog owner; so long as the victim was lawfully on the premises where the attack took place and did not provoke the incident, the owner can be held liable. Under a negligence theory, however, it is necessary to prove that the owner was somehow at fault, such as letting the dog roam free in an unfenced yard, letting the dog roam off-leash in a public park or street, or training the animal to be vicious.
In New York, dog owners are strictly liable for medical costs incurred when their dog bites a person and inflicts injury. In order to collect other legal damages, however, such as pain and suffering or emotional distress, it is necessary to prove negligence or fault. Also, if the injured plaintiff can prove that the dog was vicious and that the owner knew or should have known of the animal’s dangerous propensities, then strict liability again applies, and it is possible to obtain punitive damages against the owner as well.
Get Help from Experienced Goshen Dog Bite Attorneys
Given the complex mixture of legal theories that can apply to a dog bite case, it is important to retain an experienced New York personal injury attorney who thoroughly understands the law as it applies to your case and who is dedicated to achieving results on your behalf. At Dupée & Monroe, we have helped numerous injury victims obtain significant legal damages for their injuries in a wide variety of settings. We know the law and understand what it takes to get you the compensation you need and deserve when you have been injured due to the negligence or wrongful conduct of another. If you or a loved one has been injured by a dog bite or animal attack in or around Orange County, contact Dupée & Monroe, P.C. for a free consultation with one of our experienced personal injury lawyers.
