How is a Dog Bite Injury Settlement Calculated?
If you have bene bitten by a dog and believe you’re entitled to compensation, you should contact a lawyer as soon as possible. If you have been bitten by a dog, you might be entitled to a personal injury settlement to cover the cost of treating the injuries, pain, mental trauma, and other costs. At Brady Reilly & Cardoso, we have the experience you need to successfully fight your case.
When Do I Have to File A Dog Bite Injury Lawsuit?
If you were bitten by a dog and have suffered damages, you can file a civil lawsuit to try to recover compensation. As with most civil proceedings, the timeline to file for a lawsuit is regulated by a statute of limitations.
When you have injuries arising from a dog bite, the statute of limitation in New Jersey gives you a maximum of two years to file a lawsuit. If you do not file your claim within two years from the date of the injury, you likely won’t be able to recover any form of compensation, even if you would have otherwise been entitled to it.
When is a Dog Owner Not Liable?
Dog owners have the legal responsibility to take care of and control their pets. They are also meant to prevent their dogs from causing bodily harm to others. Whenever a dog attacks and bites someone, it is assumed to be negligent on the part of the owner, and they must assume liability. It doesn’t matter if the owner wasn’t aware that the dog was aggressive or prone to biting; New Jersey has a strict liability law regarding dog bites.
There are only two conditions by which dog owners may be free of the liability:
- If the dog bite occurred on the owner’s private property and the victim has trespassed
- If it can be sufficiently proven that the victim was consciously provoking the dog and triggered it to attack them
How To Calculate Settlements For Dog Bite Injuries
If you suffered a dog bite, you may be eligible for monetary compensation. The compensation is meant to cover both the losses that can be quantified and those that can’t.
The settlement can cover everything you spent on treating yourself and the money you need to spend in the future. Compensation typically includes the following:
Monetary losses
This is all the money you lost due to the dog bite injury. Typically, it involves all the medical bills such as doctor’s appointments, surgeries, hospitalizations, medications, physical therapy, and even the cost of transportation to and from your medical appointments.
It can also include the future costs of any medical treatments you need, such as specialist care and medical devices and tests. The financial losses also encompass the wages you lost because you missed work due to the injury. If you cannot return to work, the lost future wages are also included.
Non-monetary losses
Being bitten by a dog causes physical pain and emotional stress. It can also cause an inability to enjoy the pleasures of life, leading to mental anguish. This is not a quantitative loss and cannot be easily quantified.
However, it is part of the damage suffered because of the dog bite injury. Typically, the more severe the injury is or the longer the consequences last, the more you will be awarded to compensate for pain and suffering.
Contact Us Today
If you were bitten by a dog and believe you are entitled to compensation, contact Brady Reilly & Cardoso, LLC today. Since 1965, our Jersey City personal injury lawyers have been helping families in New Jersey recover the compensation they deserve. Call (201) 636-1993 or contact us online to request a free consultation.
