Bronx Dog Bite Lawyer

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Were you or a loved one injured by a dog in the Bronx, NY? You may be entitled to recover financial compensation from the dog’s owner. An experienced Bronx dog bite lawyer at Oresky & Associates, PLLC can help you fight to recover money for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Our lawyers have over 30 years of experience representing injury victims across NYC. We’ve recovered over $400 million since we opened our doors back in 1992.

You can count on our experience and resources when it comes time to take on the insurance company. To learn more about how we can help, call our law firm in the Bronx, New York at (718) 993-9999 or contact us today to schedule a free consultation.

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How Oresky & Associates, PLLC Can Help After a Dog Bite in the Bronx

How Oresky & Associates, PLLC Can Help After a Dog Bite in the Bronx After sustaining a dog bite injury, hiring an experienced Bronx personal injury lawyer improves your chances of recovering fair compensation. Insurance companies are all-too-familiar with dog bite cases. They’ll often use scare tactics to convince you to accept less money than you deserve.

Our lawyers at Oresky & Associates, PLLC have decades of experience handling personal injury claims. We know how to accurately assess your case value, so you can be confident you’re getting every dollar you deserve.

When you hire our legal team, you can trust that we will:

Handle the paperwork and administrative aspects of your case
Conduct a detailed investigation into the circumstances of the dog bite
Consult with leading dog bite injury specialists when necessary
Defend you if the owner claims you provoked the dog to bite
Negotiate with the insurance companies on your behalf

Over the years, our Bronx dog bite attorneys have been rated by Super Lawyers and earned a spot on the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. We’ve also been listed as New York’s Leading Personal Injury Lawyers by New York Magazine.

When you’re hurt, you can count on us to fight for you. Just call to schedule a free consultation to get started.

How Common Are Dog Bites in the Bronx?

According to research from the American Animal Hospital Association, nearly five million Americans are bitten by dogs each year. The CDC estimates that about 800,000 dog bite victims require medical treatment every year – and over 14,000 are hospitalized with serious injuries.

Over a seven-year period, 6,028 New York City residents visited the emergency room with dog bite injuries. Over 300 required inpatient hospitalization.

The cost of these injuries can be surprising. The average dog bite insurance settlement in New York was $68,203 in 2021. In fact, New York insurance companies paid out more per dog bite case than any other state.

What is My Bronx Dog Bite Case Worth?

The aftermath of a dog bite or animal attack can be overwhelming. Along with emotional trauma, you may also struggle with financial strain caused by medical bills and lost income.

The value of your dog bite claim depends on several different factors. While the psychological impact can be especially damaging when the victim is a young child, it’s important to factor in your pain and suffering even as an adult.

Our lawyers will examine a number of factors to determine how much your personal injury case is worth, including:

The nature of your injuries
The cost of your medical treatment and out-of-pocket expenses
Whether you’ll lose wages while you recover or care for a recovering child
Your overall prognosis, pain and suffering, and mental anguish
The nature of the dog owner’s actions

It’s a good idea to speak with an experienced lawyer before taking an insurance settlement. At Oresky & Associates, PLLC, we’re here to evaluate your case for free. To learn more about how much your case is worth, call our Bronx dog bite attorneys for a free case review today.

What Types of Damages Are Available to Dog Bite Victims?

Under New York personal injury laws, injured parties are entitled to compensation for their financial losses.

Those “economic damages” may include:

Past and future medical expenses
Lost wages
Reduced earning potential
Physical therapy
Reconstructive surgeries
Miscellaneous out-of-pocket costs
Psychological counseling, especially for children

You’re also entitled to compensation for your intangible, personal losses.

“Non-economic damages” often include:

Pain and suffering
Mental anguish
Diminished quality of life
Permanent physical disfigurement or scarring
PTSD, depression, and other emotional trauma
Loss of consortium

If you lost a loved one in a fatal dog attack, our lawyers can help you fight to recover money to cover funeral costs and additional damages for wrongful death.

Can I Recover Damages if I’m Blamed for Being Bitten by a Dog in New York?

Dog owners often try to blame dog bite victims for provoking the dog. Under New York pure comparative negligence laws, you can generally recover damages even if you were partly responsible. However, if the insurance company can prove that your negligence somehow contributed to the dog bite, your settlement will be reduced by your percentage of fault.

If the insurance company is trying to pin the blame on you, you don’t have to sit back and take it. Our lawyers are familiar with these tactics and will do everything we can to minimize their impact.

We’ll Fight to Recover Compensation for All of Your Dog Bite Injuries

Dog bites can cause many serious types of injuries – especially if the victim was a young child.

At Oresky & Associates, PLLC, we’re here to help recover fair compensation for all of those injuries, including:

Broken bones
Nerve damage
Puncture wounds and lacerations
Soft tissue damage
Traumatic brain injuries
Head and neck injuries
Concussions
Joint injuries, back injuries, and other injuries if the dog knocks you over
Internal injuries
Amputations, usually caused by infection
Spinal cord damage
Paralysis
Wrongful death of a loved one

If the dog wasn’t vaccinated, the risk of serious infection and permanent damage is much higher.

Victims of dog bites and animal attacks can also suffer from chronic pain. These and other long-term injuries can significantly disrupt your life. If you were injured, don’t hesitate to call our lawyers in the Bronx to schedule a free case review today.

How Do I Prove Liability in a New York Dog Bite Case?

Most states have either a “one bite rule” or impose strict liability on dog owners. Under a “one bite rule,” every dog gets one “free” bite. So, owners are only held liable if the dog has bitten before. In strict liability states, the owner is liable regardless of whether the dog has ever displayed any vicious propensities in the past.

New York takes a mixed approach. Under New York dog bite laws, owners of “dangerous dogs” are strictly liable for medical bills when their dog bites someone.

A “dangerous dog” is one that:

Has attacked, and injured or killed, a person, pet, or farm animal without justification, or
Has a known vicious propensity as evidenced by a previous unjustified attack on a person, which caused serious physical injury or death

If you can prove that the dog is “dangerous,” you don’t have to prove the owner was negligent to recover the cost of your medical care.

However, you can only recover additional damages if:

The owner was negligent and failed to control the animal
The owner knew the dog had a history of vicious or aggressive behavior
The owner reasonably should have known the dog was dangerous based on past behavior

Establishing liability in a dog bite case can be difficult. Our lawyers have the resources to locate evidence to back up your damages claim.

Examples of the types of evidence we’ll search for include:

Past complaints from neighbors about the animal
Statements from witnesses to the dog attack
Whether the owner used a muzzle
Whether the owner violated NYC leash laws
Statements from anyone who witnessed the dog’s prior aggressive behavior

In New York City, dog owners are required to keep their animals restrained with a leash whenever they’re out in public. If you were bitten, call our law offices today to arrange a free case evaluation.

How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Dog Bite in New York?

When you’re injured, you only have a limited amount of time to file a personal injury lawsuit. In New York, the statute of limitations is three years. So, you have three years from the date of the dog bite to take legal action.

You shouldn’t wait until the deadline to speak with a lawyer. The sooner we start gathering evidence, the greater your chance of successfully recovering fair compensation.

Contact Our Bronx Dog Bite Lawyers for a Free Consultation

Were you or your child bitten by a dog in the Bronx? An experienced Bronx dog bite lawyer at Oresky & Associates, PLLC can make a world of difference when it comes to recovering the maximum compensation you deserve. Learn more by calling to schedule a free consultation today.

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