If you suffered injuries after a dog bite, you might be eligible to receive damages from the dog’s owner. A dog bite lawyer in Bohemia, Long Island, can help you gather evidence and build a compelling claim for compensation.
The laws in New York are complex when it comes to dog attacks. A host of factors determine whether an owner is legally responsible for the actions of their dog. The personal injury attorneys at Gacovino, Lake & Associates, P.C., focus on dog bite law. We have a long and successful track record of winning substantial compensation for bite victims.
We invite you in for a free consultation and case review, where you can sit down with one of our attorneys, have all your questions answered, and find out more about the legal options available based on the facts of your case. To schedule an appointment with a member of our legal team, call our office today at 631-600-0000.
Who Is Responsible for My Dog Bite Injuries in Bohemia, New York?
According to New York state law, a dog bite victim is eligible to recover compensation from the owner in two situations:
- The dog has exhibited a history of aggressive or dangerous behavior; or
- The owner exhibited negligence in their handling of the dog.
By providing evidence showing that your dog bite incident meets at least one of these conditions, we can prove that the owner is liable for any damages that occurred.
If the Dog Has a History of Dangerous or Aggressive Behavior
If a dog has any demonstrated history of aggression toward people, other pets, or even farm animals, its owner may be liable for injuries the dog caused. This is true even if the owner was attentive in their handling of the dog and tried to restrain it.
Most dangerous dogs do not have documented histories of aggressive behaviors. Even if the dog has shown aggression in the past, a record of such behavior often does not exist. This makes it difficult to prove that the owner knew the dog was dangerous.
Our attorneys conduct a thorough investigation into your dog bite and the background of the animal that bit you. This includes researching records for any documentation of aggressive behavior from the dog. Absent such information, we can make our case by locating past victims of the same dog and soliciting statements from these individuals.
By showing evidence of the dog’s past aggression and the owner’s knowledge of such behavior, we can file a personal injury claim against the owner and their insurance company, seeking the maximum in damages for your injury. At your free case review, we can look into the details of the attack and advise you on what options exist for pursuing compensation.
If the Owner Was Negligent in Handling the Dog
Even if a dog has never shown signs of aggression or indicated the potential to be dangerous, its owner must follow certain guidelines for handling and restraining the animal in public.
Regardless of the dog’s history, we can prove the owner in your case was negligent by demonstrating the following:
- The owner failed to take reasonable steps to prevent the dog from biting you, such as keeping it on a leash or in a fenced yard;
- Due to the owner’s negligence, the dog was able to bite you; and
- You suffered injuries due to the bite.
Many jurisdictions have leash laws. By proving the owner of the dog that bit you violated such a law, we can make a compelling case for negligence, arguing that your injury would not have occurred had the owner complied with local laws.
How Do Criminal Charges Affect My Dog Bite Claim?
In serious cases involving a habitually dangerous dog biting a person and causing serious injury or disfigurement due to the owner’s negligence, the police might file misdemeanor charges against the owner. A criminal charge can provide a boon to our case. That is because formal charges offer objective evidence of the dog’s aggressive history or the owner’s negligence. However, you still must file a personal injury claim against the owner to recover damages. Our attorneys can help with that process.
What Damages Can I Recover With My Claim?
When we take your case, part of our job is to calculate all of the economic and non-economic losses you have suffered due to your dog bite injuries. We can then pursue the responsible party for the full amount. These damages potentially include:
- Current and future medical bills;
- Lost wages;
- Reduced earning capacity;
- Pain and suffering;
- Emotional anguish;
- Loss of consortium; and
- Punitive damages.
If a loved one died due to a fatal dog attack, our attorneys can file a wrongful death claim to pursue compensation for your loss.
Is There a Time Limit on Filing a Dog Bite Lawsuit?
Like most personal injury cases in New York, dog bite victims must file a lawsuit within three years of the incident to avoid running up against the state’s statute of limitations. It is ideal to pursue a claim much sooner than that. The evidence we need to build our case will not often last for more than a few days, let alone weeks, months, or years.
The sooner we gather evidence and file a claim with the dog owner’s insurance company, the more time we have to negotiate a fair settlement outside of court. Securing an out-of-court settlement is our first priority in order to avoid court fees and speed up the compensation process for our clients. However, our attorneys are capable of taking your claim all the way to a jury trial to ensure that you receive the full compensation you deserve.
Where Can I Find a Dog Bite Lawyer in Bohemia, Long Island?
The legal team at Gacovino, Lake & Associates, P.C., is ready to take on your case and fight for the compensation you deserve after a dog attack. To schedule a free consultation with one of our Bohemia dog bite lawyers, call us today at 631-600-0000.
