Bridgeton Dog Bite Lawyer
Getting bitten by a dog in Bridgeton, New Jersey can be very painful and extremely frightening. A dog bite can also lead to unexpected harm such as medical costs for plastic surgery or lost wages for being becoming disabled from your job while recovering. Many Bridgeton dog bites will lead to an emergency room visit and the need for a tetanus shot or determining whether the dog has rabies. Animal control should always be called when someone is bitten by a dog. If you or your child are bitten by a dog in Bridgeton, New Jersey, call me, Joseph Monaco, to learn how a Bridgeton dog bite lawyer can help you mange in this time of need.
When a dog attacks a loved one, a natural reaction may be to not place blame on the dog because it is an animal. However, the culprit is the dog’s owner. While a a dog cannot be legally responsible for its actions, its owner has a duty to keep her pet under control. Almost all jurisdictions have laws about controlling dogs such as leash and fencing laws. However, New Jersey takes this one step further by making a dog owner or care giver strictly liable for her dog biting someone.
N.J.S.A.. 4:19-16 states:
The 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. For the purpose of this section, a person is lawfully upon the private property of such owner when he is on the property in the performance of any duty imposed upon him by the laws of this state or the laws or postal regulations of the United States, or when he is on such property upon the invitation, express or implied, of the owner thereof.
New Jersey Dog Bite Laws
Ordinance 83-6 – Control of Dogs, Cats and Livestock
No person shall own, keep or harbor a dog, cat, animal or livestock in the City except in compliance with the provisions of this article and the following regulations:
- A. Wearing of registration tag. All dogs or cats which are required by the provisions of this article to be licensed shall wear a collar or harness with the registration tag for the dog or cat securely fastened thereto.
- B. Use of registration tags. No person, except an officer in the performance of his duties, shall remove a registration tag from the collar of any dog or cat without the consent of the owner, nor shall any person attach a registration tag to a dog or cat for which it was not issued.
- C. Interference with official duties. No person shall hinder, molest or interfere with anyone authorized or empowered to perform any duty under this article.
- D. Disturbing the peace. No person shall own, keep, harbor or maintain any dog, cat or animal which frequently barks, howls or cries and thereby disturbs the peace and quiet of the neighborhood or creates a nuisance at any time of the day or night.
- E. Running at large. No dog, cat, livestock or other animal shall run at large upon the public streets or in any public park, public building or other public place within the City.
- F. Leashing of animals. No dog, cat, livestock or other animal shall be upon the public streets or in any of the public places of the City unless such dog, cat, livestock or other animal is securely controlled and controlled by a leash, chain or tether which shall be not more than five feet long and of sufficient strength to contain said dog, cat, or livestock.
- G. Property damage. No dog, cat, livestock or other animal shall injure, or do any damage to any lawn, shrubbery, flowers, grounds or property.
- H. Infection and disease. No person shall willfully sell or offer to sell, use or expose any livestock, dog, cat or other animal having an infectious or contagious disease dangerous to the health or life of humans or animals.
Ordinance 83-8 – Dog Bites
Where it has been determined by a physician that a person has been bitten by a dog, the individual, or his parent or guardian if he is a minor, shall immediately notify the police. When the owner or keeper of any dog is notified by the police that the dog has bitten any individual or individuals, the owner or keeper of the dog must comply with the following procedures:
- A. Have the dog examined by a licensed veterinarian within 12 hours.
- B. Have the dog kept in quarantine in the owner’s home or at a kennel for a period of 10 days.
- C. At the end of 10 days have the dog reexamined by a veterinarian and a written report of the dog’s state of health sent to the Board of Health.
Why Hire a Bridgeton Dog Bite Lawyer?
The owner of a dog who bites someone in Bridgeton, New Jersey will be responsible to pay for the victim’s damages in the form of monetary compensation. This can include lost wages, medical bills and money damages for pain and suffering and disfigurement. If you have suffered financial and emotional harm due to a dog bite in or around Bridgeton, New Jersey, contact me to learn about your rights to be reimbursed by the owner. I will personally explain what you you will be able to legally recover and how to navigate through the claim process. My initial consultation with you will be free. This will allow me to consider whether legal action would be worth pursuing. If I believe you have a good case, I will handle your case a contingency fee basis. This means that you will have no upfront costs or attorney’s fee. I will only be paid if I recover money for you or your child. Call or text me at 609-277-3166, or use my website contact portal to reach me. Either way, I am easily accessible.
