Four people were bitten, two of them severely, by a pack of three dogs roaming a neighborhood in Little Egg Harbor Township Monday afternoon, February 3, 2020. A video shows a man defending himself against the three dogs by swinging a pipe at them while slowly retreating to safety. The dogs can be seen lunging at the man while avoiding the pipe. The man told ABC Action News that he had been bitten on his thigh through his jeans.
Three other people were reportedly bitten as well, one down to the bone. Police say that all three dogs are owned by one person who now faces charges. The dogs have been seized and will be held until a trial to determine their fate.
Police also say that the dogs have been aggressive before even being seized when they attacked someone in the same neighborhood. However, the dogs were returned to their owner, but will likely not be returned after a hearing next month.
Dog Bite Liability in New Jersey
New Jersey law allows the victim of a dog bite to sue the dog’s owner for all damages related to a dog attack. The law creates “strict liability” for the dog owner meaning the owner has to pay even if the dog hasn’t been aggressive of the owner wasn’t in any way negligent.
N.J. Stat. Ann. § 4:19-16:
The owner of a dog in New Jersey will be held liable for any damages if their dog bites someone even if the owner wasn’t aware of any viciousness so long as:
- The attack happened in a public place, or
- The attack happened when the victim was invited or lawfully on the owner’s property.
In many states, the law allows as a defense that if the victim had provoked the dog and this caused the attack, the victim couldn’t collect compensation. However, New Jersey law doesn’t provide for that defense specifically.
Dog Bite Injuries
A dog attack can be scary especially to children victims, and it can cause serious injury to the victim. A dog bite can tear skin, muscle, tendons, nerves and even break bones. This can cause the victim to endure the pain of the attack and have to undergo treatment, rehabilitation and recovery. All of this can be expensive and time-consuming.
Some of the common injuries that dog bite victims enure are:
- Punctures
- Deep Lacerations
- Infection
- Tetanus
- Rabies
- Nerve Damage
- Muscle Damage
- Disability
- Permanent Disfigurement
- Death
Contact a South Jersey Personal Injury Lawyer.
If you’ve been injured by a dog or other pet, contact a South Jersey Dog Bite Lawyer such as Edith Pearce. Unlike the huge firms with dozens of attorneys and many different attorneys handling different aspects of your case, Edith Pearce is personally involved in every case that we handle. She genuinely cares about her clients and you will not be treated like just another case or file.
Contact The Pearce Law Firm, P.C. at (856) 354-5688 for a free consultation and case evaluation. We handle clients in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania.