Queens Dog Bite Lawyer

Dogs can be wonderful companions and guardians for people of all ages—but only if their owners see to it that they are properly cared for, trained, and, if necessary, confined. Negligent dog owners could be held responsible for failing to protect the public from a vicious animal in their possession.

At Shulman & Hill, our dog bite lawyers in Queens, NY, are ready to help. For a free case review, call (555) 555-5555. We can review your options and, if you hire us, fight for the compensation you need to move forward.

Fighting for Compensation After a Dog Bite

At Shulman & Hill, we have handled many types of personal injury cases in Queens, including dog bite cases. We know how to make these cases go smoothly for our clients by:

Finding the Liable Party

You may already know who is liable for your dog bite. For example, if you were bitten by your neighbor’s dog, then the neighbor is probably liable. You might also have a case against another party depending on the circumstances.

In other cases, finding the liable party could be more difficult. If you are bitten by a dog you do not recognize, we would need to track down the person responsible for the dog—usually the owner—before you can file a lawsuit.

Quantifying Damages

To determine your damages, we would ask such questions as:

• How much have you spent on medical care?
• How long will it take the bite to heal completely or to the extent medically possible?
• How many activities have you had to give up because of the bite, and how long will it be before you can return to them (if ever)?
• How much time did you have to take off from work because of the bite?

By answering these and other questions, we can determine how much money you should seek from the liable party.

Negotiating a Settlement

Once we have enough information and evidence to build a strong case, we can go to work to recover compensation for you.

Our lawyers can explain more about your options when you retain our services.

Going to Trial

While many cases end in a pretrial settlement, a few do end up at trial. At Shulman & Hill, we never shy away from tough cases. If we feel that a trial is the most promising way to pursue compensation, we will represent you throughout the process.

New York’s Dog Bite Laws

According to the dog bite laws, the owner of a dog may be liable for damages if their dog attacks a person and injures or kills them.

As part of your lawsuit, we can show that the attack on you was not justified, including:

• Looking to see if the attack was caught on video (e.g., a surveillance camera or cell phone footage)
• Investigating the dog’s background to see if they have attacked anyone before
• Investigating the owner’s background to see if they have a history of keeping aggressive dogs
• Interview anyone who witnessed the attack and ask them to describe your behavior and the dog’s behavior
• Review the police report (if you reported your attack) to see if the police gathered any information we can use in your case

The Consequences of Dog Bites

If you are bitten by a dog, the consequences could include:

• Pain and suffering
• Medical expenses related to treating the bite and any subsequent issues, such as infection
• Loss of income if the bite kept you from going to work
• Loss of future income if the bite resulted in a permanent disability that impacts your ability to work

Our lawyers at Shulman & Hill can seek these and other types of damages for dog bite survivors in Queens, NY.

If your loved one passed away after sustaining a dog bite, you can still seek compensation. In this case, instead of filing a personal injury lawsuit, you could file a wrongful death suit to pursue damages like:

• Funeral expenses
• Loss of financial support if you relied on your loved one to pay bills
• Conscious pain and suffering
• Medical bills related to the dog bite

How to Respond to a Dog Bite

According to the Cleveland Clinic, your biggest concern after a dog bite is preventing infection. You should:

• Wash the bite with soap and water
• Apply a bandage and antibiotic cream
• See your doctor as soon as possible

If the wound is very serious, you should skip these steps and call an ambulance. They can provide whatever care you need, including stitches. If you do not know if the dog was vaccinated against rabies, you will need to receive preventative treatment against this painful and deadly disease.

Your doctor can tell you what steps to take after the initial treatment.

Considering Your Legal Options

Once you are no longer in immediate physical danger, you can talk to us about how to get financial compensation for your injuries.

It is important to remember that you generally have three years from the injury date to file a personal injury case, according to CPLR § 214. This gives you a little time to think through your options, though you should still start your case as soon as possible so that:

• We can find timely and important evidence that proves your case
• You do not risk running out of time to file
• You could potentially get your compensation sooner

We are always happy to help our clients by offering honest, relevant advice about how they can seek compensation.

How Much Do Dog Bite Cases Cost

If you have already missed work and spent a lot of money on medical care, it is reasonable to worry about how much a personal injury case will cost you. While every case is different, at Shulman & Hill, we strive to make our services as affordable as possible by charging a contingency fee. This means you would not pay us attorney’s fees unless and until you get compensation for your injury.

What happens if you never receive compensation? In that case, we would waive attorney’s fees altogether. We only succeed when our clients do.

Our Dog Bite Lawyers Are Accepting Cases Now

The Queens, NY, office of Shulman & Hill can help you pursue compensation for your dog bite injury. A lawyer from our office could negotiate a settlement, address your legal concerns, and provide solid counsel.

Reach out to our team today at (555) 555-5555 for your free consultation.