If you’ve been bitten or attacked by a dog, you may be thinking about getting a dog bite lawyer. It can be a traumatic experience and often involves dogs you are familiar with. A study confirms that 66% of victims know the dog that bit them.
When you know the dog that attacked you, it can complicate an already difficult situation. A dog bite lawyer can often help.
Whether you know the dog that attacked you or not, we go through the top questions to determine if you should hire a dog bite lawyer. The top questions to ask yourself if you need a dog bite lawyer are:
Although other animals attack and bite people, a dog bite lawyer will primarily deal with people that have been injured by a dog. So if it was a dog that attacked you, you would seek out the services of a dog bite lawyer.
The next question to ask is if there are injuries from the dog attack. Dog bite injuries can be minor to severe. Dog bite victims will generally seek compensation for their injuries when they are more severe. Severe injuries will require more medical care and the victim may need to miss work or school.
A dog can cause life-changing injuries for victims. Injuries can look different in each case – some with facial injuries requiring plastic surgery, some with no broken skin but neurological injuries from a fall caused by a dog, broken bones, or pain and suffering. Keep any medical bills from an emergency room visit or other medical professionals as this can help your personal injury attorney.
You will need to have the information of the dog owner to hold them responsible for your injuries and to start a dog bite lawsuit. If you don’t know the dog, try to get information from the dog owner when the dog bite happens. Witnesses to the attack may also be able to provide contact information. Authorities may also be familiar with a dog if you have details about the dog and they might be able to track down the dog owner. If you don’t have any information on the dog owner, it will be difficult to pursue litigation.
Most dog owners will have insurance coverage for the attack through their homeowner or renter’s insurance. It is this insurance policy that will likely cover the expenses you’ve incurred from a dog attack. If the dog owner does not have any type of insurance in place, you may still be able to sue them, it is best to speak to a dog bite attorney to determine the best course of action.
New Jersey holds dog owners strictly liable for injuries, but there are a few exceptions. If you hold some or all of the responsibility for the dog attack, it may be hard to get compensation for your injuries. For instance, if you were on private property without reason to be there. There is no statewide leash law in New Jersey
In these situations, it is best to speak with a dog bite attorney to find out if you will have a case against the dog owner.
If you know the dog owner, you can still pursue compensation for the dog bite without unnecessarily damaging your relationship. Most claims are paid out by insurance companies and not by the dog owner themselves. An experienced dog bite lawyer will be skilled at navigating any complications in relationships in pursuing litigation. If you think you’re ready to start a dog bite claim, it is best to seek legal advice from a dog bite attorney.
Contact David J. Cowhey to discuss your dog bite claim. He’s handled dog bite cases throughout New Jersey for both adults and children with dogs familiar to the victims and dogs that were not. He’s available 24/7 for a free consultation to discuss your New Jersey dog bite case and dog bite laws.
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Talk to The New Jersey Dog Bite Lawyer, New Jersey's most experienced and successful dog bite attorney.
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Dave was awesome helping me through the nightmare world of insurance claims after my daughter was attacked by a neighbors dog. Dave is very friendly, always available and extremally knowledgeable and connected to this process. I highly recommend you call him about your case,
David Cowhey, Esq. did a great job for my daughter, who had been bit by a dog and left with a scar on her leg. He is an extremely competent and responsive attorney. The whole process was very easy and he negotiated a great settlement! We are very happy. Highly recommend his professional services!!
My experience with David Cowhey was amazing, he is a very knowledgeable and helpful lawyer. I got bit by a dog and it left a very noticeable scar on my leg and David was great to have on my side. He’s very easy to work with, would definitely recommend if you’re going through the same thing!
Dave is so professional. My daughter was 6 when she was attacked by a friend of the family dog. I contacted Dave’s office and spoke with his secretary. She was so friendly and asked questions that made me feel comfortable. I was amazed by how fast the service was and everything was easy to understand. Dave made sure my daughter was compensated for her injuries and along with pain & suffering. There couldn’t be a more perfect choice but that’s because God helped me choose this great lawyer! He did an excellent job!!! She is 7 now and We are now able to move on better because of the help of Dave. Pick this lawyer!! I PROMISE YOU WONT REGRET ANYTHING AT ALL‼️ Thank you Dave!
My entire experience with Dave and his team was 5 stars. They specialize in one thing, and this experience taught me why you want an attorney who specializes. Dave's knowledge, experience, and confidence is what made things go smoothly and quickly. Professional and quick responses always. If someone was bitten by a dog I recommend this guy, he will get you what you deserve.
My wife got bit by a dog last spring; she immediately received medical care and we made a police report- all within 2 hours. Shortly thereafter, we decided to choose Attorney David to represent her. He walked us through the process. It is much more comfortable knowing that his practice only involves dog bites. He knows his stuff! We have just received notice that a fair settlement has been reached. If you have been bitten by a dog, my wife and I would highly recommend David Cowhey for an attorney. Thank you to David and his professional staff!
My 8 year old son was bitten by a neighborhood dog, leaving permanent scars on his abdomen. I immediately contacted David Cowhey. He explained the process very clearly and made it very easy for us to come to a fair settlement for my son. He was a perfect advocate for us, and he is very compassionate for the victim. We are very pleased with the hard work David has done for our son.
Lawyer Dave Cowhey (& his office) helped my wife, son and me immensely over the past 15 months. He is tremendously professional, responsive and proactive, as well as being, a great attorney. Thanks to Dave, we are now able to put our 'incident' behind us. I highly recommend his services - he will work hard and long for you to get you the settlement you deserve.
My experience with Dave and his law firm was wonderful. While I was nervous to start the process of something that I knew nothing about, he was extremely helpful and explained everything clearly and concisely. He answered all of my questions - day or night, weekday or weekend, and made sure I was comfortable at each step. I would highly recommend Dave and his firm!
I absolutely loved my entire time of working with with Dave. He always kept my best interest in mind and made sure that I was taking care of. He was amazing at communicating all steps in the process with me, and never hesitated to answer any of my questions. Would highly recommend!
Dave was extremely responsive and guided me thru the process with compassion. His specialization in dog bites really helped facilitate the process. He knows all the insurance issues and, despite the backlog of cases due to Covid, was able to settle my claim for more than we anticipated as well as earlier. I would definitely recommend Dave as I felt comfortable that I was getting the best advice every step of the way!
Dave did extremely well by me and my family. He was nothing short of professional and assisted us through the entire process. I called him the day of the dog bite, and I followed his instructions to the "T". Him, and his staff, were knowledgeable on every step of the process. From medical advise, to advise on setting up our structured settlement for our child. If you need help right away, don't wait.... call him asap!!!
Dave was amazing, he handled my case with care , answered every question , email and helped me to understand the steps we needed to take. I had never dealt with a lawsuit before so of course I was nervous and thought I was going to get ripped off but nope. He was very professional and attentive. Hope I never need him again but should I ever need a lawyer for a dog bite i'm calling him first!
Dave Cowhey was amazing during our case which was very personal in the sense that involved family members. He was candid and professional and always gave us his honest opinion to all our questions and concerns. He's a family man and understands how upsetting the situations are at hand. I wish he was a lawyer for everything honestly, he was fantastic! Highly recommended Dave and his team.
My one year old dog and I were viciously attacked by a pit bull. I didn’t want to file a law suit initially until I realized the severity of the injuries both mentally and physically. Most lawyers are all about the money not for the justice and compassion of the victim. I am blessed to have found David. He was our hero who understood our situation was efficient knowledgeable and above all sincerely compassionate
Dave was hands on and always available. Steered me through the entire process and helped cover my medical costs and compensation for my scar and injury. Went over and Beyond and made me feel at ease and confident in a positive outcome. Would recommend to all.
Honest, fast, responsive and professional. Great experience working with Mr. Cowhey and I highly recommend to handle any dog bite case.
We contacted Dave when our 5 year old son was attacked by our neighbor's dog, resulting in deep wounds (and now scars) on his face and arm. Dave was extremely knowledgeable/helpful from the start, explaining how everything would work, and he was always available via phone/text if we had questions come up throughout the process. He always gave us all of the options/routes we could take and let us decide what was the best move for our family. He advocated for the best outcome for our son and always kept us in the loop. We were able to settle in a friendly hearing with the homeowner-insurance company, which was simple and straightforward, thanks to all of Dave's hard work behind-the-scenes. We definitely could not have navigated this process ourselves and we are very thankful for the help of Dave and his team!
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