Unleashing the Truth: Understanding Dog Bite Lawsuit Settlement Amounts

Dog attacks and dog bites can cause immense physical, financial, and emotional losses that often support large settlements. While there is no way to put a final number on how much a dog bite case will settle for, better understanding the ins and outs of these cases will give you a far better idea of what your claim is likely to settle for. If someone else’s dog leaves you or someone you love injured, an experienced New Jersey dog bite attorney is standing by to help.

The Cost of Dog Bites: A Comprehensive Look at Settlement Amounts for Lawsuits

According to the Insurance Information Institute (III), the State of New Jersey was ranked in the top 10 when it comes to the estimated number of dog bite claims and their cost in 2022. Consider the following statistics shared:

• There were 550 dog bite claims in New Jersey.
• The average cost of these claims was $74,837.
• The total value of these claims was $41.2 million.

As medical costs continue to rise, so too do the corresponding settlement averages. It’s important to also note that because these values are averages, some claims settle for less and many claims settle for much more. 

Claim Coverage

Dog bite claims are generally filed with the dog owner’s homeowner, renter, condo, or co-op insurance. Other possibilities, however, can include the following:

• The dog owner’s mobile homeowner’s insurance 
• The dog owner’s landlord’s insurance
• The dog owner’s car insurance 
• The dog owner’s canine liability coverage 
• The dog owner’s general liability coverage or umbrella insurance policy 

Regardless of the circumstances involved in your claim, your dedicated dog bite attorney will explore all the possibilities in terms of which coverage applies and how best to obtain the compensation to which you are entitled.  

Our Cases

Some of the results we’ve fought for and obtained for our valued clients at The New Jersey Dog Bite Lawyer include the following:

• $900,000 for a boy attacked by a husky 
• $450,000 for an HVAC service provider who suffered serious back injuries as a result of a dog attack
• $300,000 for a teenage girl who suffered facial injuries and permanent scarring when attacked by a mixed-breed pit bull
• $275,000 for a young woman who suffered calf wounds and permanent scarring from the bite of a rottweiler

Factors That Affect Dog Bite Settlements: Understanding How the Law Determines Damages

A wide range of factors will guide how your dog bite claim is settled. Every dog bite settlement is based on the losses the claimant suffers as a result of being attacked by the defendant’s dog. These losses are called legal damages, and In the State of New Jersey, claimants can seek compensation for losses that fall into several primary categories. 

Medical Expenses

When a dog bites into the flesh of a victim, they tear and gnash at the skin and underlying tissue, which leaves a jagged, smashed wound that is highly prone to infection, is very slow to heal, and is very likely to leave serious scars. When the bite is on the victim’s hand or another jointed area, the damage can be that much more challenging to recover from, and when the victim’s face is affected, it can lead to permanent disfigurement. 

The medical expenses related to a serious dog bite can be extensive and may include costs associated with long-term care related to secondary health concerns and injury complications. When joint damage is involved, ongoing physical and occupational therapy, along with multiple surgeries, are often required. 

Lost Income

Recovery after a serious dog bite can be slow going, and it can keep victims off the job, which – in turn – can drastically reduce their earnings. If the injury disrupts the claimant’s ability to continue developing their career or interferes with their earning potential, the related financial losses are that much more serious. When a victim’s career is negatively impacted, there are also emotional consequences to be considered. 

Pain and Suffering

It is difficult to accurately describe the pain and suffering associated with being attacked by someone else’s dog. When aroused to aggression, dogs can be vicious, and humans are especially vulnerable to their attack. As such, the physical and emotional pain and suffering experienced by victims can lead to PTSD-like symptoms that can hinder a victim’s overall recovery. 

Each of these categories of loss must be carefully assessed in order to obtain fair compensation that covers your complete damages. 

When to Seek Legal Action: How to Determine Whether a Dog Bite Case Is Worth Pursuing

Many people who’ve been harmed by the aggression of someone else’s dog are hesitant to reach out for legal guidance because they’re not sure where the legal line is drawn. While some states do implement a so-called one-bite law that affords dog owners the benefit of the doubt regarding a pet’s first offense, this is not the case in New Jersey. 

Even if the bite you suffer is the animal’s first show of aggression, your case is worth pursuing if you experience related medical expenses or lost earnings – and attendant pain and suffering – as a result. Your case is important, and your legal rights matter. 

Because your losses are all too real, reaching out for the legal guidance of a seasoned dog bite lawyer is always well advised. Only if you were trespassing on the property where you were attacked by the dog or if you directly provoked the animal are you barred from obtaining just compensation – and these caveats rarely apply. Discussing your claim with a knowledgeable dog bite attorney soon after the attack is the surest way of determining if you have a viable claim. 

Maximizing Compensation: Tips for Navigating Dog Bite Lawsuits and Settlement Negotiations

On the path toward reaching a fair settlement, there are several steps you can take to help protect your claim and your health:

• Focus on your health, by seeking the immediate medical attention that you need and by carefully following your medical team’s instructions and advice. 
• Seek professional legal guidance as early in the process as you can. 
• Keep in mind that the insurance company handling your claim is intent on keeping your settlement as low as possible by all available means, and skip providing them with a statement, which can be misinterpreted and used against you. 
• Stay off social media while your claim is pending for the same reason. 

While you tend to your recovery, allow your dog bite lawyer to effectively and efficiently guide your claim forward.

Evidence in Your Claim

The success of your dog bite claim will hinge on the strength of your evidence, which you will look to your dog bite lawyer to carefully gather and skillfully compile. Such evidence can include all the following:

• Your medical records, which support the extent of your current medical costs and the potential need for future related expenses 
• Your doctor’s analysis of your current condition and prognosis 
• Your pay records, which indicate the extent of the financial losses you have experienced
• Any police reports generated
• The testimony of eyewitnesses at the scene of the attack
• Any videos or photos taken at the scene of the attack
• Photos of your bite wounds
• The testimony of those you know well – in relation to how the dog attack has affected you both physically and emotionally
• The testimony of those with expertise in dog bite injuries and dog attacks

Your Attorney’s Role

Having a seasoned dog bite attorney in your corner can make a vast difference in the outcome of your claim. Your skilled legal counsel will ably take on all the following primary roles:

• Helping you understand and successfully negotiate the dog bite claims process – and helping to ensure that you make well-informed decisions that protect your legal rights along the way
• Gathering and crafting all the available evidence into a claim that proves the dog owner’s liability in the matter and that clearly identifies each category of covered loss you experience – in its entirety.
• Communicating with the involved insurance company on your behalf – ensuring that you will not need to
• Knowledgeably negotiating with the insurance company for a settlement that provides you with the compensation you need to regain your physical and emotional health and well-being to the extent possible.
• Being well prepared to take your claim to court in the event that the involved insurance company refuses to engage in fair negotiations that honor your legal rights  

Discuss Your Claim with an Experienced New Jersey Dog Bite Lawyer Today

Living through an attack by a ferocious dog is terrifying, and the legal damages you incur can feel insurmountable. Fortunately, the law is on your side, and with the skilled legal guidance of a formidable dog bite lawyer like David J. Cowhey at The New Jersey Dog Bite Lawyer in your corner, you’ll be in a much better position to defend your rights and go after just compensation that allows you to recover as fully as possible. 

We have extensive experience with dog bite cases – they’re all we do – so please don’t hesitate to contact or call us at (866) 259-4377 for more information about how we can help you today.