Dog owners need to be especially prudent in preventing their dog from attacking someone. New Jersey dog bite law imposes a heavy responsibility on dog owners, whether in a public place or lawfully on the property of the dog owner.

In the State of New Jersey, the legal liability of an owner of a dog that injures a person by a dog bite or attack is strictly imposed by statute law. Whether the dog is a trained fighting dog or a sweet poodle, the dog’s owner is legally responsible if the dog bites someone. The relevant section of New Jersey State Statute 4:19-16 states that “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.” In a court case for a dog bite issue, the plaintiff must prove three things:

• That the defendant is the owner of the dog in question
• That the plaintiff was on or in a public place or lawfully on or in a private place, including the property of the defendant
• That the dog did bite the plaintiff while in such a place

Attacks by animals are essentially negligence cases for which you need a New Jersey dog bite lawyer to pursue compensation for medical bills, physical pain and even loss of wages if the bite is severe and causes disability.

If you or a loved one has been injured by a dog bite, the Brown, Novick & Colarulo can take legal action on your behalf and they offer free consultations.