We are New Jersey Dog Bite & Animal Attack Lawyers
Dog Bite & Animal Attack Lawyers
Holding negligent owners strictly liable, tracing homeowner’s insurance coverage, and protecting injured victims in Passaic, Bergen, and Northern New Jersey since 1922.
An animal attack is a uniquely terrifying and deeply traumatic event. In a fraction of a second, an aggressive or uncontrolled dog can inflict devastating physical injuries, permanent nerve damage, and severe cosmetic scarring. Beyond the immediate physical pain, victims—especially young children—frequently suffer from long-term psychological trauma, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), severe anxiety, and a lifelong fear of animals. As you face emergency medical bills, potential reconstructive surgeries, and lost wages, you should not have to navigate a hostile insurance system on your own.
At Raff & Raff, LLP, we have protected injured New Jersey residents and their families for over a century ($1922$–Present). We know that securing full financial recovery for a dog bite requires decisive, immediate investigation. Led by our Managing Partner Stephen T. Raff, Esq.—recently honored as the Passaic County Bar Association’s Distinguished Lawyer of the Year— and Certified Civil Trial Attorneys Michael S. Raff, Esq. and Daniel A. Levy, Esq., our active trial team immediately goes on the offensive.
We do not let negligent property owners or corporate insurance adjusters dismiss your pain or claim that the animal was “provoked.” We prepare every single animal attack case from day one as if we are presenting it to a jury—subpoenaing local animal control logs, investigating past histories of aggression, and identifying all applicable homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policies to maximize your financial compensation.
We represent injured victims strictly on a contingency fee basis under our No Recovery, No Fee Guarantee. This means you do not pay us a single dollar out-of-pocket, and we only collect a legal fee if we successfully win a financial settlement, permanent injury award, or trial verdict on your behalf.
Overcoming Complex Obstacles in New Jersey Animal Attack Law
Select a category below to discover how we enforce New Jersey’s strict liability laws, trace insurance policies, and secure recovery for permanent scarring:
Strict Liability (N.J.S.A. 4:19-16)
Eliminating the “One-Bite Rule”
Unlike many other states, New Jersey does not recognize the outdated “one-bite rule.” You do not have to prove that the dog had a prior history of aggression or that the owner had reason to know the dog was dangerous.
- The Law: Under N.J.S.A. 4:19-16, New Jersey enforces a standard of strict liability for dog bites. If a dog bites you while you are in a public place or lawfully in a private place (including the owner’s property), the owner is legally liable for your damages, regardless of whether they took active precautions or had no prior knowledge of the dog’s viciousness.
Tracing Insurance Assets
Bypassing Personal Friendships
Many dog bites involve animals owned by neighbors, friends, or close family members. This often makes victims hesitant to seek legal representation because they do not want to cause their loved ones personal financial ruin.
- The Solution: We handle these delicate situations with extreme professionalism. We do not seek to drain the dog owner’s personal bank accounts. Instead, we identify and file claims directly against their homeowner’s insurance, renter’s insurance, or commercial umbrella policies. The insurance company pays your medical bills, therapy, and pain and suffering damages, protecting both your recovery and your relationships.
Proving Scarring & Mental Trauma
Presenting Comprehensive Damages
Insurance companies frequently attempt to classify dog bites as minor “soft tissue” injuries that will heal on their own. We refuse to accept these insulting evaluations.
- Our Approach: We collaborate with board-certified plastic surgeons, dermatologists, and mental health professionals to document the complete extent of your losses. We compile forensic photographic records of your healing process, secure medical projections for future reconstructive laser surgeries, and document the psychological impact of the attack to ensure the jury understands the lifelong nature of your scarring.
Serious & Life-Altering Injuries Resulting from Animal Negligence
Because of the extreme force and bacteria involved in an animal’s jaws, dog attacks routinely result in severe, permanent physical and emotional injuries, including:
- Severe Lacerations & Tearing: Deep-tissue muscle tears, severed tendons, and arterial damage requiring immediate emergency suturing or surgical repair.
- Permanent Cosmetic Scarring: High-visibility facial scarring, disfigurement of the hands, neck, or limbs, and painful keloid tissue requiring future plastic reconstructive surgery.
- Nerve Damage & Numbness: Severe loss of sensation or permanent motor skill impairment resulting from deep puncture wounds that pierce major nerve pathways.
- Dangerous Infections: Severe secondary infections—including Pasteurella, capnocytophaga, cellulitis, or rabies—requiring intravenous antibiotic treatment or hospitalization.
- Long-Term Psychological Trauma: Severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), night terrors, panic attacks, and permanent psychological scarring, particularly in children.
Your Step-by-Step Action Plan After an Animal Attack
- Seek Immediate Emergency Medical Care: Go to the nearest emergency department or urgent care center (such as St. Joseph’s Level $1$ Trauma Center in Paterson) to wash, disinfect, and treat the wound. Medical documentation is vital to proving the immediate severity of the bite.
- Identify the Dog and the Owner: Get the owner’s name, address, and contact information. If there were any witnesses to the attack, secure their names and phone numbers immediately.
- Report the Incident to Animal Control: Contact your local municipal police or Passaic County Animal Control to file a formal report. This creates an official paper trail and forces public health officials to verify the dog’s rabies vaccination status.
- Take High-Resolution Photos: Take detailed, clear photos of your wounds, any torn or blood-soaked clothing, and the location where the attack occurred.
- Do NOT Speak to the Owner’s Insurance Adjuster: Never sign a quick-settlement release or give a recorded statement to the homeowner’s insurance company. Speak with an experienced trial attorney first to protect your rights.
Rooted in Paterson to Serve Passaic, Bergen & Northern New Jersey
Because civil personal injury lawsuits are litigated in the local county courthouse, our central office on Church Street in Paterson is located less than a 5-minute walk from the Passaic County Courthouse Complex, where all local Passaic County dog bite lawsuits are filed, litigated, and decided.
Because we maintain a fully staffed second office footprint in Ridgewood, we are uniquely positioned to represent Bergen County residents. We routinely represent animal attack victims receiving critical emergency care at major regional healthcare hubs throughout Northern New Jersey, including:
- St. Joseph’s University Medical Center (Paterson – Passaic County’s premier Level 1 Trauma Center)
- The Valley Hospital (Paramus / Ridgewood – directly adjacent to our Bergen County office footprint)
- Hackensack University Medical Center (Hackensack – Bergen County’s leading trauma hub)
- Morristown Medical Center (Morristown – serving our Morris County accident clients)
- Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center (Livingston – serving our western Essex County clients)
- St. Joseph’s Wayne Medical Center (Wayne)
- Clifton Urgent Care & Local Medical Centers (Clifton)
- Holy Name Medical Center (Teaneck)
- Jersey City Medical Center (Jersey City – serving our Hudson County clients)
Frequently Asked Questions About New Jersey Dog Bite Law
No. Under New Jersey’s strict liability statute (N.J.S.A. 4:19-16), there is no “one-bite” rule. You do not have to prove that the dog had ever bitten anyone before or demonstrated aggressive behavior in the past. The owner is held legally responsible for your damages from the very first bite, even if they had no reason to suspect the dog was dangerous.
Yes. New Jersey’s strict liability statute specifically applies as long as you were lawfully on the property at the time of the attack. This includes being on the property as an invited social guest, a mail carrier, a delivery driver, a contractor, or any other person performing a lawful duty. The only primary defense against strict liability is if the victim was trespassing or actively provoking the animal.
This is a very common scenario. You should not worry about causing your relative or friend financial ruin. In almost all successful dog bite claims, we recover compensation directly from their homeowner’s insurance or renter’s insurance company, up to the policy’s limits. The owner does not pay for your medical bills or settlements out of their own pocket, allowing you to secure the recovery you need to heal without creating family conflict.
Under New Jersey’s statute of limitations (N.J.S.A. 2A:14-2), you generally have two years from the date of the attack to file a formal personal injury lawsuit in court. If the victim is a minor child, the two-year clock typically does not begin running until their 18th birthday. However, we strongly advise taking legal action immediately to preserve critical evidence, identify the owner’s insurance policy, and secure witness statements while they are fresh.
Protect Your Recovery. Protect Your Future.
Do not allow a negligent property owner or their insurance carrier to delay your medical treatment, downplay your pain, or offer a cheap settlement. Speak face-to-face with an experienced, award-winning Northern New Jersey trial attorney in our office or via a secure Zoom meeting. We will analyze your medical records, trace the owner’s insurance policies, and outline a clear, aggressive strategy to secure your future.
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