- Attorneys
- About
- Practice Areas
- Case Results
- Client Reviews
- Blog
- Areas Served
- Contact
Find out if you have a good case
Here’s the scenario: an off-leash – or leashed dog with a careless owner – becomes aggressive and you’re on the painful receiving end of the confrontation. What do you do next? Among the many good reasons to hire an experienced Essex County dog bite lawyer to help you seek restitution, probably the best this startling statistic—fewer than 1% of dog bite victims receive any form of compensation for their injuries. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, more than 4.5 million people in the United States are bitten by dogs each year. Nearly one in five people who are bitten by dogs require medical attention for their injuries. While more than 800,000 Americans receive medical attention for dog bites every year, at least half of those dog bite victims are children.
At Birkhold & Maider, LLC, our skilled Essex County dog bite lawyers are committed to helping dog and animal bite victims receive fair compensation for their injuries. We are passionate about ensuring that negligent animal owners are held accountable for their failure to control their pets to keep children and others safe from harm. Our lawyers put the full force of our substantial experience to work protecting the rights of every dog bite victim we represent. Having knowledgeable and skilled legal representation in your corner can make the difference between receiving a compensation award that fully accounts for the cost of your injuries and being left to shoulder the financial burden of another person’s negligence on your own.
We serve clients in Essex County and many townships and jurisdictions across New Jersey, so call or contact our office today for a free initial consultation to see how we can help you navigate the legal process for recovering compensation.
When you are bitten by a dog or other animal, the law is on your side in recognition of the fact that while pets can bring joy to their owners’ lives, those owners must take responsibility for ensuring that the animal does not create a danger for others in the community. In many cases, this means that the owner of the dog is subject to strict liability, a legal theory under which negligence is presumed so that the victim is not required to prove that the owner was negligent. In cases where a negligence standard applies, it is necessary to establish that the dog or animal owner owed you a duty of care to keep you safe from the animal and breached that duty by failing to control the animal, resulting in injuries.
Because injuries resulting from dog bites can be severe, it is especially important to carefully document the circumstances under which the dog or animal bite occurred. In many dog and animal bite cases, the victim may suffer from:
At Birkhold & Maider, LLC, our experienced dog & animal bite lawyers are committed to excellence and are passionate about helping accident victims recover compensation when someone else’s negligence has caused them to suffer harm. We will be your guide every step of the way through the complex legal process toward recovering full compensation, which should include compensation for:
Civil litigation cases in New Jersey can often be drawn out and complicated if the parties involved lack an appropriate understanding of their rights. When you have our compassionate, competent lawyers on your side, we work tirelessly to resolve your case as effectively and efficiently as possible so that you can move on with your life.
Knowledgeable, aggressive representation can make the difference between gaining an ability to move on with your life or carrying the effects of an unsuccessful case or unsatisfying result with you into the future. To determine the full value of your case, we will work with outside experts to prepare a comprehensive claim aimed at ensuring that you are fully compensated for your injuries. Your focus should be on recovering from the trauma of the incident and the injuries that stemmed from it; our experienced Nutley, NJ dog and animal bite lawyers will take care of the rest. For your free initial consultation, call or contact our office today.
Comparative negligence is a system by which the victim’s compensation award can be reduced based upon the degree of fault on the part of the victim in terms of contributing to the accident. In the case of children and dog bites, if the child is under seven, it is generally assumed that the child was not negligent and cannot share in the responsibility for instigating the bite. In other cases, you may be able to recover compensation, but that award may be reduced depending upon your child’s actions. Our experienced dog and animal bite lawyers will work to build the strongest case possible to avoid or minimize any reduction in your compensation package.
Even private property owners are responsible for dog and animal bites that occur on their property, so long as the victim was invited onto the property (in other words, was not trespassing). While these situations can be sensitive, it is actually your friend’s homeowner’s insurance policy that will be responsible for paying your damages in most cases.
Couldn't have worked with a better team. Bob & Jess were super helpful and made the process easier to get through. I highly recommend their services!
what our clients are sayingour awards
