New Jersey Dog Bite Injury Lawyers
Prevention of Dog Attacks
While many New Jersey dog attacks could not have been prevented due to their individual circumstances, there are several tips that can help you if you are near a dangerous dog. The most important thing to remember is to never approach a strange dog regardless of how docile they appear to be. Dogs are animals and are territorial and can be highly unpredictable. Even the small dog that you disregard may turn out to be a vicious and violent animal, capable of causing serious injuries.
Never go near any dog that you don't know, even if they are being walked by their owner. Several New Jersey dog bite cases have taken place when a person leans down to pet a strange dog that is being walked by someone else. In addition to not petting dogs while they are walking with their owners, you should also not approach dogs that are tied up anywhere without any other person around. Also, dogs that are in cars should not be approached as the windows may be down and the dog may be able to escape and cause harm.
It is very important that children are taught to avoid all dogs that they don't know. Strange dogs or dogs walking on the street by themselves are particularly dangerous to children. Children and young people should never try to taunt a dog or play with them recklessly. Teasing dogs that are chained, in yards, or locked in cars can be particularly dangerous as the dogs may not have adequate safety measures being used to restrain them.
While running away from a dog that you are nervous about may seem like the natural thing to do, it could make situations worse, and generally you should never run away from a dog that approaches you. Dogs want to know what or who you are and animals that flee from them are naturally seen to be a type of prey to run after and catch. You should never reach down to touch a dog without first allowing the animal to smell your hand to show that you pose no threat to them. In order to best avoid a dog bite you should generally never pet any strange dog at all, however.
In a situation where a dog attack cannot be prevented, you may be able to protect yourself from severe injuries. If you are bitten or attacked by a dog in New Jersey the best thing to do is to protect your face and neck if possible. This can be most effectively done by covering your face with your hands and having your elbows and arms cover your neck. If the dog continues to attack try to slowly move away from it to see if it just wants you away from itself. You may also want to stamp your foot on the ground forcefully and yell something in a loud voice. This may startle the dog and allow you to slowly get away from it.
Seek immediate medical attention for any New Jersey dog bite or attack. You can also call or contact our office in Princeton for more legal information that you can use to protect yourself. You may also be able to recover damages for medical expenses, plastic surgeries, pain and suffering, loss of work and many other damages relating to your attack.
Lependorf & Silverstein have been handling New Jersey dog bite cases for years from our office in Princeton. Contact us for a free consultation. We can begin working for you immediately and without pay until we win your case. Our payment is usually only a preset amount of your award and we always factor it into anything we agree to settle on. Contact us today.
Contact our team at Lependorf & Silverstein for a free consultation and let our smart, aggressive legal representation go to work for you today.