Many dog bites are easily treatable and short-term. However, some NJ dog bite victims suffer lasting injuries and must undergo drastic medical procedures, such as amputations, to survive. Other injuries may leave lasting physical disfigurement and mental anguish. Severe injuries cost money, time, pain, and quality of life.

What can make NJ dog bites so severe? How prevalent are dog bites in NJ? And how may a dog bite attorney assist victims?

Types of Long-term and Permanent Injuries From Dog Bites.

Following a dog bite incident, Victims may suffer varied long-term effects, some of which are permanent.

• Permanent Mental Health Issues
  Dog Bite incidents can be so traumatizing for victims that they never fully recover mentally. Children may struggle with nightmares following an attack. Even adults may develop paralyzing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Others may suffer from anxiety and depression.
• Disability
  A victim may slip and fall while attempting to escape an attack. Sudden falls may cause spinal, neck, or back injuries. It may take rehabilitation and longer than anticipated to recover from these injuries. Depending on the severity, some victims may never fully recover.

  Reduced mobility or disability is a long-term damage that significantly reduces the victim’s quality of life.

• Amputations
  Dog bites in NJ can be catastrophic, causing severe infections and irreparable nerve and blood vessel damage. In such cases, the affected limb may require amputation. It is sad to see victims lose their arms and legs because of a dog bite and realize their lives will never be the same as before.
• Permanent Scarring
  Deep-tissue dog bites can leave permanent scars, affecting the victim’s appearance. Such injuries are especially detrimental to people whose careers rely heavily on their looks. Actors and models may pay a hefty price for this type of disfigurement.

Let’s look at dog bite statistics in NJ.

Dog Bite Statistics in New Jersey>

Nationwide, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) reports that 4.5 million dog bites occur yearly. Close to a million of the victims require medical attention.

By June this year (2023), New Jersey ranked 12th for the number of dog bites. The state had 134 dog bites compared to 675 and 404 for California and Texas, which came in first and second, respectively.

In 2022, New Jersey ranked 9th for insurance claims for dog bites. There were 550 claims, each averaging $74,837 that year. (Insurance Information Institute and State Farm)

According to available records, less than 1% of dog bite victims die from their injuries.

Victims can file a claim with the pet owner’s insurance company. They should consult an NJ dog bites injury lawyer because the insurance company will likely lowball them or deny their claim. The Law Office of Peter Briskin is open to helping victims as we have been doing for years.