Rochester, New York Meanest Dogs

Jed Dietrich, Esq., Recognized as a Best Lawyer and American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys 10 Best Attorney, Has Spent Decades Fighting for the Rights of Buffalo Dog Bite Victims. If You, or a Loved One, Have Been Injured in an Unprovoked Dog Attack, Our Attorneys Could Help You Obtain the Compensation You Need and the Justice That You Deserve.

Dogs have a well-deserved reputation as man’s best friend. However, like their two-legged companions, dogs can have very different personalities. Some dogs, even those that are ordinarily amiable, can react to sudden surprises and perceived threats with unbridled aggression.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, dog bites are a serious public health concern. Each year, an estimated 4.5 million Americans are bitten by dogs. Many of these bites—nearly 1 million overall—require emergency medical attention. Children, as well as older adults, are more likely to be bitten and more likely to sustain serious injuries.

Even with the proper care and support, dog attack victims often struggle to return to their everyday lives. Survivors may have to contend with disfiguring injuries or a sudden, near-uncontrollable fear of dogs. Recovery can, in many cases, seem like an impossibility.

However, you do not have to bear this burden alone. The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. has spent years fighting for the rights of dog bite victims across Buffalo. Our experienced team of attorneys could help you or a loved one obtain the compensation you need to begin reclaiming your independence. Since our founding in 2005, we have helped our clients secure more than $250 million in damages. We could help you, too. Please send us a message online or call us at 585-939-3939 to speak to a dog bite lawyer and schedule your 100% free, no-obligation consultation as soon as possible.

Dogs can bite for a variety of reasons. However, most dog attacks—even those that are seemingly unprovoked—often have simple explanations.

The most common reasons for dog attacks include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Fear Aggression: Dogs can feel threatened by everyday occurrences and gestures, from prolonged eye contact to the presence of a passing stranger. Under certain circumstances, fear can cause dogs to lash out, often to protect themselves or their family members.
2. Territorial Aggression: Many dogs view their family’s entire home and any surrounding lands as “their” territory. If a stranger or another animal encroaches on this territory, they may engage in threat displays, including growling, barking, and lunging.
3. Possessive Aggression: Similar to territorial aggression, dogs do not always like it when other people, even friends and family members, approach items and individuals that they value. Children, for instance, are sometimes bitten when they try to initiate play by taking a dog’s toy or trying to pet it while it is eating.
4. Dominance Aggression: Dominance aggression may occur if a dog believes a person is of lower social status. Dogs, like wolves, are biologically inclined to view social relationships within a hierarchical structure. Consequently, they may try to enforce their perceived higher position by barking at, pinning down, or biting other animals. Veterinary experts believe that true displays of dominance aggression are exceedingly rare.

Any dog could become aggressive for any of the above reasons. However, studies suggest that some breeds of dogs are, statistically, more likely to be involved in fatal attacks than others.

For instance, a special report published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association assessed fatal dog attacks over a 21-year period. Researchers found that the following breeds were overrepresented:

1. Pit bull-type dogs;
2. Rottweilers;
3. German shepherds;
4. Husky-type dogs; and
5. Malamutes.

A brief analysis of this report indicates that the overwhelming majority of reported fatal dog attacks occurred while the dog was unrestrained, whether on public property or their owner’s land.

In New York, dog owners are legally obligated always to maintain control over their pets. If a dog owner violates state law, they could be held liable for the cost of any resulting injuries. These costs could include, at minimum, the repayment of a victim’s medical bills. However, they could also encompass other damages, such as lost income from work and mental anguish.

The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. could help you or a loved one explore your options for recompense in the aftermath of a life-changing dog attack. Please call us at 585-939-3939 to speak to a Buffalo dog bite attorney and schedule your free consultation.

New York permits dog bite victims to file a claim for compensation if another person’s pet dog has injured them. Under most circumstances, the at-fault dog owner is strictly liable for the victim’s outstanding medical expenses, even if they exercised reasonable care in controlling their pet.

However, the at-fault dog owner is not necessarily liable for any other damages, and they may be compelled to reimburse medical expenses only if the dog attack was unprovoked or unjustified. The state refers to dogs that attack without justification as “dangerous dogs.

The consolidated Laws of New York provide the following definition of a dangerous dog:

1. Any dog that, without justification, attacks a person causing serious physical injury or death;
2. Any dog that has a “known vicious propensity,” as evidenced by previous unjustified attacks on a person resulting in injury or death; or
3. Any dog that, without justification, causes serious injury or death to a service animal, farm animal, or other domestic animal and has, in the past two years.

If a dog can be deemed dangerous, then victims can recover, at minimum, any incurred medical expenses. However, a dog bite survivor may only petition for additional damages if they can establish that the dog’s owner knew, or should have known, that the dog had unmistakably vicious tendencies. This usually necessitates a careful assessment of the dog’s prior behavior.

The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. could help you protect your rights after a Buffalo dog attack by taking the following steps:

1. Investigating the causes and circumstances of your accident;
2. Reviewing report records and complaints to determine whether the dog likely had a history of aggression;
3. Assessing your damages;
4. Interviewing eyewitnesses; and
5. Negotiating a fair settlement or taking an at-fault dog owner to court.

If we believe that the at-fault dog owner knew, or should have known, that their dog had unmistakably vicious tendencies, our experienced team of Buffalo dog bite attorneys could help you file a claim for additional damages. These damages could include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Your existing medical bills;
2. Your anticipated care needs;
3. Physical rehabilitation;
4. Paid co-pays and deductibles;
5. Lost income from work;
6. Diminished earning potential;
7. Emotional pain and suffering;
8. Loss of enjoyment;
9. Disfigurement; and
10. Wrongful death.

While New York does not currently limit damages in most dog bite claims, it does enforce a strict statute of limitations. If you wait too long to contact a Buffalo personal injury lawyer, the court could dismiss your claim on a technicality.

Do not lose your chance to ascertain justice. Please send the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. a message online or call us at 585-939-3939 to schedule your free consultation.

Call the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. immediately at 585-939-3939 so that our aggressive, tenacious, and hardworking personal injury lawyers can fight to obtain the best result for your personal injury claim in Buffalo, New York. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and there is never a fee until we WIN for you!