NYC Dog Bite Injuries

Did you know that an estimated 500,000 dogs live in New York City? For years, dogs and humans have shared a mutually beneficial relationship. Even though dogs have been domesticated, their instincts can still surface, especially when they are poorly trained or improperly supervised.

Imagine walking through Dumbo or Staten Island and suddenly being attacked by a dog. Incidents like these can cause severe physical injuries, emotional trauma, medical expenses, and in extreme cases, even death.

If a dog in NYC has attacked you or a loved one, you don’t have to face the aftermath alone. At Douglas & London, our experienced premises liability attorneys understand the physical, emotional, and financial impact of a dog bite. We are here to help you pursue the compensation you deserve.

The Impact of Dog bites

A recent tragedy on Staten Island highlights the dangers dog attacks can pose when a 59-year-old man was fatally mauled by a dog inside a home on New Dorp Lane. Police responded to a 911 call and found the man suffering from multiple bite wounds across his body. He was later pronounced dead at the scene.

Getting bitten by a dog, irrespective of its size or breed, can be disastrous and often more devastating for children and the elderly, who may be unable to protect themselves or escape. Some common physical Impacts of a dog bite on victims are:

Puncture Wounds: These deep wounds result from the dog’s teeth piercing the skin and usually lead to infections.
Infections: Dog bites release bacteria and viruses deep into the body, causing infections like staph or even rabies. If local infection symptoms, such as swelling and redness, are not quickly addressed and treated, an infection can turn dangerous and even life-threatening.
Loss of Digits and Broken Bones: Dogs can bite with enough force to severely damage or even amputate fingers and toes. In some cases, they can also break bones.
Serious Lacerations: Skin tears caused by the dog’s teeth forcefully gnawing at a victim’s flesh result in blood loss, subsequent scarring and even disfigurement.
Nerve Damage: In places where the skin and tissues are torn off during a bite, a patient may suffer nerve damage, needing skin grafts and reconstructive surgery later.

A dog attack also comes with emotional trauma, such as acute fear and anxiety; victims tend to develop cynophobia (extreme fear of dogs). Some victims, especially children, show PTSD-like symptoms, including flashbacks, phobias of parks and open spaces where they might encounter dogs.

What To Do After a Dog Bite

If you get bitten by a dog, here is what to do immediately to protect yourself

Seek medical care. Never assume the bite is minor; instead, visit a hospital and ensure you receive treatment from a medical practitioner to prevent infection. Here are some hospitals in NYC where you can receive urgent attention for dog bite-related injuries:

Identify the dog’s owner. Identifying the dog’s owner and obtaining their contact information is the foundation of beginning a compensation claim for your bite-related damages.
Document your ordeal. Taking and preserving photos and videos of the attack is the best evidence to support your case. Properly document your injuries and any accompanying symptoms you might experience.
Report the bite. Report the incident to the NYC Department of Health within 24 hours. For serious injuries, call 911 so the police can create an official record, which is essential for medical treatment, rabies evaluation, and potential personal injury claims under NYC’s strict liability laws.
Contact a lawyer. An experienced dog bite lawyer can protect your rights and help you pursue all compensation available under New York State law.

New York Dog Bite Laws and How Liability Works

New York’s dog bite law underwent a major change in April 2025 following the Flanders v. Goodfellow ruling. Under the updated law, dog owners can be held responsible when their dog injures someone. However, liability is not automatic and victims must still prove negligence or carelessness to recover compensation.

This shift came from eliminating the long-standing “one-bite rule,” which previously required victims to show that the dog had bitten someone before or was known to be dangerous. Now, even if a dog bites someone for the first time, the victim may pursue a claim by demonstrating that the owner failed to act reasonably, such as not properly supervising the dog or failing to keep it leashed.

Dog bite liability in New York City is not limited to the dog’s owner. Anyone who had control over the dog or the property where the bite occurred may be held responsible. For example, a dog walker supervising a dog in public spaces such as Madison Square Dog Park or Prospect Park Dog Beach could be liable if a bite occurs. Likewise, a landlord or property manager may face liability if they knew a dog on the premises had dangerous tendencies and failed to take reasonable steps to prevent harm, such as requiring the dog to be kept on a leash.

Leash Laws

In New York City, dogs must be kept on a leash no longer than six feet when in public spaces. If a dog owner knowingly violates this law, they may be found negligent and held liable for damages resulting from a dog attack, including medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Leash laws are more relaxed on private property, and claims may be weaker when the injured person was trespassing or provoking the dog. However, prior complaints to animal control can still play an important role. These complaints may help establish that the owner was aware of the risk, though the final determination will still depend on whether the owner acted negligently under the circumstances.

Compensation for Dog Bite Victims in NYC

As a victim of a dog bite in NYC, you may be entitled to compensation to address the damages and heavy burdens an attack imposes on your life. This compensation may include:

Medical Expenses: This includes immediate costs for emergency room visits, surgeries, and medications for wounds and infections related to the dog bite.
Future Treatment: In severe cases where the victim requires reconstructive surgeries, physical therapy, and any other lifelong medical treatment
Lost Wages: This prevents the victim from losing income due to injuries, allowing them to continue working and protecting their families from financial collapse.
Loss of Earning Capacity: In situations where the incident results in long-term effects, such as amputation, the victim can recover damages for their diminished future earning capacity.
Non-Economic Damages: Factors such as pain and suffering, emotional trauma, anxiety, or signs of PTSD that trap the victims indoors bring about strained relationships for the victim.

All these physical and physiological factors can be used alongside medical bills, photos, and stories to calculate fair amounts of compensation owed to a victim of such dog attacks.

Speak with a New York City Dog Bite Lawyer Today

Don’t wait to protect your rights. New York’s strict legal deadlines can determine whether you can pursue compensation at all, and acting quickly can make the difference between a strong case and a missed opportunity. Evidence fades, witnesses become harder to reach, and filing deadlines approach faster than most people expect. If you or a loved one has been injured in a dog attack, contact Douglas & London as soon as possible to schedule a consultation and learn how our experienced legal team can help you move forward with your claim.