While oftentimes people may suffer disfigurement and unexpected medical expenses in connection with a dog attack, for one New Jersey family, a dog attack has left their infant in critical condition. The child was being treated at a nearby hospital.
Details are still sketchy as to what precipitated this dog bite, but police did say that the dog was not a stray.
Presumably, this means that the dog has an owner somewhere and that the owner was either unable or unwilling to prevent his or her dog from attacking the infant child. In New Jersey, a pet owner has an obligation to ensure that his or her animal does not cause a danger to others, especially children. They must take all reasonable steps to keep their dog or other animal properly restrained. Alternatively, the owner may ensure that the dog has proper training so that it will not pose a risk to people.
If a dog shows tendencies to bite and the owner cannot either correct those tendencies or properly secure the dog, then the owner should consider getting rid of the animal.
This tragic case illustrates that dog bites, even when only one dog is involved, can be very serious or even life-threatening. Even if this child manages to recover, the child likely has suffered serious physical and even psychological injuries that will affect the child for the rest of the child’s life. The emotional pain that these parents will suffer cannot be underestimated.
If a New Jersey parent’s child is the victim of a dog attack, then the parents may want to consider filing a personal injury action on their child’s behalf. If the child in this case regrettably does not survive from the wounds, then the parents may want to file a wrongful death cause of action to seek some compensation and partial healing from this incident.
Source: The Star-Ledger, “Dog bite leaves Lakewood infant in critical condition,” James Queally, Feb. 17, 2013
