Our Verdicts and Settlements
$2,500,000
Settlement at trial for negligent road design
$2,400,000
Settlement at trial for a construction worker
$1,750,000
For a student injured at school
$1,300,000
For a motorcyclist
$1,200,000
Verdict for Car Crash Victim
$1,000,000
For a motorcyclist
$950,000
For car crash victim
Types of Dog Bite Cases Our Firm Handles in New York
About 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs each year in the United States. In 2025, New York had the highest average dog bite insurance claim cost of any state, at $92,154 per claim. New York State also ranks fourth for dog attacks on mail carriers.
New York does not follow a strict “one bite” rule. An owner can be strictly liable when they knew or should have known of a dog’s vicious propensities, and a prior bite is only one way to establish that knowledge. Growling, snapping, lunging, guard-dog behavior, or prior complaints may also provide evidence.
Our dog bite attorneys represent New York victims in cases involving:
- Attacks by a neighbor’s dog on a sidewalk, yard, or shared property
- Bites suffered by children, including at a friend’s or relative’s home
- Attacks in public parks, on trails, or at dog parks
- Bites involving delivery drivers, mail carriers, and utility workers
- Dog attacks tied to a landlord who knew a tenant’s dog was dangerous
- Bites by dogs left off-leash in violation of local leash laws
- Multiple-dog attacks and pack-related injuries
- Attacks by dogs with a documented history of prior aggression or bites
- Injuries caused by a dog owned or kept by a business, such as a guard dog at a commercial property
- Wrongful death claims arising from a fatal dog attack
Because these cases often turn on evidence like veterinary records, animal control complaints, and witness statements, it is important to contact a dog bite lawyer early, even if you are not sure whether you have a valid claim or believe you may have contributed to the attack.
What if the Dog Had Never Bitten Anyone Before?
A dog does not have to have bitten someone before for the owner to be held responsible. New York law recognizes other vicious propensities, including growling, snapping, snarling, baring teeth, or aggressive behavior. Prior complaints, known aggression, or how the dog was restrained may help establish what the owner knew or should have known. Even without evidence of vicious propensities, New York permits ordinary negligence claims when an owner fails to exercise reasonable care.
Why New York Victims Choose Hiller Comerford Injury & Disability Law
In New York, the details surrounding the attack can change how the law applies to your case. What you were doing when the dog attacked, whether the owner had reason to anticipate the encounter, and whether the owner’s conduct contributed to what happened can all affect your personal injury claim. That’s why working with a local dog bite lawyer familiar with how these cases are handled in New York courts matters.
With more than 27 years of litigation experience, over 300 years of combined legal experience, nearly 20,000 clients served, 48 attorneys, and a 240-person team, Hiller Comerford Injury & Disability Law has the resources to investigate what really happened and push back against those defenses.
We Track Down Every Available Insurance Policy
Dog bite claims may be covered by a homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy, but coverage can also come from a landlord’s policy, a commercial general liability policy, or potentially a policy covering a dog walker or pet-sitting service. We identify every policy that may apply so you are not left pursuing an owner who has little to pay on their own.
Trial-Ready When Insurers Deny Liability
Insurance companies routinely dispute dog bite claims by blaming the victim or minimizing the injury. We prepare every case as though it will be tried before a jury, developing the evidence and, when needed, expert testimony to support your claim from day one.
Direct Access to Your New York Dog Bite Lawyer
You work with the attorney handling your case from your first call through resolution. We will not shuffle you between staff members or leave you guessing about where your claim stands.
We Have a No-Fee Guarantee
You never pay us upfront. We only get paid if we win for you, so our success is directly tied to yours.
Free Case Evaluation
Speak with a lawyer at no cost. We’ll review your situation, explain your options, and help you understand the best path forward.
You’re More than a Case
We treat every client like family, taking the time to understand your story and guide you through every step with care and compassion.
What Compensation Can You Recover in a New York Dog Bite Claim?
Dog attacks often leave injuries that go far beyond the initial wound, from repeat surgeries to a lasting fear of dogs that changes how someone lives. New York law allows injured victims to pursue compensation for both the direct costs of the attack and its longer-term effects.
Depending on the facts of your case, your dog bite attorney may pursue compensation for:
- Medical treatment: Emergency care, wound cleaning and closure, antibiotics or rabies post-exposure treatment, reconstructive or plastic surgery, and follow-up care.
- Scarring and disfigurement: Compensation for permanent scarring or disfigurement, particularly when injuries affect visible areas such as the face or hands.
- Lost wages and reduced earning capacity: Income lost during recovery, along with compensation for a demonstrated reduction in your ability to earn income in the future.
- Pain and suffering: Physical pain and the emotional effects of the attack, including anxiety, sleep disruption, and a lasting fear of dogs.
- Out-of-pocket expenses: Transportation to medical appointments and other reasonable expenses related to the injury, along with certain property damage caused by the attack.
- Wrongful death damages: If a dog attack results in death, eligible surviving family members may pursue compensation for qualifying pecuniary losses, while the estate may have a separate claim for damages the victim suffered before death.
What a dog bite claim is worth depends on more than the medical bills attached to it. Compensation can include treatment already received, care still ahead, and harder-to-price losses like a lasting fear of dogs or permanent scarring that don’t come with a receipt. A dog bite attorney in New York can help make sure both categories are backed by evidence, not just the ones with a paper trail.
"We fight for our clients as if they were family—taking cases to trial when necessary to ensure they receive the justice and financial recovery they deserve."
How Does a Dog Bite Lawyer Handle Your Claim?
A dog bite claim can involve more than documenting the injury. Your lawyer needs to determine whether the facts support strict liability based on the dog’s vicious propensities, ordinary negligence, or both. Involving our firm early helps us preserve evidence, document the circumstances of the attack, and respond to the defenses the owner or insurer may raise.
✓ Preserving critical evidence: We move quickly to secure animal control records, veterinary records, photographs of your injuries, witness statements, and other evidence that may show what happened and what the owner knew about the dog.
✓ Identifying potentially responsible parties: We determine whether the dog’s owner, a property owner, a landlord, a dog walker or sitter, or a business may have legal responsibility based on the circumstances. More than one party may potentially be responsible.
✓ Investigating the dog’s history: We look for prior bites, complaints, animal control records, aggressive behavior, and other evidence that may establish what the owner knew or should have known about the dog’s vicious propensities.
✓ Locating available insurance coverage: We identify homeowner’s, renter’s, landlord, commercial, or other insurance policies that may provide coverage for the claim, depending on the circumstances and policy terms.
✓ Handling animal control and health-related issues: We handle communications and documentation involving animal control and public health authorities, including issues that may arise after a potential rabies exposure.
✓ Addressing comparative fault and provocation defenses: We respond when an insurer argues that your own conduct contributed to the incident or that you provoked the dog. Under New York law, the specific facts and circumstances matter, and these defenses do not automatically eliminate an injured person’s claim.
✓ Negotiating with insurers: We handle settlement discussions and evaluate offers against the actual nature and extent of your injuries rather than allowing an insurer to define the value of your claim.
✓ Preparing for litigation: We develop the evidence and legal theories needed to pursue your dog bite claim in court if a fair resolution cannot be reached through negotiation.
The sooner our dog bite lawyers become involved, the less likely it is that important evidence, medical documentation, or information about the dog’s history will be overlooked. Our job is not simply to send a demand to the insurance company. It is to determine which legal theory applies to your case, build the evidence to support it, and make sure the insurer understands that you are prepared to pursue the claim in court when necessary.
Injuries Commonly Seen in New York Dog Bite Cases
A dog attack can cause harm well beyond the initial wound. Our dog bite attorneys frequently help clients pursue compensation for injuries such as:
- Puncture wounds, deep lacerations, and crush injuries
- Nerve damage and loss of sensation or function
- Bacterial infections and complications from wounds
- Rabies exposure requiring post-exposure treatment
- Facial injuries and permanent scarring, particularly in child victims
- Fractures and head injuries from being knocked down during an attack
- Emotional distress, including anxiety and a lasting fear of dogs
The initial wound may be the most visible part of a dog bite injury, but scarring, nerve damage, and emotional effects can last much longer. Insurance adjusters often make early settlement offers before the full extent of your injuries. A New York dog bite lawyer at Hiller Comerford Injury & Disability Law can make sure your claim reflects the injury as it actually is, not as the insurance company hopes it will look on paper.
Ida and Stephanie were great! They kept me posted about my case. They provided documents for my doctors to fill out so I had as much medical records as I could! Stephanie represented me in the Judge appeal and was great asking me questions about my disability and helping me convey those disabilities to the judge! I’m so grateful ☺️ for their help! Highly recommend them!
Working with Hiller Comerford was easy. They took care of everything and their communication was exceptional. I’ve already referred others to them.
Seriously grateful to my attorney, Ryan Taylor. I spent years trying to navigate VA disability on my own and they managed to finally make headway where I could not.
Everyone I spoke with and worked with was extremely kind and had great communication also they were compassionate,they worked very diligently to help me and kept me well informed throughout the process I couldn't thank them enough.
I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to Hiller Comerford Injury & Disability Law for their exceptional support and guidance throughout my disability benefits process. Their expertise and dedication made an overwhelming situation feel manageable, and they ensured every step was handled with care and clarity. I am truly grateful for their assistance and highly recommend their services.
My lawyer RyanTaylor was amazing. He told me exactly how the process goes, what to expect and how long it realistically would take. He was able to get for me exactly what I had tried twice to do myself but was rejected by the VA for. I will recommend all my Veteran friends to him.
Hard workers, always looking at the positive side of the case and always listening to the client. Only down remark is hard to get calls back.
Hiller Comerford have been amazing. They got me a fully favorable decision on my disability claim, I could have never been able to do that on my own. Everyone in their office is so kind and so knowledgeable. They really helped make a difficult time of my life a pleasure. Thank you so much Hiller Comerford!!!
The firm understands the situation, and are very acknowledged about the social security laws and guidelines. Staff were very friendly. The attorney that represented me was Charles Gaughan and the case manager was Olivia Fritzen. They did a wonderful job with my representation for my case. I would highly recommend The law firm of Hiller and Comerford.
Statute of Limitations for New York Dog Bite Claims
In New York, a personal injury lawsuit generally must be filed within three years of the date of the injury. The statute of limitations applies whether your claim is based on the owner’s knowledge of the dog’s vicious propensities or on ordinary negligence. If your claim is against a municipality or other public corporation, a Notice of Claim may be required within 90 days of the incident, depending on the defendant and the nature of the claim.
While three years may sound like a lot of time, evidence in a dog bite case can become harder to obtain as time passes. The dog may be rehomed, surrendered, or euthanized, while witnesses’ memories can fade and records may become more difficult to locate. Speaking with one of our dog bite lawyers in New York soon after the attack can help us preserve important evidence and make sure all critical deadlines are met.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are answers to questions we hear most often from dog bite victims in New York. For personal guidance, contact a dog bite attorney today for a free case evaluation.
What should I do immediately after a dog bite in New York?
Seek medical attention right away, even if the bite looks minor, since puncture wounds carry a real risk of infection. Get the owner’s contact and insurance information if possible, photograph your injuries and the location of the attack, and report the incident to the appropriate local authoritiest. If you are able, gather contact information from any witnesses, and keep records of every medical visit tied to the attack. And remember – the sooner you call our attorneys, the faster we can protect your rights.
What are the dog leash laws in New York State?
New York does not have one statewide leash-length requirement that applies everywhere. Instead, New York Agriculture & Markets Law § 122 allows municipalities to adopt their own rules governing the keeping and running at large of dogs, so the applicable leash requirements depend on the local town, city, village, park, or other property involved.
How much does it cost to hire a dog bite lawyer in New York?
At Hiller Comerford Injury & Disability Law, we handle dog bite cases on a contingency fee basis, so you pay nothing upfront and owe us nothing unless we recover compensation for you. We also offer a free case evaluation so you can understand your options before deciding how to proceed.
Does New York really follow a “one bite rule”?
Not in the way most people think. You do not need to prove that the dog bit someone before. For a strict-liability claim, you generally must show that the owner knew or should have known of the dog’s vicious propensities, which can be established through prior aggressive behavior and other evidence. But under current New York law, an injured person may also pursue an ordinary negligence claim based on the owner’s failure to use reasonable care, even without proving vicious propensities.
Who can be held liable for a dog bite in New York?
Liability most often falls on the dog’s owner, but other parties may also be responsible depending on the circumstances. A landlord who knew about a tenant’s dog and had sufficient control over the premises, a business responsible for a dog on its property, or a dog walker or pet-sitting service whose own conduct contributed to the incident may potentially share responsibility. A NY dog bite lawyer at our firm can investigate who owned, controlled, or was responsible for the dog and the circumstances of the attack to identify the parties who may be legally responsible.
Can I still recover compensation if I was partly at fault for the attack?
New York follows a pure comparative negligence rule, so you may still recover compensation even if you are found partially at fault for the dog bite, although your recovery would be reduced by your percentage of responsibility.
The insurance company may argue that your conduct contributed to the incident, including by claiming that you provoked the dog or failed to exercise reasonable care. Our dog bite attorneys in New York can look closely at the circumstances of the encounter before accepting that version of events. Evidence showing what actually happened can be critical to responding to those arguments and protecting the value of your personal injury claim.
Will filing a dog bite claim in New York get the dog euthanized?
Filing a civil claim for your injuries does not automatically result in the dog being euthanized. Any decision about quarantine, removal, dangerous-dog proceedings, or euthanasia is generally handled separately by animal control or other government authorities under applicable law. Our dog bite attorneys can explain how pursuing your injury claim relates to any separate action involving the dog.
