College Point is a place of contrasts. There are rows of family homes, the long stretch of shops on College Point Boulevard, waterfront lawns at MacNeil Park, ball fields at Frank Golden Park, and the warehouses and offices of the College Point Corporate Park. Dogs live in every one of those settings, from a family’s beagle to a guard dog behind a chain-link fence. When one of them bites, the first thing most people want to know is simple: who is responsible, and what should I do first?
We put the answers into a couple of tables below, because a side-by-side view makes things easier to follow when you are hurting and tired. Under each table you’ll find a little more explanation in everyday language.
Who might be responsible, at a glance
| Where or how it happened | Who may be responsible | A good first step |
|---|---|---|
| A neighbor’s dog got out of the yard | The dog’s owner, usually through homeowners or renters insurance | Get the owner’s name and ask about rabies vaccination |
| Bitten inside or outside a rental building | The owner, and possibly the landlord if it knew the dog was vicious and could have removed it | Note any prior complaints to the landlord or super |
| Guard dog at a business or lot in the corporate park | The business or property owner that kept the dog | Photograph warning signs, fences and gates |
| Loose dog at MacNeil Park or Frank Golden Park | The dog’s owner | Ask witnesses for contact details before they leave |
| Bitten while working, such as a delivery | Workers’ compensation through your employer, and possibly the owner too | Tell your employer and see a doctor |
| A dog walker’s dog bit you | The owner, and possibly the walker | Get the walker’s name and the name of the owner |
You’ll notice the owner shows up in almost every row. That’s because in New York, the owner is usually the main party. But the owner doesn’t have to stand alone. A landlord that knew about a dangerous dog and had the power to get rid of it can share responsibility. So can a business that keeps a guard dog on its property. Our premises liability page goes into more detail on what property owners owe visitors.
A kind word about the owner: people often feel awful about making a claim against someone who lives nearby. Please know that in most cases, the money comes from the owner’s homeowners or renters insurance, not from their savings. That’s what the insurance is for. Our article on who pays after a dog attack explains more.
What you need to show
New York generally asks the injured person to show that the owner knew, or should have known, that the dog had “vicious propensities.” The state’s highest court described this rule in Collier v. Zambito (2004). It is less intimidating than it sounds. Proof can come from things like:
- the dog biting, snapping or growling at someone before
- lunging at people or jumping on them
- a “Beware of Dog” sign
- the dog being kept chained or muzzled
- complaints from neighbors
Guard dogs at commercial properties often come with signs and fences that speak for themselves. And if a dog has been officially declared dangerous, Agriculture & Markets Law § 123 makes the owner strictly liable for the medical costs its attacks cause.
Finding our office from College Point
You’ll find us at 1 Cross Island Plaza, Suite 325, Rosedale, NY 11422. The map below lays out the route from College Point, and if coming in is hard, we’re glad to visit you instead.
The time limits, side by side
Deadlines are one of the few things in a dog bite case that can’t be fixed later, so here they are in one place.
| Situation | General deadline | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Report the bite to the city | Within 24 hours | NYC Health animal bite reporting |
| Adult filing a lawsuit | Generally 3 years | CPLR § 214 |
| Child who was bitten | Generally paused until age 18 | CPLR § 208 |
| Claim involving the city or a public authority | Notice of claim usually within 90 days | General Municipal Law § 50-e |
That last row is easy to miss. If a claim involves the city or a public housing authority, the window for the first formal step is short. Even when you have years to sue, the sooner you start, the easier it is to find witnesses and records.
What recovery can cover
A bite can lead to punctures, torn skin, infection, nerve or tendon damage, broken bones from a fall, rabies shots when the dog’s vaccination can’t be confirmed, and scars that may later need plastic surgery. Children especially may carry fear long after the wound closes.
| Type of loss | What it can include |
|---|---|
| Medical bills | ER care, stitches, antibiotics, rabies shots, follow-up visits |
| Future care | Scar revision and other treatment still to come |
| Lost wages | Time away from work to heal and attend appointments |
| Pain and suffering | Physical pain, anxiety, sleep trouble |
| Disfigurement | Lasting scars, especially visible ones |
And if someone says you were partly to blame, that doesn’t end things. New York follows pure comparative fault, so any award is reduced by your share of fault rather than denied.
A note for parents
Kids are the ones most often hurt. The American Veterinary Medical Association notes that about half of all dog bite victims are children. Because they’re small, bites tend to land on the face, neck and hands, where scars show and nerves sit close to the surface.
If your child was bitten at the park or on the walk home from school, take care of the wound first and then give them room to talk about it. Some children seem fine for a week and then refuse to go outside. Others have bad dreams. Those changes are worth mentioning to the pediatrician, and they are worth mentioning to us too, because emotional harm is part of what an animal bite claim can account for.
Any dog bite lawyer in College Point who handles children’s cases should also remind you that a child’s deadline usually runs longer, which gives families breathing room. Still, don’t let that extra time turn into waiting. Memories fade fastest in the youngest witnesses.
Small steps that help a lot
See a doctor. Photograph your wounds on the first day and every few days after. Keep your torn clothes in a bag. Snap a picture of the place it happened. Save receipts. Write down what you remember while it’s fresh. And if the insurance company calls asking for a recorded statement, you’re allowed to say you’d like to talk to a lawyer first.
We’re here when you’re ready
If you’d like to speak with a College Point dog bite lawyer, we’d be happy to hear from you. Over the years, Yakov Mushiyev & Associates has recovered upward of $80 million for people hurt across New York. The first conversation is free, and you pay no fee unless we win. We speak English, Russian and Spanish, and we can meet you at home, in the hospital or over video.
Just ring 718.775.3110, or fill out the short form on our contact page. You can also read about our dog bite work or visit our main Queens injury lawyer page.
Live a few minutes away? Our neighbors across the water and down the road can turn to a dog bite lawyer in Whitestone, a dog bite lawyer in Flushing, a dog bite lawyer in Beechhurst or a dog bite lawyer in Bay Terrace.
Attorney Advertising. Everything above is general information meant to help you understand your options; it is not legal advice about your specific situation.