If a dog bit you in South Ozone Park, maybe in a driveway off Lefferts Boulevard or on a walk along Rockaway Boulevard, you are probably thinking about the wound, not a lawsuit. That is the right order. This page is about your injury: how a bite is usually treated, and why each part of that treatment matters if you make a claim.
We are Yakov Mushiyev & Associates, a personal injury firm with an office in Rosedale, a short drive east of you. Think of us as your dog bite lawyer in South Ozone Park.
First, take care of yourself
See a doctor the same day, even when the bite looks small. A couple of tooth marks can seem harmless on the surface while the tissue underneath is damaged. An emergency room or urgent care visit also starts the medical record you will lean on later.
As soon as you are able, try to do the following:
- Get the owner’s name and address, and ask directly about the dog’s rabies vaccination.
- Take pictures of the injury, the damaged clothes and the location. Keep taking pictures as the injury heals.
- Write down the names and numbers of anyone who saw the attack.
- Report the bite to NYC Health within 24 hours through the city’s animal bite reporting page.
Many bites here happen close to someone’s front door. South Ozone Park is mostly one- and two-family houses near JFK Airport, and plenty of dogs spend the day in a yard or a driveway. When a gate is left open or a fence is too low, it is often a passerby, a delivery worker or a neighbor’s child who gets hurt.
The injuries a bite can leave behind
Puncture wounds
A dog’s teeth tend to press in deep rather than slice wide. Your doctor will decide how to clean the wound and whether to close it, and those notes become part of your file.
Lacerations and torn skin
When a dog clamps down and shakes, or when you pull your arm away by instinct, skin can tear. Lacerations may need stitches, and larger ones sometimes need a surgeon. The length, depth and location of a tear all go into your records, and each detail affects how an insurer later measures the harm.
Nerve and tendon damage
A bite to the hand, wrist or forearm can reach the parts that let you grip, type or lift. If your fingers feel numb, tingly or weak after the skin closes, tell your doctor and ask about seeing a specialist. An injury like this can keep you from working, which changes the lost-wage side of an animal bite claim.
Fractures from being knocked down
Not every dog bite injury comes from teeth. A big dog that jumps on you can put you on the pavement, and a fall can break a wrist, hip or ankle. Those fractures came from the same incident, so they belong in the same claim.
Infection and rabies shots
Infection is a common complication after an animal bite, and it can appear days later. Watch for redness that spreads, swelling, warmth, pus, fever or pain that gets worse instead of better, and go back to a doctor quickly if you notice any of it. Antibiotics, return visits and any hospital stay all become part of your medical story.
Rabies is a separate worry. If nobody can confirm the dog was vaccinated, perhaps because the owner cannot be found or has no paperwork, doctors may recommend a course of rabies shots. That treatment is a real cost of the attack. The city’s responsible dog owner guide says dogs four months and older must be vaccinated against rabies, so an owner who skipped that step made your care harder.
Coming to see us from South Ozone Park
Our office is at 1 Cross Island Plaza, Suite 325, Rosedale, NY 11422, and the map below traces the route from South Ozone Park. If getting in the car is hard while you heal, we can visit you at home, meet you in the hospital or talk by video.
Scars, plastic surgery and the long view
Some bites fade into a thin line. Others leave raised, discolored or puckered scars, most noticeably on the face, hands and legs. A plastic surgeon may suggest scar revision now or a few years from now, and that future treatment can be included in what you ask for.
The emotional side counts too. Plenty of people, children most of all, become frightened of dogs after an attack, lose sleep or start avoiding the block where it happened. If this is happening to you or your child, telling a doctor or counselor creates a record of that harm.
How each injury shapes the value of your claim
Insurers look at what this particular bite did to you. Here is how the pieces usually fit:
- Medical bills. Emergency care, stitches, antibiotics, rabies shots and specialist visits form the base of the claim.
- Future care. Scar revision, hand therapy and counseling can be estimated and included.
- Lost wages. Time off for treatment and recovery counts, including weeks lost to an injured hand.
- Pain and suffering. This covers the physical pain, the fear and the disruption to your ordinary life.
- Disfigurement. A permanent, visible scar is its own item of harm, separate from the bills.
Showing the owner is responsible is a separate step. New York generally asks whether the owner knew, or should have known, the dog had “vicious propensities,” a rule the Court of Appeals set out in Collier v. Zambito (2004). Earlier bites, snapping, lunging, a “Beware of Dog” sign or a dog kept chained can all help prove that. When a dog has been found dangerous under Agriculture & Markets Law § 123, its owner is strictly liable for the medical costs its attacks cause. Our New York dog bite law guide covers this in more depth, and the dog bite practice page explains how our dog bite attorneys build these cases.
Were you partly at fault, say for reaching over a fence to pet the dog? New York’s pure comparative fault rule reduces your recovery by your share but does not erase it. Worried about suing a neighbor? Our article on who pays after a dog attack in Queens explains why the money usually comes from homeowners or renters insurance rather than from the neighbor personally.
Time limits to keep in mind
You generally have three years to file a lawsuit under CPLR § 214. If the victim is under 18, the countdown generally holds off until that birthday. If the bite involves city property or public housing, a notice of claim is usually due within 90 days.
If the attack happened just outside the neighborhood, you may want our pages for a dog bite lawyer in Ozone Park, a dog bite lawyer in Richmond Hill or a dog bite lawyer in Jamaica. We also help people throughout the borough; see our Queens accident lawyer page.
Talk it over with a South Ozone Park dog bite lawyer
You do not need your records in order before reaching out. Tell us what happened and where you are in treatment, and we will give you our view. The consultation is free, you pay no fee unless we win, and our team speaks English, Russian and Spanish. Call 718.775.3110 or send us a short message whenever you are ready.
Attorney Advertising. This page shares general information about dog bite injuries and is not legal advice for your situation. Reading it or contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship.