You got bitten. It was fast, and now it hurts. Maybe it happened in an elevator at a tower near Court Square. Maybe on the waterfront path at Gantry Plaza State Park. Now you have questions. Here are the ones we hear most, answered plainly. If yours isn’t here, call us.
Your Questions, Answered by a Long Island City Dog Bite Lawyer
1. What should I do right now?
Get medical care. Today. Dog bites carry a high risk of infection, even small ones. Then:
- Get the owner’s name, unit number and phone.
- Ask if the dog’s rabies shots are current.
- Photograph the wound, your torn clothing and the spot where it happened.
- Get names and numbers of anyone who saw it. Doormen and concierges count.
- File the city’s animal bite report the same day or the next.
Then keep every record. Bills, prescriptions, missed-work notes. All of it.
About that report. The city requires it within 24 hours. You can file through the NYC Health animal bite page. Often the ER or urgent care handles it. Confirm anyway. The report creates an official record with a date, a place and a dog. That helps later.
2. Was the owner breaking city rules?
Maybe. City guidance for owners is clear. In public, a dog should be on a leash of six feet or less. It should be licensed. Dogs four months and older need rabies vaccination. And no tethering a dog for longer than three hours. See the NYC Health guide, Be a Responsible Dog Owner.
Off-leash is allowed only in designated dog areas during set hours. The city lists them on the NYC Parks dog areas page. A retractable leash stretched across a waterfront path is a different story. So is a dog loose in a lobby. Rule-breaking alone doesn’t win a case. It does help paint the picture of a careless owner.
3. Is the owner automatically responsible?
No. This surprises people. New York does not make owners liable for every bite. You generally have to show the owner knew, or should have known, the dog had “vicious propensities.” The Court of Appeals set that rule in Collier v. Zambito (2004).
Proof can be simple. A prior bite. Growling or snapping at neighbors. Lunging in the lobby. Jumping on people. A muzzle. A “Beware of Dog” sign. Complaints to building management. In a high-rise, those complaints often exist on paper. We know where to ask.
One exception. If the dog was already declared “dangerous,” the rules get stricter. Under Agriculture and Markets Law § 123, the owner of a dog found “dangerous” is strictly liable for the medical costs its attacks cause. For those bills, the owner’s knowledge is beside the point.
4. Can the building be responsible too?
Sometimes. Landlords can share blame when they knew the dog was vicious and could have made the tenant get rid of it. Condo and co-op boards or management can be involved when they knew. In Long Island City’s towers, that matters. Management sees the dog every day in the lobby. Staff hear the complaints. Our page on premises liability covers how property owners can be held accountable.
5. My neighbor is nice. Am I suing them personally?
Usually not in the way you fear. Most claims are paid by the owner’s homeowners or renters insurance. Not from their savings. That is what the policy is for. More on this in our post on who pays after a dog attack.
6. The insurance company called me. Should I talk?
Be careful. Declining a recorded statement is your right. You can decline until you’ve spoken with a lawyer. Adjusters are polite. Their job is still to pay as little as possible. A casual comment about “feeling fine” on day three can come back later.
Also: your car’s no-fault insurance won’t cover a dog bite. Different system entirely.
7. I startled the dog. Does that kill my case?
No. New York uses pure comparative fault. If you were partly responsible, your compensation shrinks by your share. It is not barred. Read our 2026 guide to shared fault for examples.
8. What can I recover?
Depends on the injury. Common categories:
- Medical bills, past and future.
- Scar revision or plastic surgery.
- Lost wages.
- Pain and suffering.
- Disfigurement.
Dog bite injuries range widely. Punctures. Lacerations. Infection. Nerve or tendon damage. Fractures from being knocked down on a hard path at Hunters Point South Park. Rabies shots, if vaccination can’t be confirmed. And emotional trauma. That last one hits children hardest.
9. How long do I have?
Generally three years to sue, under CPLR § 214. For kids, the clock usually pauses until 18. Did this happen in public housing or on city land? You typically need a notice of claim within 90 days under General Municipal Law § 50-e. That one is short. Don’t wait on it.
10. I was working when it happened. Now what?
Delivery on Vernon Boulevard? Walking dogs for clients? Workers bitten on the job generally get workers’ compensation through the employer. You may also have a separate claim against the dog owner. Two tracks. We look at both.
Why does the second track matter? The two claims are separate. A claim against the owner can seek the usual dog bite damages: medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, disfigurement. If the dog had a history, the owner’s insurer may owe a real amount. Report the bite to your employer promptly. Keep your own copy of everything you sign.
11. Do I actually need a lawyer?
Not for every scratch. For a real dog bite injury, it usually helps. Here’s what a Long Island City dog bite lawyer does that you can’t easily do alone. Tracks down the owner’s insurer. Requests building complaint logs and doorman incident reports before they disappear. Finds neighbors who saw the dog lunge before. Pulls your medical records and bills into one clear package. Handles the adjuster so you don’t have to. And values the scar properly, which takes time, because scars change over months.
Evidence in a high-rise is often digital. Lobby cameras. Elevator cameras. Key fob logs. Buildings don’t keep that footage forever. Sometimes only days. The sooner someone asks for it in writing, the better the odds it still exists.
About Us, Briefly
Yakov Mushiyev & Associates. $80 million-plus recovered so far. Free consultation. No fee unless we win. We speak English, Russian and Spanish. We come to you: home, hospital, or video.
Want to go deeper on the law first? See our dog bite practice area or the firm’s Long Island City injury lawyer page.
Ready to talk? Dial 718.775.3110. Or use our online contact form. Five minutes. No obligation. You’ll know where you stand.
Nearby? We Cover That Too
Bitten across the line in a neighboring area? Same firm, same approach. Try our dog bite lawyer in Astoria page, our dog bite lawyer in Sunnyside page, or dog bite lawyer in Maspeth. And Woodside is covered as well.
Route From LIC to Our Office
We’re at 1 Cross Island Plaza, Suite 325, Rosedale, NY 11422. Below: driving directions from Long Island City. Can’t travel? We’ll come to you.
Attorney Advertising. General information only. Not legal advice. Every case turns on its own facts.