Buffalo Personal Injury Lawyers / Buffalo Dog Bite Lawyers

Buffalo Dog Bite Lawyers

Experienced Buffalo Injury Attorneys Helping Victims of Dog Bites and Animal Attacks in Western New York

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured due to a dog bite in Buffalo or another town in Erie County, it is important to seek legal representation as soon as possible. Contact our personal injury law office at (716) 333-5525 for a free consultation. Our team of skilled Buffalo dog bite lawyers will fight to get the compensation that you deserve.

Read Our Free Dog Bite Injury Guide

The Centers for Disease Control estimates that almost five million people are bitten by a dog every year. A dog owner is responsible for the aggressiveness of their dog if it can be shown that the dog had a prior propensity for aggressive behavior.

Following the April 2025 Flanders v. Goodfellow decision, New York now recognizes two legal pathways for victims of dog bites and animal attacks:

Strict Liability — If the owner knew or should have known of the dog’s “vicious propensity,” they may be held liable.
Negligence — A dog owner may also be held liable even if the dog had no known history of aggression, if they failed to take reasonable steps to prevent an injury.

In a dog bite case, the court may consider additional factors such as whether the owner violated an ordinance (e.g., leash laws) and whether that violation contributed to the injury. These ordinances are not absolute, but when combined with proof of a dog’s dangerous tendencies, they may strengthen a case.

A dog may be determined to have a vicious propensity if it lunges at passersby snarling and growling, has attempted to bite or nip previously (even without success), or if the owner promotes the dog as dangerous—such as by displaying “attack dog” signage or bragging about the dog’s aggression. Landlords may also be liable if they had notice or should have known about the dangerous nature of their tenants’ dogs.

If a dog is loose and causes injury by knocking someone down, biting, or another act, the injured party should first seek medical attention. Hospital personnel will ask whether the dog is current on vaccinations—especially rabies and distemper. If possible, the victim should gather information about the dog and its owner at the scene.

The owner may be held responsible for all injuries caused if the dog’s aggressive behavior can be proven—whether through past incidents or through a failure to act responsibly, regardless of whether the dog had bitten before. This is a major shift from the former “one-bite rule,” which previously required a prior bite or similar act to establish liability.

Physical evidence of the owner’s knowledge—such as “Beware of Dog” signs or muzzling the dog in public—can still support a strict liability claim. However, negligence claims no longer require proof of a prior incident. Owners can now be held liable for failing to take reasonable precautions based on the circumstances.

One of the first steps our Buffalo dog bite lawyers will take is to contact the dog owner’s neighbors and others nearby. Neighbors may have firsthand experience of the dog’s threatening behavior—such as being chased or warning their children to avoid the yard. These witness accounts are often key to building a strong case.

Read Our Free Dog Bite Injury Guide At Andrews, Bernstein & Maranto, PLLC, our experienced Buffalo dog bite lawyers diligently investigate the responsibility of dog owners and their landlords. Information regarding these dogs is critical to reaching successful verdicts in dog bite cases. If you or a loved one is attacked by a dog, contact one of our experienced Buffalo dog bite lawyers for advice and strong representation. Experienced Buffalo dog bite lawyers serving Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and the surrounding Western New York counties.