NJ · Strict liability
New Jersey dog bite law
New Jersey is one of the cleaner strict-liability bite statutes in the country. Trespass is the listed exception; you do not prove a prior bite.
- Liability
- Strict liability
- Statute
- N.J. Stat. § 4:19-16
- Deadline to file
- 2 years · N.J.S.A. § 2A:14-2
- Bites only?
- Primarily bites
Two years. New Jersey’s insurance market and dense towns mean the owner, the landlord, and sometimes a walker all appear in the same file.
Exceptions insurers will mention
Trespassing is the statutory exception.
Compare the national split in strict liability vs one-bite, and confirm your clock on statute of limitations.
Similar liability rules
This page is general information, not legal advice, and is not a substitute for a lawyer licensed in your state. Statutes change. Confirm the current rule and your deadline with counsel before you rely on a date.