Responsible dog owners, no matter how much they love their dogs, keep them restrained and under their control at all times. Dogs provide comfort to their human families and others, but at day’s end, they are still animals with animal instincts. When aggressive dogs attack, the results can be nothing short of nightmarish, ranging from gory bites that tear all the way to the bone to textbook mauling of their victims that leaves behind deep physical and psychological wounds. If you or a loved one has been attacked by a dog, you need to contact our Dog Attack Attorney as soon as possible to weigh the legal options available to you.
Dog Bite Law in Pennsylvania
As in most states, Pennsylvania has specific laws that govern dog bites. The Dangerous Dog Laws, found in 3 P.S. 459 deems that a dog meets the definition of a dangerous dog if, absent provocation, the dog has injured a person or attacked a person or a domestic animal in the past or if the dog was used in the commission of a crime.
The dog’s history is also important; it must have attacked humans or domestic animals in the past to be labeled a dangerous dog. However, dog owners in our state have a legal responsibility under the confinement and housing law to keep their animals in the house or yard or to keep them leashed and under the reasonable control of a person. If they fail to do so, then the dog’s history or its label as a dangerous dog does not matter—the owner is held strictly liable for any injuries that the dog may cause.
In order to be granted compensation for injuries, dog bite victims in Pennsylvania must have not provoked the animal to attack. In addition, they cannot willfully trespass onto the dog owner’s property when the attack occurs.
Dog Bite Injury Compensation
If you have been attacked by a dog in Pennsylvania, you may be able to collect a range of damages. Our dog attack attorney has helped our clients in the past to recover damages for:
- Medical bills, including immediate and future treatment and the cost of any reconstructive procedures or therapy needed due to the attack.
- Permanent disfigurement. This may include disfigurements ranging from amputated digits to lifelong scars.
- Lost wages. Victims often find themselves having to miss weeks or even months of work; in the case of child victims, parents often have to miss work to care for their injured children while they convalesce following an attack.
- Pain and suffering. This includes both physical and mental pain experienced due to your injury.
- Wrongful death. If the victim died as a result of the dog attack, then the family may file this type of claim to seek financial justice for their losses.
The days and weeks following a dog bite attack can be chaotic, but keep in mind that now is the time to get started on your Dog Bite Attack Claim. Pennsylvania limits the amount of time that victims have to file their Personal Injury Cases to two years following the incident. Don’t delay in reaching out to our Bensalem Dog Bite Attorney for your Free Case Review and evaluation today.