Dog Bite Lawyer in Bensalem
- 30+ Years of Experience Helping Victims Across Pennsylvania
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This page has been written and edited by a team of experienced legal writers . This page was approved by Managing Partner, Michael Saile who has more than 20 years of legal experience as a personal injury attorney.
This page has been written and edited by a team of experienced legal writers . This page was approved by Managing Partner, Michael Saile who has more than 20 years of legal experience as a personal injury attorney.
- Last Modified:
- September 28, 2024
Understanding Dog Bite Laws in Pennsylvania
In Pennsylvania, dog owners have a responsibility to exercise reasonable control over their animals. If they fail to do this, they can potentially be liable for resulting injuries and trauma if a dog attacks a person and causes harm.
Strict Liability for Medical Bills
Pennsylvania doesn’t have a one-bite rule. Dog owners are strictly liable for your medical bills and related costs of treatment if you suffer dog bite injuries. This is true, regardless of whether the dog has bitten anyone before or if the owner had knowledge about the dog’s aggressive tendencies.
Negligence and Dog Bite Injuries
Dog owners aren’t strictly liable for other damages related to a dog bite injury, like lost wages or emotional distress. However, as a victim, you can still hold the owner responsible if they were negligent. Negligence means the dog owner owed you a duty of care, breached it in some way, and you got hurt as a result.
Negligence might involve:
- Violating Pennsylvania’s leash law, which requires owners to keep dogs leashed whenever they are outside their home or premises
- Training a dog to act aggressively or possessively
- Failing to provide adequate food or water to an animal, which could increase the likelihood of aggression and unwanted behavior
- Leaving a gate open, which could allow a dog to escape the premises
- Failure to post signs about the presence of a dangerous dog on their property
If you can establish that a dog owner was negligent and contributed to your dog bite, then you can file a claim against them or their homeowner’s insurance company for damages.
Dangerous Dog Statute
A dangerous dog is, by definition, a canine that has a history of or propensity to attack a human or animal without provocation and has:
- Injured a person without being provoked (on private or public property)
- Killed or injured a domestic animal without being provoked (off the owner’s private property)
- Attacked a person without provocation
Pennsylvania also classifies any dog used in criminal activity as a dangerous dog.
If a dog has a history of aggression or biting, then it must be registered with the Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement as a “dangerous dog.”
Owners must also:
- Secure at least $50,000 in liability insurance to cover future injuries or trauma
- Keep the dangerous dog confined in a “proper enclosure” on their premises
- Muzzle the animal if the dog is outside of its enclosure or off the owner’s premises
- Post a warning sign
An owner’s failure to comply with these requirements can be considered negligent. If you are injured by a dangerous dog in Bensalem, you can use violations of the dangerous dog statute as proof of negligence as you pursue compensation in an insurance claim or lawsuit.
How an Injury Lawyer Can Help You After Suffering a Dog Bite
Dog bite claims in Pennsylvania can be challenging. The dog’s owner and other potentially liable parties certainly won’t be eager to admit liability and cut you a check for your injuries and suffering. At the same time, you will be dealing with severe injuries and emotional trauma.
That is why hiring an experienced Bensalem personal injury lawyer to handle your claim is one of the best things you can do.
Our accomplished trial attorneys have decades of combined experience and have won tens of millions in life-changing financial awards for clients like you.
We will give you the opportunity you need to rest, recover, and move forward while our team:
- Conducts an in-depth investigation into the dog attack
- Gathers photographs, video footage, witness statements, medical records, police reports, veterinary records, prior complaints about the dog or documents showing a history of aggression, and other evidence that may be relevant to your case
- Gets insight from respected medical specialists and other experts
- Defends against claims that you provoked the animal or were trespassing
- Handles negotiations with the owner’s insurance company and other potentially liable parties
- Brings your dog bite injury case to a jury in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, if necessary
You are not alone. Cordisco & Saile LLC is here to help you get through this difficult time. Give our dog bite attorneys a call to get started today.
We’re ready to fight for you. Take the first step towards getting the compensation you deserve.
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What damages can a dog bite victim recover?
When you file a dog bite injury claim in Pennsylvania, you may be entitled to a recovery of compensatory damages. Compensatory damages fall into two categories: economic (verified financial cost) and noneconomic (intangible, personal suffering).
Some common examples include:
- Medical expenses, including corrective and plastic surgery
- Physical therapy
- Lost wages and income
- Reduced earning capacity
- Vocational rehabilitation
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Disfigurement
- Scarring
- Reduced quality of life
The more severe the dog bite injury, the more a related claim for damages will typically be worth. Our injury attorneys will work tirelessly to ensure that you are awarded every cent you deserve.
Recently, we negotiated a $750,000 settlement for a woman who was seriously injured when a large dog knocked her over unexpectedly. Our client suffered serious spinal fractures during the accident. She is also suffering from foot drop, had extended rehabilitation, and residual pain that may last the rest of her life.
Does Pennsylvania have a time limit for filing a dog bite injury lawsuit?
Yes, you’ll have just two years from the date you are bitten by a dog to file a personal injury lawsuit.
A notable exception is for children bitten by dogs. The statute of limitations can be tolled—or paused—until their 18th birthday. This gives minors until their 20th birthday to file a lawsuit seeking damages (as long as a parent or guardian hasn’t filed one on their behalf already).
Who can be liable for dog bite injuries?
Anyone who owes you a duty of care or has a responsibility to keep the animal under reasonable control could be liable for dog bite injuries.
After an exhaustive investigation into your case, our personal injury attorneys may find that one or more of the following parties are at fault:
- Dog owners
- Dog walkers
- Dog groomers
- Doggy day care centers
- Property owners
- Businesses
- Hotels
- Landlords
- Government agencies
We will seek damages from anyone who directly or indirectly put you in harm’s way and contributed to your suffering.
Contact Our Bensalem Law Office
Whether you have suffered broken bones, puncture wounds, deep lacerations and tears, other catastrophic injuries, or the wrongful death of a loved one, our Bensalem dog bite injury lawyers are here to help you fight for justice.
Cordisco & Saile LLC also recognizes that now might be a difficult time for you, in terms of financial flexibility. That is why we work on contingency. You pay nothing unless we win your case. Contact our Bensalem law office to schedule your free case evaluation and learn more.
Please fill out the quick contact form below for a fast and free case consultation. We will
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