Pennsylvania Dog and Animal Bite Law

Philadelphia Dog Bite Attorney, Mark S. Rosenberg represents individuals bitten by or attacked by dogs, or other pets such as a cat. Mark S. Rosenberg specializes in getting you the compensation you deserve and to pay for your medical bills that you sustained from a dog bite injury. Many people do not realize that the dog/pet owner’s homeowners insurance provides coverage for injuries caused by a dog or pet.

Medical expenses associated with a dog bite can be extremely costly, especially in the event of a scarring injury. Dog bite scars can be a serious physical and emotional life-long consequence of a dog attack. Puncture wounds, lacerations, abrasions, and soft tissue injuries may result in high medical bills. Injuries include:

• Face (lacerations, ears, eyes, and nose injuries resulting in partial amputations or scarring
• Children are particularly susceptible to bites around the head and face. Attacks can also cause emotional scars such as trauma and fear. Scars may require additional plastic surgery. Surgery, however, may need to wait until the child is finished growing.
• Intracranial Scalp and Skull injuries or a skull fracture
• Neck injury
• Upper Extremity (such as hand fractures and/or finger amputations)
• Lower Extremity (such as foot fractures and/or toe amputations)
• Trunk injuries (such as Spinal cord, and/or paralysis)
• Back injuries (such as strains and sprains)
• Abdominal injuries to internal organs
• Thorax injuries (such as rib fractures)
• Pelvis/perineum (such as cracks and/or fractures)

A person who is injured can make a civil claim against the dog/pet owner for medical expenses and all other losses and legal damages. The victim has the burden of proof that the dog inflicted the injury on him/her without provocation. However, it does not matter whether the dog previously bit another person or not.

Severely or non-severely injured victims can base claims for full compensation under the doctrines of negligence. In a case where a dog rips free from its chain, or jumps over a fence to attack, the victim has to prove that the dog owners failed to use due care in containing the animal.