Being attacked and bitten by someone else’s dog is not only dangerous but also terrifying and can lead to serious physical and mental health concerns. Pennsylvania takes a hybrid approach to dog bite laws. The state doesn’t employ a so-called one-bite law, but strict liability isn’t enforced either. Ultimately, the circumstances involved determine how dog bite claims are handled. This makes it in your best interest to work closely with an experienced Butler injury lawyer at Conlon Tarker from the outset.
Strict Liability Applies to Your Medical Expenses
When it comes to the medical expenses you incur as a result of a dog bite, which can be immense, strict liability applies in Pennsylvania. This means that the pet’s owner is automatically responsible for covering your medical costs, including related future medical expenses. Strict liability in this context means that it doesn’t matter if the dog ever bit anyone before or ever exhibited dangerously aggressive tendencies in the past.
For Losses that Go Beyond Your Medical Bills
If a dog bites you, you may face considerable medical bills, and they may be ongoing. This is not, however, the extent of the losses you are likely to experience. For example, your injuries could keep you off the job and could directly affect your earning potential. This is in addition to your physical and emotional pain and suffering.
Proving Negligence
To seek compensation for losses that go beyond your medical expenses, you will likely need to prove the dog owner’s negligence. This means demonstrating that they failed to take the reasonable precautions necessary to prevent their animal from biting you. The basics include the following:
- Ignoring the established leash laws
- Allowing their dog to roam freely in a public space
- Failing to adequately warn others of a pet’s history of biting or aggression
- Allowing the pet to escape its enclosure, such as through an open gate or a broken fence
If you can prove that the dog’s owner knew it posed a risk and failed to adequately address the matter, you can pursue more comprehensive compensation in your dog bite claim.
Classifying Dogs as Dangerous
The State of Pennsylvania requires dogs that it labels as dangerous to be registered and confined under strict requirements. Additionally, owners must have specific insurance coverage on these animals. The following factors qualify dogs as dangerous:
- An unprovoked attack against a person
- The infliction of a serious injury to a person without provocation
- A history of aggressive behaviors generally
- An attack against another domestic animal – outside the property of the attacking dog’s owner – that seriously injures or kills the other animal.
Speak to an Experienced Butler, PA, Dog Bite Attorney Today
The seasoned Butler dog bite lawyers at Conlon Tarker P.C. appreciate how terrifying and dangerous dog attacks can be, and we will leave no stone unturned in pursuit of the compensation you deserve. Learn more by contacting us online or calling 724-285-7700 today.
