Dog Bite Laws in Pennsylvania

Navigating through the Pennsylvania laws regarding dog bite accidents can be a complicated and long journey for anyone. These laws can get especially confusing when you have been bitten by a dog and are trying to recover from your dog bite injury.

Immediately following a dog attack, it is unlikely that your first thought will be to call a lawyer, but rather to get to a hospital or find some other form of medical attention. However, once your injury has been treated and you’re thinking more clearly, it is essential to contact an experienced Philadelphia dog bite lawyer. At the Barrist Firm, we understand the dog bite laws and personal injury laws in Pennsylvania, have experience dealing with insurance companies and hospitals, know when and how to file a claim against the person responsible for you injuries and how to get you the highest possible compensation for your injuries, both physical and emotional.

The Basics of Pennsylvania Dog Bite Laws

Discussing and learning the basics of Pennsylvania dog bite laws may help in understanding what to do or say (and what not to do nor say) if a dog bite occurs to you or in your presence. If your injury is severe or if the dog that bit the victim has a history of biting a human or has a tendency to so, Pennsylvania has laws already set in place to navigate through the complexities.

However, if the dog has never bitten another person without justification or has never before been vicious or indicated that its capability of biting someone, there are separate and different laws that apply in Pennsylvania for such occasions. That being said, whenever a dog bites and injures a person, no matter how severe the injury or what the history of the animal is, the owner of the dog is always liable in Pennsylvania.

In other words, Pennsylvania places strict liability upon dog owners whose dog bites a person. This means that when a dog bites someone, the victim does not have to prove anything other than that they were injured by the dog or pet. This means that the victim is not required to prove that the owner of the dog or the dog itself was at fault for the injury in order to file a claim for damages and to seek compensation from the owner. Lawmakers in Pennsylvania have ruled that owners should be in control of all situations when it comes to handling their pet. In the Keystone State, the victim has two years from the day they were bitten or injured by a dog to file a dog bite or dog injury lawsuit in a Pennsylvania court. Depending upon your injury, the amount of compensation you can receive varies.

The “Dog Law” in Pennsylvania is the law that allows the victim of a dog bite to be fully compensated for a dog-related injury if the dog already has bitten another person without any reason, or if the dog has ever shown an indication that it may bite or harm someone. If the injury that the dog has caused you is severe, Philadelphia dog bite lawyers at the Barrist Firm can help you file a Dog Law claim against the owner for any negative impact, including medical bills and emotional distress caused by the incident.