An unprovoked dog attack, in which an innocent victim is mauled or bitten, can be a horrific event.
Some dog attacks can be fatal or cause serious injuries, especially to infants or small children. If you or a member of your family has been bitten by a dog which has not been provoked, you may already be aware that under Pennsylvania state law, the dog owner is presumed to be liable for compensating the victim. It makes sense for you to hire an experienced Pennsylvania?dog bite?lawyer, who will be able to assess the accident and pursue a claim for a fair and just amount against the dogs owner or owners.
Was the dog known to be dangerous?
The normal costs incurred by a dog owner after an attack
- medical costs
- loss of income
- pain and suffering
- damage to property
The most difficult amount to prove included in this list is the amount awarded for pain and suffering. This can be open to interpretation and there may be considerable negotiation between an individual victims lawyer, an insurance company and the victim. If it can be proved that the dog owner has behaved particularly irresponsibly, then any claim against them may seek further damages such as an amount for punitive damages.
