Dog Bite Lawyer

A dog bite attack is a traumatic and often catastrophic event. If you are the victim of a dog bite attack, the level of fear and anxiety you feel can last quite a long time. Beyond the physical and emotional trauma, you are likely facing questions about your medical bills and your future long-term health. At GSGB, our  dog bite attorneys understand the various laws that govern dog bite injury lawsuits in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and will handle the complicated issues that you face, allowing you to focus on your health. If you have suffered a dog bite injury or been attacked by a dog, call GSGB today to speak with an experienced personal injury attorney for a free and confidential evaluation of your case.

Pennsylvania Dog Bite Law

In Pennsylvania, there are various considerations in determining whether a dog owner is liable for a dog bite injury. At GSGB, we have local personal injury attorneys that have represented many victims of dog bite injuries and understand the statutes and laws that determine whether the dog owner is responsible for the dog attack.

Animal Confinement

For starters, Pennsylvania has a law that requires dog owners to keep their dogs confined onto their property or secured by a collar and leash. If they allow their dogs to roam free and the dog attacks and injures someone, the dog owner is liable and may be responsible for compensating the person who sustained the dog bite injury. The concept applied is negligence per se, which means that breaking the law is enough to establish negligence on its own. This means that If it can be proven that a dog owner allowed its dog to roam from the house or back yard without any leash or confinement and the dog attacked and injured someone, then the dog owner is liable for the damages caused to the dog attack victim.

Negligence

However, it is not enough just to prove that the dog was free of its leash or free from the house. Negligence is when a person does not exercise the reasonable degree of care that someone in their shoes should. In the case of a dog bite injury, If the dog owner can prove that he or she exercised due care to keep the dog confined, they may not be held liable for the dog bite injury. As an example, where a dog broke free of its chain and attacked someone, it was found that the dog attack victim had to show that the dog owner did not use reasonable care in chaining the dog.

The One-Bite Rule

While Pennsylvania refers to it as the one bite rule, it actually includes more than just prior dog bites. Similar to premises liability law, if the dog owner knew or should have known that the dog had tendency for aggressive behavior, but did not take the proper safeguards to prevent someone from getting injured, then the dog owner is liable for the dog attack injuries. The reason that this rule is a little misnamed is that it extends to beyond just dog attacks and bites, and includes all types of aggressive behavior. As an example, if a sweet and lovable big dog has a tendency to jump on people and winds up jumping on someone and causing injury, the dog owner may be responsible for compensating the dog attack victim for the injuries.

When the Dog Has No History of Aggressive Behavior

In Pennsylvania, when a dog with no history of aggressive behavior attacks and injures someone without being provoked, the state divides the dog attack cases into different categories depending on how severe the dog attack injuries are.

• Serious dog bite injury – Pennsylvania dog bite law defines a serious dog bite injury as one that causes broken bones, fractures or disfigurement requiring multiple stitches.

• Non-serious dog bite injury – Where a dog bite injury victim is not serious injured, the dog owner must pay for the dog bite injury victim’s medical expenses alone. The only proof required is actual ownership of the dog.

New Jersey Dog Bite Law

New Jersey differs from Pennsylvania in that New Jersey’s dog bite law is a “strict liability” statute. This is different from Pennsylvania in that a dog owner in New Jersey is generally responsible for dog bite injuries resulting from the attack, regardless of the steps he took to restrain his dog. This is the case so long as the dog attack victim was either on public property or lawfully on private property.

New Jersey Law and Dog Attack Injuries That are Not from Bites

The dog bite law in New Jersey only applies to dog bites. Where a dog’s aggressive behavior causes injury due to jumping on the victim, or knocking them over, the negligence standard applies: In these cases, the person who sustained the dog attack injury must show that the owner did not take reasonable steps to avoid the incident. As an example, if a jogger is running down a street and a dog jumps on her breaking her leg, the victim must show that the dog owner failed to take reasonable steps to keep the dog under control. Such as leashing the dog and ensuring an adult is walking it.

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