What is The Value of a Dog Bite Claim in PA? 

Each Pittsburgh lawyer in our dog bite firm is honest and forthright about our evaluation of each dog bite case.  So how much is each animal attack claim worth?  The truth is.  It depends.No two dog bite cases are exactly alike; the total value of each claim will vary, depending upon several factors. Each factor needs to be evaluated to determine whether the claim will settle for nuisance value of $1,000 versus $100,000+. These facts include the amounts of:

 

A. Liability on the Part of the Dog Owner

Not every bite will trigger liability, and sometimes, the victim is partly at fault, which may either reduce or extinguish the value of the claim, note that in PA, even if the victim is 50% at fault, he can still recover, but his recovery may be limited, which we can discuss.

 

B. Disfigurement

The value of a claim for disfigurement will depend on upon (a) the location of the injury (face or hand, which are readily observable versus the leg or foot), (b) the severity of the bite number of stitches needed, (c) whether surgical corrective measures are a viable option, and (d) permanency of the injuries;

C. Pain and suffering

Calculating a claim for pain and suffering will depend upon how much trauma was involved, the complexity of the treatment, and the amount of infection, if any.

D. Restriction on Activities

Plus, we look at particular activities of the victim before and after the attack.  This will include walking, playing sports, being active, or even basic functioning, if, for example, the injury involves one’s hand;

E. Embarrassment

This will depend on how the attack can negatively change one’s appearance and ability to have comfort when socializing or even walking down the street;

F. Lost wages or earning capacity 

Click here for more information regarding claims for lost wages.  Overall, the claim cannot be speculative, and a lost of earning capacity that’s related to injuries from an animal attack will be compensable.

G. Medical expenses

All medical conditions and treatment necessitated by a dog bite are recoverable.

 

H. Psychological Harm

Those attacked often suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from the ordeal, including a fear of being around any dog, and many also suffer psychological consequences from scaring;

I. Damage to Property or Other Pets

Many dog attack cases involve damage to clothing and other items used to defend one’s self and fend off an attack, likewise, a dog attack on a person may also involve an attack on that person’s pet;

 

J. Veterinarian Bills

Attacks often occur to the victim’s pet, which may require medical care and treatment, and

K. The Toll on a Spouse’s Life

A claim may exist on the part of a spouse of an injured person for loss of comfort and support (consortium).

 

L. A Claim for Punitive Damages

A claim may exist for an amount to punish the defendant, for the attack by his dog, if the dog owner was reckless.  This is something more than negligence.  It involves a conscious disregard of a high probably of harm.  A claim for punitive damages also exists based on federal law in regard to government owned dogs, such as K-9 units.   

 

Call our dog bite lawyers today! 

 

Dog bite claims constitute 1/3 of all claims on homeowner policies nationwide.  As such, insurance companies have collected data to understand the expense of these dog bite claims, overall, by detailing the average cost per bite claim — at $32,000! — nationwide and in various states. Note, however, that there is no such thing as an “average dog bite claim.”

Plus, this is only a hypothetical, or a general statistic, which is useful mainly to insurance companies, who look at the aggregate costs of offering coverage, to determine whether it makes sense for insurance companies to continue to cover dog bite claims.  Still, the data compiled by insurance companies can give you a rough idea of the cost of dog bite claims overall, even though the value of each particular case will turn on the unique facts at issue. Here is the statistical data:

State	# of claims	Avg cost per claim	Value of claims ($ millions)
CA	1,867	$33,649	$62.8
OH	1,009	$21,983	$22.2
NY	910	$56,628	$51.5
IL	872	$34,894	$30.4
PA	861	$26,211	$22.6
MI	693	$38,302	$26.5
TX	621	$16,205	$10.1
IN	481	$21,287	$10.2
GA	388	$31,497	$12.2
WI	388	$26,873	$10.4
State	# of claims	Avg cost per claim	Value of claims ($ millions)
Top 10	8,090	$32,018	$259.0
Other States	8,460	$32,124	$271.8
U.S.	16,550	$32,072	$530.8

Source: Insurance Information Institute, State Farm.

 

Understanding the Number – Valuation of Dog Bite Claims

To be clear, this does not mean that any given dog bite case in Pennsylvania will typically settle for $26,211. Rather, some will settle for $1,000 or less (for a little nip), and others will generate settlements exceeding $100,000.  In fact, for the “average” claim to be worth around 26K,  then that means, for every 100K plus claim, there were several settling for less than 26K.  Plus, in every case, the value will depend on the above factors, and the skill and training of your lawyer to persuade the dog owner or his insurance company to pay top dollar.  Note, however, that the breed of the dog may not matter, as any dog can be aggressive, making the owner liable for significant damages, in any given case.

Call or email our Pittsburgh lawyers any time for a free consultation!

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