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What happens if a dog owner destroys evidence you need to build a case against him for your injuries from an attack?  Can you file a separate lawsuit for the destruction of evidence in PA?   Let’s say, for example, you’re on a walking trail and you see a man walking…

We have written about how a dog bite victim’s own careless conduct (or comparative negligence) can jeopardize the value of her claim for injuries.  Here, we discuss the proof needed to show the Plaintiff had been “comparatively negligent” when attacked by a canine. In other words, what type of mistake on the part…

Let’s say you have a good case for compensation for your injuries from someone else’s animal; you’re entitled to money, possibly six figures: does the canine owner also owe you prejudgment interest on the money, going back to the date of the bite? After all, cases in litigation can take…

Evidence is Needed to Prove a Dangerous Dog Claim or Defense “Talk is cheap,” as we know. In truth, anyone can point the finger and say anything — at any time — about anyone. It’s “free,” as in “free speech.” In fact, it’s (practically) free to make your allegations in…

Psychological Impact on Parents Having helped child victims of dog bites for nearly 30 years, we decided to write about the emotional impact on parents when their child is involved in a dog attack, because attacks on young ones are so common in Pennsylvania. Let’s first talk about a parent’s…

A Challenge Getting Medical Care in Rural PA The City of Pittsburgh is abound with hospitals and urgent care facilities to treat injuries caused by canines.  However, residents of rural Pennsylvania fare less well.  For example, victims living in Beaver, Butler, Washington, Greene, Westmoreland and Mercer Counties often face a…

The Invisible Damage: Mental Harm to a Child Any time you hear of a dog bite to a person under age of 18, you probably think of blood and physical disfigurement.  But the victim’s long term emotional distress can amount to the biggest issue for the child. The attacking pet’s…

🧬 Using Doggie DNA to Identify the Animal Post-Attack Most often, identifying the aggressive pet is easy, especially if the pet’s owner is present for and acknowledges the dog bite. Or, there may be other corroborating evidence to identify the canine, short of obtaining the animal’s DNA for comparison testing. …

Most states have adopted a strict liability standard for injuries from a canine bite, meaning, the victim need not prove “negligence” to obtain a recovery. But Pennsylvania historically has refused, requiring proof of negligence in every case, unless the pet had: escaped from reasonable control, caused injury due to the…

Pennsylvania Mail Carriers Bit Over 300 Times in 2024 In 2024, Pennsylvania postal workers were involved in 316 dog-related incidents, ranking PA 6th nationally, according to the U.S. Postal Service. And, Pennsylvania is the 6th most populous state in the US, so the number of incidents is proportionate to PA’s…