A dog attack in Pennsylvania can lead to a very different legal outcome than the same attack in Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland, or New York. In fact, there are no federal laws governing dog bites.  Each state has its own rules for holding dog owners responsible. Some states make owners…

Let’s say a dangerous dog attacks someone at a public housing complex. Before the attack, residents warned the housing authority about the dog. Yet the authority failed to address the danger.   Those facts may suggest negligence. However, successfully bringing a claim against a governmental landlord requires more than proving that…

A permanent scar can be worth substantially more in a legal recovery than an injury that heals without lasting disfigurement. However, determining when a scar is truly permanent is rarely as simple as looking at it a few months after an attack. A dog bite wound can heal in weeks….

Is A Dog Bite Recovery “Income”? One of the most common questions people ask ​when settl​ing a dog bite claim is: “Do I have to pay taxes on this money?”​  The answer is usually no for the injury-related portions of the recovery—but things get complicated when you recover money for lost…

Fatal Dog Attacks in Pennsylvania: Legal Rights and Remedies  Dog attacks are traumatic events, which can cause not only lasting physical and emotional scars, but also death, especially for those most vulnerable, including the very young and old.  When a fatal dog attack occurs in Western Pennsylvania, surviving family members…

Pennsylvania dog bite law has evolved significantly, and much of that evolution centers on how statutory violations translate into civil liability through negligence per se.        As we’ve discussed elsewhere on this site, Pennsylvania courts recognize negligence per se when a defendant violates a statute designed to protect a…

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…