Many feel that PA’s dog law is too lenient against those who own or harbor a dangerous dog. For example, unlike 36 other states having strict liability for dog bites, PA requires the injured party to prove negligence (in most cases) to get money for a dog attack. The reason?…
The *Truth* About Pit Bull Dogs | Pittsburgh Lawyers
Take it from a firm that has litigated hundreds of dog bite cases: pit bull attacks are all too common and especially vicious. Ready to learn the truth about pit bulls? First, we’ll discuss the number and severity of injuries that pit bulls — in particular — have caused. …
Tips For Parents of a Child Bitten by a Dog in PA
It’s back-to-school time for your child or children, but it’s dog bite season for our Pittsburgh trial lawyers. You see, summer is when families go away on vacation (away from the neighbor’s dog). Granted, there are plenty of attacks in the spring and summer also, such as: June 26: in…
Defense Perspective: Taking Dog Bite Cases to Verdict
Our Pittsburgh dog bite lawyers primarily represent individuals (including an adult or child) attacked by a canine. That said, we have also defended high-value (multi-million dollar) cases all the way to verdict. So what about the defense perspective? Can a defendant sued for money ever win? The answer is yes…..
Air Travel With A Dog: Liability and How to Avoid Attacks
Safe Transport of a Dog on Flight and Preventing Bites We typically get involved in a dispute only after the attack has happened, therefore we write these articles to help avoid attacks from happening. Here we address: how can an attack be avoided when traveling with a dog, specifically during…
Nervous at the Vet – means, the Dog’s “Dangerous”?
Does doggie anxiety at the vet mean the animal is “dangerous”? A negligence standard often applies in PA, for dog bite liability; namely, did the dog owner have prior reason to know of the animal’s dangerous propensity? Many things serve as evidence of a dangerous or “vicious” propensity. These include…
Selecting The Right Dog Leash
Proper Dog Restraint on Walks With the Western Pennsylvania weather warming, many are taking their pooch for walks more often, versus letting the dog do its business within a fenced-in yard. One thing people don’t realize is, dog bite incidents often occur while a dog is on a leash. Take…
Dog Bites: 6 (Bad) Defenses to Injury Claims in PA
We have heard it all over 24+ years! We’ve encountered nearly every defense imaginable to a dog bite injury claim in Western Pennsylvania. Below is a partial list of some of the more interesting assertions made, by people trying to escape liability for injuries resulting from an animal attack. …
Claiming Emotional Distress From a Dog Bite
We are often asked: can I make a claim for emotional distress from a dog bite in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania? The short answer is: yes. Any person responsible for violating Pennsylvania’s Dog Law is responsible for not only the injured party’s physical injuries, disfigurement, and medical bills, but also…
The Importance of a Dog License
Are you wondering about the important of dog bite licenses in Pennsylvania? As advocates for injured parties, we are always looking for ways to make interactions with canines more safe. One important component is dog licensing. Licensing one’s dog not only helps identify one’s animal, the revenues help fund inspections…