Dog Bite Attorney in Bucks County

A Brief Summary of the Following Page

• Infections: Dog bites in Bucks County can introduce dangerous bacteria like tetanus, rabies, sepsis, and capnocytophaga into the body, posing serious infection risks.
• Symptoms: Key signs of an infected dog bite include swelling, redness, persistent pain, drainage, limited mobility in the affected area, warmth around the wound, fever, shaking, and night sweats.
• Liability: In Bucks County, dog bite liability may fall on the dog’s owner or, if the owner is a minor, their parents, under Pennsylvania state law.
• Legal Support: Engaging a law firm skilled in dog bite cases is crucial for guiding victims through the claims process, collecting evidence, and negotiating fair compensation.

Dogs are extremely popular. People who do not even own dogs love them. They are called man’s best friend and have featured in millions of internet videos. Dogs are loved by many people worldwide, but loving a dog does not automatically make someone a responsible dog owner.

Many dogs are not adequately trained or have only been trained for violence and can’t handle being around people and other animals. When they lash out, the consequences can be grave. No one should have to deal with a dog attack. Dogs have powerful jaws packed with sharp teeth that can cause substantial damage. To receive the money you need for medical bills, lost earnings, and other expenses, you should reach out to an experienced dog bite lawyer. 

What Is Pennsylvania’s Dangerous Dog Statute?

Many dog bite victims do not realize a dog is dangerous until it is too late. Without proper warning and handling from the dog’s owner, a person could be seriously injured when encountering a dog. According to Pennsylvania law when a dog with a history of dangerous behavior badly attacks a human, the owner is liable for all damages.

Pennsylvania’s Dangerous Dog Statute outlines what the law considers to be a dangerous dog. A dangerous dog has engaged in any of the following behaviors:

• Attacked someone without cause and caused them serious injury, such as fractured bones or disfiguring lacerations requiring several sutures or cosmetic surgery 
• Killed or severely injured another household animal without provocation while outside its owner’s property
• Assaulted a person without cause
• Has been used in the commission of a crime

In combination with these behaviors, a dangerous dog also has a history of unprovoked attacks on people or domestic animals or a propensity to unprovoked attacks on people or domestic animals.

Can Dog Bites Cause Permanent Injuries?

Although you may be aware of how painful a dog bite can be, many people underestimate the severity of the injuries it can cause. An experienced dog bite lawyer can help you look at the impact of your injuries and assess the value of your case. Knowing the actual cost of your injuries can help the Bucks County personal injury lawyers assist you in securing total compensation for your expenses and suffering.

Dog Bites Can Result in Permanent Disfigurement

Dogs that manage to hang on to their victims with their powerful jaws can disfigure them. The damage caused by their gnashing teeth could be so extensive that it permanently alters how the victim looks. 

Facial deformity, in particular, has the potential to change one’s life and inflict considerable physical and psychological harm. Sometimes, the damage is severe enough that the victim may need reconstructive surgery.

Dog Bites Might Leave You Permanently Disabled

Dog bite wounds can be so severe that they permanently impair the victim. When attacking, dogs frequently target their victims’ hands, arms, feet, and legs. If a dog bites hard enough, it may injure muscles, tendons, or nerves. The strength of the bite combined with rigorous pulling and shaking can pierce and tear at these underlying parts to the point where they cannot heal to their original state, impairing their ability to operate. 

Sometimes, this impairment is temporary, but it is often permanent. If the damage is so severe that doctors cannot save the limb, they must remove it. Children are especially likely to have amputations following dog bites because their bodies are smaller and more susceptible to severe damage. Amputating a limb is a major surgical procedure, and losing a limb means that amputees must relearn fundamental actions, which can be frustrating and stressful.

Dog Bites Can Leave You With Long-Term Mental Health Problems

Due to the viciousness of dog attacks and the injuries they cause, victims will likely experience trauma. As a result of their ordeal, many dog attack victims develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and find it challenging to be around dogs after their attack. Other psychological damage can result from having injuries that cause disfigurement and impairment, which are permanent reminders of the attack you experienced. 

These injuries can also make people’s lives significantly more difficult, and the added difficulties can take a toll on a person’s outlook on life. Physical and psychological disorders both have debilitating effects. Even with the assistance of mental health professionals, these mental health problems frequently last the remainder of a person’s life. Even though the law in this area is complex, an experienced attorney might be able to help you get compensation for emotional damages brought on by a dog attack.

What Damages Can Dog Bite Victims Recover in Bucks County?

Since the victims of dog bites typically experience extensive physical damage as well as psychological trauma, they are often able to recover economic and non-economic damages. 

By pursuing economic damages, victims can attempt to recover compensation or losses such as medical expenses, loss of current and future wages, and other expenses that have resulted from their injury. The cost of these losses correlates to an exact dollar amount, making them easier to keep track of and consider the estimated value of your claim.  

Because of their dog attack, victims are also likely to suffer emotional damages, which do not have an exact dollar value. The amount you request can include the cost of therapy, but that does not fairly reflect the pain and suffering you experience. You must consider the emotional damages that result from having to drastically alter your life due to a debilitating injury or the mental anguish you experience from having physical scars that serve as a constant reminder of your attack. 

Since these emotional damages do not have an exact dollar value, you would need an experienced dog bite lawyer to help you estimate what you could potentially receive as compensation for this suffering.

What Are the Most Common Causes of Dog Bites in Bucks County?

Because they are living beings, dogs are not entirely predictable. Even after spending years and thousands of dollars on training them, dogs may still react violently to people and other animals. Various things can trigger a dog bite, but it is ultimately the owner’s responsibility to maintain control of their dog and ensure that it does not injure anyone.

The following factors contribute to the prevalence of dog bites and attacks:

• The dog is protective of their owner.
• The dog was attempting to protect their home or territory.
• The dog was startled by something.
• The dog feels intimidated by the person or afraid of them.
• The dog is very excitable and bites while at play.

Unless the dog was attacked or provoked, the dog’s owner bears ultimate responsibility for the dog’s actions and behavior.

What Are the Effects of a Dog Bite?

Even if a dog bite does not initially seem serious, the effects of this type of injury can be detrimental to one’s health. If you were bit by a dog in Bucks County, you should be aware of the effects this injury could have in regards to your physical well-being. This is because if a dog bite pierces the skin, there are dangerous bacteria that can get into the body and cause an infection. 

Some common infections suffered by victims of dog bites in Buck County are as follows:

• Tetanus
• Rabies
• Sepsis
• Capnocytophaga

It is important to be aware of some of the common symptoms of an infected dog bite to ensure you are able to get the medical care necessary. 

Common Symptoms of an Infected Dog Bite

In the days and weeks following a dog bite, you should keep a close eye on the wound to ensure that it does not become infected. Some symptoms of an infected dog bite include the following:

• Swelling and redness around the dog bite wound
• Pain that lasts longer than 24 hours
• Drainage from the dog bite wound
• Difficulty moving the part of the body where the bite is
• A warm feeling around the wound
• Fever
• Shaking
• Night sweats

If you have experienced any of these symptoms that you believe may be related to your dog bite, it is crucial that you seek medical care as soon as possible. Additionally, seeking medical care will be important to ensuring you can support your dog bite injury claim.

Who Can Be Liable for a Dog Bite Injury in Bucks County?

One of the most important steps in any dog bite injury case is to decipher who may be liable for the injuries and losses you have suffered as a result of the negligent party who is responsible for the incident. However, you obviously cannot file a claim against the dog. So, who may be held liable in Bucks County when looking to pursue legal action after a dog bite?

Under Pennsylvania state law, victims of dog bites may pursue a personal injury claim against the owner, or keeper, of the dog that bit them. If the owner of the dog is a minor, then the parents of the minor may be held liable for the dog bite. When you work with our team of trusted dog bite injury attorneys, we will launch a full investigation into the details of what occurred and help identify the liable party to ensure they are held responsible for their negligence that led to your dog bite injury.

Can You Prove Liability in a Dog Bite Injury Case?

After the liable party has been identified in your case, the next important step our team of legal professionals will take is to actually prove their liability. To prove liability in a dog bite injury claim, there must be evidence of the four factors of negligence. 

The four factors of negligence in a dog bite injury case are as follows:

• The liable party owed you a duty of care
• The duty of care owed to you was breached
• The breach of duty led to the dog bite injury
• You suffered losses as a result

Proving liability is an important step in any personal injury claim as it helps build up your claim and ensure you are able to pursue the damages you are owed.

Why Should You Hire a Bucks County Dog Bite Attorney?

After you have suffered from a dog bite, your main priority should be to recover from the harm you have suffered. While the idea of handling a legal case soon after suffering an injury may be overwhelming, you do not have to go through this process alone. When you are ready to begin the process of filing your dog bite injury claim, it is important you retain the help of one of trusted Bucks County attorneys to help you throughout the legal process.

When you work with our team of trusted dog bite injury attorneys, you will experience the following benefits throughout your claim:

• Guide you through each step of the Pennsylvania personal injury claims process
• Provide answers to any questions you may have regarding your claim
• Help collecting all key evidence to best support your case
• Contact expert witnesses if applicable
• Speak with eyewitnesses if applicable
• Negotiate for fair compensation
• Provide personalized and dedicated legal counsel
• Represent your rights and interests

Filing a dog bite claim can be overwhelming and stressful for victims. However, when you work with our team of Bucks County dog bite attorneys, we can ensure you feel supported through each step of the claims process as you pursue the justice and compensation you are owed for the harm you have suffered.

Retain the Services of an Experienced Bucks County Dog Bite Lawyer

Dog attacks are horrible events that leave their victims scarred physically and emotionally. When a dog bites, people are often completely unprepared and at a loss for what to do. Many people are unaware that the dog owner will most likely have homeowner’s insurance that will provide coverage for their negligence involving their pets.  Thereafter, if the insurance company refuses to settle the case, you must be aware of your right to sue the owner of the dog that bit you for damages. They are responsible for raising and controlling their dog’s behavior, so they must be held accountable for any harm their dog causes.

Holding someone accountable for their negligence can be challenging on your own, which is why you should retain the services of an experienced dog bite lawyer from Rubin, Glickman, Steinberg & Gifford. Our firm has successfully handled numerous dog bite cases, so we are well-equipped to provide you with valuable legal assistance. We have been fighting for Pennsylvania families for decades and have assisted injured clients in obtaining sizable payouts for their damages. To schedule a consultation, contact our law firm at (215) 822-7575 or complete our contact form.