Pennsylvania Dog Bite Attorney links
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DOG BITE REPRESENTATION
Why is it important to hire a Pennsylvania dog bite lawyer to represent my child who has been bitten by a pit bull?
- The homeowner's insurance adjuster is trained to understand the PA Dog Law, the detailed legal requirements regarding dog ownership here in PA and, Court decisions discussing Pennsylvania dog bite attacks.
- Isn't your child's case important enough to have an experienced PA dog bite attorney fighting on their behalf against the dog owner's insurance company?
Why should I consider hiring Attorney Newell to serve as my child's PA dog bite lawyer?
- REFERRALS: Other lawyers show their respect for Attorney Newell by
referring Pennsylvania dog bite cases to him
- EXPERIENCE: Representing PA personal injury victims for 28 years
- SERVICE: See CLIENT REVIEWS to read how his clients describe his
high level of personal service
- EXCLUSIVITY: Attorney Newell ONLY represents Pennsylvania personal
injury victims
Please CONTACT ME to have a Pennsylvania dog bite lawyer with 28 years of experience review your PA dog bite claim.
DOG BITE MEDICAL BILLS
I was bitten in the face by a mixed breed dog. Who pays for my medical bills after this Easton PA dog attack?
- If the owner of the mixed breed dog has homeowner's insurance, there is usually medical payment coverage that will pay up to a certain amount for medical expenses - regardless of whose fault the Pennsylvania dog bite attack was.
My wife was bitten by a rottweiler in our Bucks County PA neighborhood. If our medical insurance coverage pays for her medical bills, do we have to pay them back when we settle her Pennsylvania dog bite claim?
- Most probably yes. The majority of health insurance plans have a "subrogation" clause which requires the victim to repay them when there is a personal injury settlement.
- Your Pennsylvania dog bite lawyer will add the amount of your medical bills to the claims for lost wages, pain & suffering and permanent scarring when negotiating with the defendant's homeowners insurance company.
DUTY TO CONTROL DOG
My daughter was jogging in a park in Allentown, PA when a dog bite attack occurred. What duties does the Pennsylvania Dog Law place upon dog owners to confine their dogs?
- A Pennsylvania dog owner must do one of these three things to comply with the PA Dog Law:
- Confine the dog within the premises of the owner, or...
- Firmly secure the dog by way of a collar and chain or other device so that the dog cannot stray beyond the premises where it is located, or...
- Place the dog under the reasonable control of some person or, when engaged in lawful hunting, exhibition or field training.
I was riding my bicycle on a road in the Poconos when a dog attacked me. Do I have a PA dog bite case?
- Yes. The dog was not confined or under the control of its owner. Your Pennsylvania dog bite lawyer should aggressively argue that there was a clear violation of the PA Dog Law.
I was playing with my children in Lansdale, PA when a dog attacked me. Since the German Shepherd was with a friend of the dog's owner at the time of the PA dog bite attack, who is responsible to compensate me for my facial scars?
- The PA Dog Law requires all owners to properly confine, secure or control their dog.
- The definition of "owner" includes a person who has a dog "in his care and/or permits the dog to remain on or about any premises occupied by him."
Please visit DOG BITE SETTLEMENTS for a review of some of Attorney Newell's Pennsylvania dog bite cases.
PA DOG LAW
I was a dog bite victim in Bethlehem, PA. How would a Pennsylvania dog bite attorney prove that the owner of the rottweiler is responsible for my injuries?
- The PA dog bite lawyer must establish that the dog owner violated the Pennsylvania Dog Law, or...
- The PA dog bite attorney must prove that the Defendant's dog showed "vicious propensities" before the dog bite occurred.
My wife was walking on a sidewalk by Main St. in Stroudsburg, PA when a dog bite occurred. How can we find out if the rottweiler has rabies?
- When a dog bites or attacks a person, the PA Dog Law requires that the dog be confined in isolation for a minimum of 10 days for observation to make sure that the dog does not have rabies.
- The PA dog bite victim must be notified by the Dog Warden or Investigating Police Officer of the medical results regarding the dog's condition after this confinement has concluded.
My daughter was walking on the sidewalk by Mahoning St. in Lehighton, PA when she became a dog attack victim. The rottweiler's owner rents the house and has no insurance. Can the landlord be held responsible for her facial scar?
- Your Pennsylvania dog bite lawyer would have to prove that the landlord knew that the rottweiler lived at his Lehighton property and was aware of the dog's vicious propensities before the PA dog bite attack.
According to Pennsylvania law, who is authorized to investigate dog attacks and charge dog owners with violations of the PA Dog Law?
- The Dog Wardens approved and supervised by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture are responsible to investigate and prosecute PA Dog Law violations.
- Each Pennsylvania County is the jurisdiction of a specific Dog Warden.
Please go to CLIENT REVIEWS to obtain information regarding the experiences of over 20 of Attorney Newell's former PA personal injury clients.
VICIOUS PROPENSITIES
What are prior "vicious propensities"?
- One or more acts by a dog where, without provocation, attacked a human being.
- The attack(s) must have been known to the Defendant dog owner before your dog bite in order to give him/her the opportunity to take corrective measures to prevent any future Pennsylvania dog bite attacks.
How does a Pennsylvania dog bite attorney prove prior "vicious propensities"?
- It has been Attorney Newell's experience that frequently neighbors, friends or family members of the Defendant dog owner have suffered an attack from the same dog in the past.
- The local Pennsylvania Dog Warden, as well as the local police department, could have information regarding this dog.
- Attorney Newell has used other avenues of investigation to develop proof of prior vicious propensities - one of which is detailed in the DOG BITE SETTLEMENTS page.
The owner of a home in Doylestown, PA had a German Shepherd which attacked me without provocation inside his house. Do I have a PA dog bite claim?
- Your Pennsylvania dog bite lawyer would have to prove that the owner of the German Shepherd was harboring a "dangerous dog" or...
- The Doylestown resident owned a dog that had shown prior "vicious propensities".
Please visit HOME for information concerning Attorney Newell's experience and qualifications to represent Pennsylvania dog bite victims - such as you.
PIT BULLS
What is a "pit bull"?
- The term "pit bull" is not a specific breed of dog. Most people use that phrase to describe an American pit bull terrier or American Staffordshire terrier.
I was walking my dog in the Lehigh Valley when I was attacked by a pit bull. Does the value of my Pennsylvania dog bite claim increase because it was a pit bull that bit me?
- The settlement value of your PA dog bite claim is based upon the injuries you actually sustained. The type of dog that bit you becomes relevant only because injuries caused by dogs such as pit bulls are usually more severe than less powerful and aggressive dogs.
My son was a dog bite victim while riding his bicycle in Quakertown, PA. A pit bull was running loose and the dog bit him in the face. Do we have a Pennsylvania dog bite claim?
- Yes. The Defendant dog owner was in apparent violation of the PA Dog Law since he/she did not have their pit bull under "reasonable control."
How many deaths are caused by pit bull attacks?
- According to the website www.dogsbite.org, from 2006 thru 2008, 52 Americans were killed due to pit bull attacks.
If I own a pit bull, rottweiler or a chow, can my homeowner's insurance company threaten to drop my insurance coverage unless I get rid of my dog?
- No. The PA Dog Law prevents Pennsylvania insurance liability policies from denying insurance coverage due to a specific breed of dog.
Can cities such as Allentown, Bethlehem or Easton prohibit certain types of dogs?
- No. The PA Dog Law states that is illegal to pass a local ordinance in Pennsylvania which prohibits or limits a specific breed of dog.
What steps are Pennsylvania towns taking to protect their residents from pit bulls?
- An October 9, 2009 article published on WPXI.com noted that Clairton PA formed a dangerous dog task force to enforce city ordinances enacted to protect the community from dangerous dogs.
- Clairton took this action after a pit bull attacked a postal worker and trapped the mailman in his truck.
- The pit bull aggressively circled the vehicle and then charged a police officer who shot it in self-defense.
Please see Why Attorney Newell to read about his qualifications to serve as your PA dog bite lawyer. He has represented many victims with facial scars.
DEALING WITH INSURANCE CO.
After my dog bite attack in Doylestown PA, the Defendant's homeowner's insurance company contacted me and requested a recorded statement. Should I given them one?
- No. You have no legal obligation to do so. Remember, the defense adjuster is only protecting the dog owner's legal interests.
- Your Pennsylvania dog bite lawyer can provide them with the information they need to complete their investigation while also fully protecting your rights.
DOG BITE CONSULTATION
Will Attorney Newell come to my home to meet with me concerning my Pennsylvania dog bite case?
- Dog attack victims in the Lehigh Valley, Poconos, Bucks County PA and Montgomery County PA have relied upon the experience of Attorney Newell to represent them for their Pennsylvania dog bite case.
- Whether you live in Bethlehem or Easton, Stroudsburg or Bushkill, Lehighton or Allentown, Quakertown or Perkasie, Doylestown or Lansdale - Attorney Newell will provide you with a free HOME consultation for your PA dog bite claim - no matter where you live in Eastern Pennsylvania.
When should I hire a Pennsylvania dog bite lawyer after I have been attacked by a chow in Perkasie, PA?
- Your legal rights deserve to be protected by a professional as soon as possible. Your PA dog bite attorney would want to promptly begin the investigation regarding the past background of the dog that attacked you or your child.
- An experienced PA dog bite lawyer knows the correct person to contact in Harrisburg to obtain information on the history, if any, of all prior attacks/incidents regarding this chow.
DOG BITE INFECTIONS
I was jogging near Stroudsburg PA when a dog bit my hand. How concerned should I be that the dog bite wound might become infected?
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According to a June 21, 2009 article published in Med Page Today, it is estimated the 30% to 40% of hand bites from dogs & cats become infected.
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Common infections from dog bites include: bacteremia, meningitis, endocarditis, peritonitis and tetanus.
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Immediately consult with a doctor so that the dog bite wound can be thoroughly cleansed. Frequently, antibiotics, a tetanus shot and/or a rabies shot are administered.
A neighbor's rottweiler got loose and bit my son outside of our Lansdale PA home. Does he need a tetanus shot?
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Tetanus is a disease caused by bacteria found in soil or dust that infects humans by entering the body thru cuts or puncture wounds.
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Sometimes symptoms of severe muscle spasms in the face, neck, abdomen and/or extremities do not appear for days after the initial trauma.
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Please seek a doctor's opinion, especially if it has been more than 5 years since your child's last tetanus shot.
DOG BITE FACIAL SCAR
My wife was attacked by a German Shepherd in Quakertown PA. The ER doctor used stitches to close her facial laceration. How long does it take for a plastic surgeon to decide if surgery can improve her facial scar?
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Many plastic surgeons wait for 6 to 8 months before evaluating the scar to see if dermabrasion surgery and/or scar revision surgery will help.
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Take photographs after the dog bite attack and throughout the healing process.
I was riding my bicycle in Montgomery County PA when a pit bull knocked me off the bike and bit me in the face. Will scar revision surgery help diminish my facial scar?
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Scar tissue forms on the face as the skin heals from the dog bite.
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Schedule an appointment with a board certified plastic surgeon to see if scar revision surgery is appropriate for your facial scar.
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According to Healthline.com, scar revision surgery involves a series of small incisions on both sides of the scar site creating v-shaped skin flaps. This hopefully results in a thin and less noticeable scar.
Local Pennsylvania Dog Warden Information
| Berks County PA |
Orlando Aguirre |
610-433-3478 |
| Bucks County PA |
Verna J. North |
215-453-0272 |
| Carbon County PA |
George Nixon |
570-629-1099 |
| Lehigh County PA |
Orlando Aguirre |
610-791-0795 |
| Monroe County PA |
George Nixon |
570-629-1099 |
| Montgomery County PA |
Edward Bunt |
610-287-1426 |
| Northampton County PA |
Kathy Andrews |
610-253-6428 |
| Pike County PA |
James Rickert |
570-488-9562 |
Disclaimer
Since 1981, Attorney Thomas Newell has been aggressively representing PA personal injury victims in the Poconos, Lehigh Valley, Montgomery County PA and Bucks County PA. The content of this website is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice for your dog bite claim. PA law regarding dog bite cases changes. I advise you to retain a dog bite lawyer to review the facts of your dog attack.
