Pennsylvania Dog Bite Attorney

Attorney Thomas Newell has been representing personal injury victims in Eastern Pennsylvania since 1981.  Many of his clients have been the victim of a dog bite attack.

Listed below are dog bite questions and answers which could be
relevant to your dog bite case:

Why is it important to hire a dog bite lawyer to represent my child?

• The PA Dog Law serves as a starting point to analyze legal liability in a dog bite case.  That Act contains 50 definitions and dozens of detailed legal requirements regarding the ownership of dogs here in Pennsylvania.
• Who would best be able to obtain the maximum settlement offer from the dog owner's insurance representative - a general practice attorney or a lawyer like Attorney Newell who has represented many dog bite victims over the course of his 28 years of representing personal injury victims?

I was a dog bite victim in Bethlehem, PA.  How would a dog bite attorney prove that the owner of the rottweiler is responsible for my injuries?

• The dog bite lawyer must establish that the dog owner violated the Pennsylvania Dog Law, or...
• The dog bite attorney must prove that the Defendant's dog showed "vicious propensities" before the dog bite occurred.

Please visit DOG BITE SETTLEMENTS for a review of some of Attorney Newell's dog bite cases.

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 dog owner in PA 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.

When should I hire a PA dog bite lawyer after I have been attacked by a chow?

• Your legal rights deserve to be protected by a professional as soon as possible.  Your 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 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.

Please CONTACT ME to have a personal injury lawyer with 28 years of experience review your dog bite claim.

My son was riding his bicycle in Quakertown, PA.  A pit bull was running loose and the dog bit him.  Do we have a 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."

The owner of a home in Doylestown, PA had a German Shepherd which attacked me without warning inside his house.  Do I have a dog bite claim?

• Your 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".

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 so as to permit the dog owner to have had the opportunity to take corrective measures to prevent any future dog bite attacks.

Please go to CLIENT REVIEWS to obtain information regarding the experiences of over 20 of Attorney Newell's former personal injury clients.

How does a PA 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.

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 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.

I was playing with my children in Lansdale, PA when a dog bit me.  Since the German Shepherd was with a friend of the dog's owner at the time of the dog bite attack, who is responsible for my injuries?

• 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."

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 dog bite claim increase because it was a pit bull that bit me?

• The settlement value of your 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.

Please visit HOME for information concerning Attorney Newell's experience and qualifications to represent dog bite victims - such as you.

I was the victim of a dog bite attack in Easton, PA.  Who pays for my medical bills?

• 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 dog bite attack was.

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 which prohibits or limits a specific breed of dog.

My daughter was walking on the sidewalk by Mahoning St. in Lehighton, PA when she became a dog bite attack victim.  The rottweiler's owner rents the house and has no insurance.  Can the landlord be held responsible for her injuries?

• Your PA 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 dog bite attack.

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 insurance liability policies from denying insurance coverage due to a specific breed of dog.

Will Attorney Newell come to my home to meet with me concerning my dog bite case in Pennsylvania?

• Dog bite attack victims in the Lehigh Valley, Pocono Mts., Bucks County and Montgomery County have relied upon the experience of Attorney Newell to represent them for their 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 dog bite claim - no matter where you live in Eastern Pennsylvania.

Local Dog Warden Information

Bucks County	Verna J. North	215-453-0272
Lehigh County	Orlando Aguirre	610-791-0795
Monroe County	George Nixon	570-629-1099
Montgomery County	Edward Bunt	610-287-1426
Northampton County	Kathy Andrews	610-253-6428

Disclaimer

Attorney Thomas Newell provides the content of this website for informational purposes only.  Nothing provided in this website should be interpreted as being legal advice.  The laws in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania regarding dog bite claims are constantly evolving and changing.  You are strongly advised to hire a dog bite lawyer licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania.