Dog bite incidents can be very difficult to deal with. What is normally a very gentle animal can, at times, be something completely different for a number of reasons. Some dogs never attack a human being in their lives, while others can be aggressive with strangers or with anyone other than their owners. This can classify them as a dangerous dog.
If you have suffered a dog bite due to the negligence of a dog owner, it is important that you consult with an experienced Philadelphia dog bite lawyer to pursue compensation on your behalf. Even if the dog bite was minor, any medical attention that you had to seek has probably already cost you money. Perhaps you have developed an infection or other complications and now you are going to have to deal with the injury for much longer than you thought.
At Brotherly Law, we provide our clients with the guidance needed to navigate the laws around dog bites. We are also there to advocate and counter accusations by the defense that the dog may have been provoked. If you didn’t provoke the dog to attack, we will work diligently to prove that fact through witness statements and other evidence.
You most likely know what it is to provoke something. In the case of a dog bite incident, a dog can be provoked to attack. For instance, a child pulling on a dog’s tail can hurt the dog and cause it to bite. Throwing objects at and kicking the dog are other types of provocation. Even walking into a dog’s territory without being invited could be considered a type of provocation if the dog is very territorial.
Even the nicest dog can attack if it is being tormented, abused, or assaulted prior to the attack. However, the defendant is not relieved of liability if the victim’s behavior involuntarily provoked the dog. The aforementioned acts are deliberate, but provocation that is not deliberate isn’t the fault of the plaintiff. An example of involuntarily provoking a dog would be accidentally stepping on the dog’s foot or tail.
When a dog is running free off of the owner’s property, then they are considered to be running at large. They are fine when on the owner’s property, but any time they are not on the residential property, they are considered at large. There is no leash and no restraint, which means there is no person controlling the dog at the time they are off the property. If the dog is at large and bites a person, then the owner can be held liable. A dog is at large when:
It is possible for a dog to escape the property where they live without the owner permitting the animal to do it. If someone else is responsible for the animal and the animal is loose without the owner’s permission, this could present a challenge when holding the owner liable.
How “at large” is used in a dog bite case depends on the circumstances surrounding the incident. However, most of the time, “at large” is defined as the dog simply being off of its designated property and unleashed. This is something that is very important to dog bite victims because it is the cause of action for negligence and is the most important tool in proving liability. However, local laws are going to come into play as well. These local laws are referred to as “leash laws.
If you have been injured by a dog without provoking it, you may be able to hold the responsible party accountable. At Brotherly Law, we will work diligently to determine the cause of the dog bite. If the defendant claims provocation, we can prove otherwise by using our knowledge, experience, and vast resources. To learn more about how we can help you, call us at (215) 545-8500 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.
If you have been injured due to no fault of your own, you may be able to hold the responsible party accountable for the monetary damages resulting from the accident. Fill out the form below to request a free consultation so we can evaluate your case.