If you or someone you love has been bitten or attacked by a dog in Pennsylvania, you deserve a legal team that will fight to hold the dog’s owner accountable. A Pennsylvania dog bite lawyer at Marcus & Mack can help you pursue full and fair compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.
Dog bite injuries are painful, often disfiguring, and can leave lasting physical and emotional scars. You should not have to pay the price for someone else’s failure to control their animal. Call Marcus & Mack today for a free consultation. You owe nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
When you are recovering from a serious dog bite, you need attorneys who understand the law, care about your well-being, and are willing to fight on your behalf. That is exactly what we deliver at Marcus & Mack.
Recovering from a dog bite is stressful enough without worrying about how to pay for it. Let us carry the legal burden so you can focus on getting better. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.
Pennsylvania takes a unique approach to dog bite liability that is important for bite victims to understand. The state uses what legal professionals call a “hybrid” system, meaning there are two separate rules that may apply depending on the type of compensation you are seeking.
Under Pennsylvania’s Dog Law (3 P.S. § 459-502), when a dog bites or attacks a person, the owner is automatically responsible for all of the victim’s related medical costs. This is a strict liability rule, which simply means you do not have to prove the owner did anything wrong. You only need to show that their dog caused your injury.
This applies even if the dog has never bitten anyone before. There is no “first free bite” in Pennsylvania when it comes to medical expenses.
Medical bills are often just the beginning. Dog bite victims frequently suffer lost income from missed work, emotional distress, scarring and disfigurement, and lasting pain. To recover compensation for these types of damages, Pennsylvania law requires you to show that the dog’s owner was negligent, meaning they failed to act with reasonable care in controlling their animal.
A Pennsylvania dog bite lawyer can help you build a strong negligence claim by gathering evidence that the owner knew the dog was dangerous, failed to properly restrain the animal, or violated Pennsylvania’s leash and confinement requirements.
Dog bites can cause far more damage than many people realize. What may look like a minor wound can lead to serious, long-term medical complications. Some of the most common injuries we see in dog bite cases include:
Children are particularly vulnerable to serious dog bite injuries. Because of their smaller size, kids are more likely to sustain bites to the face and head. If your child has been bitten by a dog, acting quickly to protect both their health and their legal rights is critical.
The compensation available to you after a dog bite depends on the severity of your injuries and the circumstances of the attack. In Pennsylvania, dog bite victims may be entitled to recover damages for:
Every case is different, and the full value of your claim depends on the specific facts involved. A Pennsylvania dog bite lawyer at our firm can evaluate your situation and help you understand what your case may be worth.
Find Out What Your Case Is Worth
Time is a critical factor in any dog bite case. Under 42 Pa.C.S. § 5524, Pennsylvania sets a two-year deadline for filing a personal injury lawsuit. This means you generally have two years from the date of the dog bite to file a claim in court.
If you miss this deadline, the court will almost certainly dismiss your case, no matter how severe your injuries are or how clearly the dog’s owner was at fault. There are limited exceptions. For example, if the victim is a minor (under 18), the two-year clock typically does not start running until they turn 18. But these exceptions are narrow, and relying on them without legal guidance is risky.
The sooner you reach out to a lawyer, the better your chances of preserving key evidence and building a strong case. Witness memories fade, surveillance footage gets deleted, and animal control records can become harder to track down over time.
Pennsylvania has a separate law that addresses dogs with a history of aggressive behavior. Under 3 P.S. § 459-502-A, a dog may be classified as “dangerous” if it has:
Pennsylvania law defines “severe injury” as any physical injury resulting in broken bones or disfiguring lacerations that require multiple stitches or cosmetic surgery.
Once a dog is declared dangerous, the owner must register the animal, maintain liability insurance, and follow strict confinement and restraint requirements. If the owner of a dangerous dog fails to meet these requirements and the dog attacks again, this can significantly strengthen your case for full compensation.
A Pennsylvania dog bite attorney can investigate whether the dog that attacked you has any prior history of aggression or a dangerous dog designation.
Once you are home and safe after a dog bite, taking the right steps can protect your health and strengthen any future legal claim.
Taking these steps early on makes a real difference in the outcome of your claim. Even small details like a photograph or a witness’s phone number can become important pieces of evidence later.
In most cases, the dog’s owner bears primary responsibility for a bite or attack. But liability does not always stop there. Depending on the circumstances, other parties may also share responsibility:
Pennsylvania also follows a comparative negligence rule. This means that if the victim is found to share some fault for the incident (for example, by provoking the dog), their compensation may be reduced by their percentage of responsibility.
However, being near a dog, walking past a yard, or even reaching out to pet an unfamiliar animal is generally not considered provocation under the law. Children, in particular, are given broader protections because courts recognize that young kids may not fully understand how to safely interact with animals.
Most dog bite claims in Pennsylvania are paid through the dog owner’s homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy. These policies typically include liability coverage that applies when a policyholder’s dog injures someone.
However, insurance companies are not on your side. Their goal is to settle claims for as little as possible. Adjusters may try to downplay the severity of your injuries, blame you for the incident, or pressure you into accepting a lowball offer before you fully understand the extent of your damages.
Having an experienced Pennsylvania dog bite lawyer on your side levels the playing field. At Marcus & Mack, we handle all communication with the insurance company, build a thorough case that reflects the true value of your injuries, and fight for the compensation you rightfully deserve.
Here are answers to some of the questions we hear most often from dog bite victims and their families.
Yes. Pennsylvania’s strict liability rule for medical expenses applies regardless of the dog’s history. The owner is responsible for your medical costs even if the dog has no prior record of aggression. For additional damages like pain and suffering, you would need to show negligence, but a clean history does not automatically shield the owner from liability.
You can still pursue a claim. Homeowner’s insurance typically covers dog bite liability, and you have the right to seek compensation even if the dog owner is a friend or family member. Your claim is filed against the insurance policy, not the individual personally.
No. Pennsylvania does not have a statewide law banning or restricting ownership of any specific dog breed. Liability in a dog bite case is based on the dog’s behavior and the owner’s actions, not the breed of the animal.
These cases can be more challenging, but you may still have legal options. If the bite occurred on someone’s property, the property owner may bear some responsibility. Additionally, if local authorities were aware of the stray dog and failed to act, there could be a claim against the municipality, though special notice rules apply for claims against government entities.
It varies depending on the severity of the injuries, the complexity of the liability issues, and whether the insurance company is willing to offer a fair settlement. Some cases resolve in a few months, while others may take a year or longer, especially if a lawsuit needs to be filed. Your attorney will keep you informed throughout the process.
You may still have a valid claim. Pennsylvania’s dog laws cover attacks as well as bites. If a dog jumped on you, knocked you to the ground, or otherwise caused you to be injured, the owner can be held responsible for the resulting harm.
A dog bite can change your life in an instant. Between the medical appointments, the emotional toll, and the financial pressure of mounting bills, it can feel like there is no clear path forward. That is where we come in.
At Marcus & Mack, helping injured people is not just something we do. It is all we do. Our attorneys have the experience, the resources, and the determination to hold negligent dog owners and their insurance companies accountable. Whether you are in Indiana, PA, Johnstown, State College, DuBois, Altoona, or anywhere else in Pennsylvania, we are ready to fight for you.
Call Marcus & Mack now to schedule your free consultation. We are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and you will always speak with a real person who understands what you are going through. Remember, you pay nothing unless we win your case.
By: Deb E.
57 S 6th Street, The Mitchell House Indiana PA 15701 Phone: (724) 349-5602 Marcus & Mack