My son was bitten by a neighbor's dog.
He needs plastic surgery.
Can I receive monies from the dog's owner to defray costs?
Pennsylvania law used to be that dog owners were entitled to "one free bite." This meant that until a dog actually bit someone and put the owner on notice that it was a potential danger to others, a dog owner could not be sued if the dog attacked someone causing injury. There have been changes in the law over the years and currently the owner of a dog is not entitled to "one free bite."
Attorneys and courts now analyze such cases by trying to determine if the dog owner was negligent or careless in regard to the behavior of the dog. Therefore, it is possible that a person injured by a dog could sue the dog's owner and if he or she is able to establish that the owner was negligent under the law, the injured person would be entitled to recover medical expenses, lost wages, as well as money for pain and suffering.
Attorney Doug Engelman has been practicing over 20 years and has wide and extensive experience in evaluating, settling and trying such cases in court.
Disclaimer: - These opinions represent a generalization based upon Pennsylvania law as of Nov. 1, 2014. You should consult an attorney and discuss your specific circumstances before taking any action.