Our Pennsylvania Dog Bite Case Results

Montgomery County – $220,000 verdict. A man visiting a body shop was attacked by a German Shepherd, suffering bites to his arms, legs, and buttocks. After the insurance company offered $75,000, the case went to trial and a jury awarded $220,000.

Erie County: $25,000.00 settlement. 35 year old female was out for a jog. As she passed one of the homes on her route, a Pit Bull broke through the fenced-in yard and chased her, nipping at her legs as she tried to get away. Luckily the dog owner was able to call the dog off, and the dog retreated. Unfortunately, when she looked down, the dog had lacerated her ankle. It was a minor injury, but was painful and swollen. She went to a local Urgent Care, where the wound was cleaned and debrided and she was released with antibiotics. I was able to get the homeowner’s insurance pretty quickly, and they settled 6 weeks later for this minor incident. In cases like this, settlement is always liely, as there is a clear violation of the PA Dog Law relating to confinement.

Philadelphia County: $500,000.00 settlement. 22 year old female was visiting her boyfriend’s grandmother’s house for the first time. As soon as she walked in, the Akita who lived there jumped up and bit my client in the face, causing laceration to the nose, eye and cheek. They immediately rushed her to UPenn, where she was treated. The wounds were somewhat complicated, so they called in a plastic surgeon who did a very good job treating the injuries. 1 year later, she still had eye issues (constant tears accompanied by numbness), and although the scars healed nicely, they were still somewhat visible. Insurance company tendered the entire policy. Incidents that happen inside the home are not as easy as outside, as there is rarely a Dog Law violation. But if the injury is severe enough, that’s all that matters for liability purposes.

Berks County: $85,000.00 settlement. Amazon delivery driver was taking a photo of the package he had just placed at the front door of the home. As he was walking back to his vehicle, he heard the dog running, turned around, and the dog latched onto his lower left leg. The owner came out and was able to get the dog off, but it was too late. The driver took himself to the closest ER, where they applied 25 sutures. It is pretty rare that they stitch a dog bite, as it needs to drain naturally to reduce the likelihood of infection. The bites were so deep in this case, they didn;t have a choice, but they did leave one end open for draining. Luckily it didn’t get infected, but there was a nasty scar. These situations that happen on the dog’s property are often fought hard by the insurance company–they try to argue that there was no Dog Law violation, and that the victim should be more aware of the surroundings. I always get around this weak argument, especially if the injury is serious. But even if the injury is not so serious, I can still get around it one way or another. For example, if we end up in a lawsuit, and I can prove that the dog is aggressive towards other dogs, or even has one bite in the past, that is good enough. But if the injury is serious, proving “vicious propensities” is pretty easy.

Allegheny County: $100,000.00 settlement. DoorDash delivery driver was walking to the front door to deliver a food order. The dog owner was sitting on the front porch with his German Shepherd. The dog suddenly broke-away from the owner, ran at my client, tackled him to the ground and bit him on the arm and leg. Police were called and the dog was later put down, as this was the 3rd such incident with this dog in 6 months. My client sustained 2 scars, and PTSD. Case settled in less than 6 months for the homeowner’s insurance policy limits. These cases that occur on the dog’s property (versus the neighborhood or sidewalk) are not slam dunks. There is no Dog Law violation, so I need to prove that the dog owner had a responsibility to keep the dog away from visitors. If it’s a significant injury, “vicious propensities” can be proven for this incident alone–even if the dog had never bitten anyone before. If it’s not a serious injury, then I need to prove vicious propensities another way. And I usually can find SOMETHING to help in that regard.