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Editor: Jeffrey Harlan Penneys, Esq.
Profession: Philadelphia Personal Injury Attorney

Category: Dog Bite Questions and Answers

How is liability proven in dog bite cases?

To prove that a dog owner is responsible/liable for an injury due to a dog attack or dog bite, negligence must be proven.

Some ways to prove negligence on the part of the dog owner include:

Proving that the dog was "at large" when it bit or attacked its victim. In other words, the dog was running loose off of the property of the owner.
Proving that the victim was attacked or bitten while the victim was lawfully on the dog owner's property. It must additionally be proven that:
the dog had a history of unprovoked attacks.
the victim was not informed of the dangerous nature of the dog.
the owner did not protect the victim from the dog. "Beware of Dog" signs are evidence that the owner was aware of the dangerous nature of the dog and failed to take precautions to ensure the dog did not attack persons who were lawfully on the dog owner's property.
How is the extent of injuries from dog bites proven?
In order to receive damages, or money payment, for injuries due to a dog bite or dog attack, the following may need to be proven:

Evidence of pain and suffering shown by photos of the bites or injuries due to the attack.
Cost of initial medical treatment and procedures shown by obtaining medical records and bills.
Evidence of permanent scarring shown by photos taken one year after the attack.
Cost of future surgical revision as explained by a plastic surgeon in his narrative report.
Description of permanent scarring as explained by a plastic surgeon in his narrative report.
Psychological damages as noted in a psychologist's report, if applicable.