Were you or a close family member recently bitten by a dog in Carlisle, Pennsylvania? Do not let the dog’s owner off the hook without consequence. You may be entitled to compensation, and the experienced Carlisle dog bite lawyers at Marzzacco Niven & Associates can help you maximize your recovery.
When you trust Marzzacco Niven & Associates after a dog bite in Carlisle, you benefit from an award-winning team of Pennsylvania trial attorneys with over 120 years of combined experience. We’ve received some of the top honors in the legal industry because of our dedication to our clients and our ability to regularly secure top results.
Since our founding in 2000, we’ve won tens of millions for catastrophically injured clients and grieving families in Carlisle and across the Commonwealth.
Now we’re ready to help you fight to get the life-changing results you deserve, too. Call our law office in Carlisle, PA, at (717) 995-8732 to set up a free consultation.
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How Marzzacco Niven & Associates Can Help If You’ve Suffered a Dog Bite Injury in Carlisle, PA
What do you have to prove to win your dog bite injury case? Could someone other than the dog’s owner be liable? What happens if the owner says you provoked the dog or share responsibility for the dog attack? How can you know if the insurance company’s settlement offer is fair?
The answers to these questions are critically important. Don’t try to answer them on your own. Take this time to focus on getting better and let our Carlisle personal injury lawyers take charge of your fight for compensation.
Choosing Marzzacco Niven & Associates sends a clear message to insurance companies, property owners, businesses, and dog owners. You’re not going to be pushed around or taken advantage of. You’ve put acclaimed and respected litigators on the case, and you’re not walking away with less than your dog bite injury case is worth.
Count on our top-rated team of Carlisle dog bite attorneys to:
- Help you understand all of your legal rights and options after you’ve been bitten by a dog
- Carefully investigate the dog attack from every possible angle
- Obtain and analyze medical records, police reports, violations of local dog safety ordinances, photographs, damaged or torn clothing, witness statements, and other case-related evidence
- Bring in medical professionals, dog behavior specialists, rehabilitation professionals, and other experts to consult on your case
- Aggressively seek a maximum payout during settlement negotiations with the dog owner’s insurance company or other liable parties
- Reject lowball offers and argue your dog bite lawsuit at trial in Cumberland County, if necessary
Now is the time to demand accountability and fight for the money you deserve. Call our law office in Carlisle, PA, to discover the benefits of working with our highly-respected legal team. We offer a free consultation and work on contingency, so it costs nothing to hire our law firm unless we win or settle your dog bite case. Get started with your free case assessment today.
How Common Are Dog Bites in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania ranks 5th in the nation for dog bite injury claims. According to State Farm, the insurance company paid out over $7.4 million to settle 154 dog bite-related claims in 2021.
These are just claims handled by State Farm. It’s estimated that nearly 4.5 million people – mostly children – suffer dog bites annually.
In fact, kids account for about 51 percent of dog bites across the nation. Roughly 68 percent of those child-related dog bites involve kids under the age of 5.
Does Pennsylvania Have a One-Bite Rule?
Many states have a “one bite” rule that effectively says that a dog’s first bite is free. Under the rule, the dog’s owner is not automatically responsible for injuries related to a dog bite if the dog has never bitten anyone or shown aggressive tendencies in the past. Liability only attaches (automatically) for subsequent bites.
Pennsylvania does not have a one bite rule. Rather, the state has a hybrid strict liability/negligence approach to dog bite litigation.
- Dog owners are strictly liable for medical bills related to a dog bite.
- Dog owners can be liable for additional damages if their negligence contributed to a dog bite.
Our experienced dog bite attorneys in Carlisle can help you build a strong case that forces the dog’s owner and other potentially liable parties to compensate you in full for your injuries and suffering.
What Do I Have To Prove To Win My Carlisle Dog Bite Case?
To recover compensation for your medical treatment, you’ll need to prove:
- You were bitten by a dog owned by or under the control of the defendant, and
- You were lawfully on the premises at the time of the attack.
That’s it. You don’t have to prove that the owner was negligent or put you in harm’s way.
If you want to recover additional compensation, you will have to prove negligence.
Negligence involves establishing each of the following elements:
- The dog’s owner owed you a duty of care
- The dog’s owner breached this duty of care in some way, typically through some careless action or behavior
- The owner’s conduct was the direct and proximate cause of the dog attack, and
- You’ve been injured and suffered damages as a result.
A dog owner might be considered negligent for violating local leash laws in Carlisle, failing to restrain or confine a dangerous dog, or neglecting an animal.
At Marzzacco Niven & Associates, we have extensive experience building negligence actions against careless dog owners across the Commonwealth. We understand which facts and pieces of evidence will be most helpful in your fight for compensation. Put our experience to work for you by calling our Carlisle law office for help today.
What Types of Damages Can I Get in a Dog Bite Injury Claim?
While the specific damages that can be recovered will ultimately depend on what you can prove, you’ll generally be eligible for compensatory awards.
Compensatory damages can include money for financial losses (economic damages) and suffering you experience as a dog bite victim (non-economic damages).
Through a successful claim or lawsuit, you can potentially recover damages for:
- Current and future medical expenses, including corrective surgery and/or cosmetic surgery
- Lost wages
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Reduced earning capacity
- Lost wages
- Disability
- Nursing care
- Funeral expenses if a dog bite is fatal
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium
- Emotional distress
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Embarrassment
A jury in Carlisle can also award punitive damages if there’s evidence that the dog’s owner (or another liable party) directed the dog to bite you or displayed a conscious disregard for your safety.
How Much Is My Dog Bite Case Worth in Carlisle, Pennsylvania?
Many factors can influence the value of your dog bite injury claim, including:
- The type, location, and severity of your injuries
- Changes in your ability to work (or future earning capacity)
- The overall impact of the dog bite on your quality of life
- Shared responsibility for the dog attack
- Available insurance coverage and policy limits
The greater the impact the dog bite has on your life, the more money you’ll generally be able to recover through a claim for insurance benefits or a lawsuit.
Hiring an experienced and successful personal injury attorney near you in Carlisle can also help you maximize your recovery. Call Marzzacco Niven & Associates to discuss the details of your dog bite injury claim today.
How Can Shared Fault Affect My Dog Bite Injury Settlement in Pennsylvania?
The dog’s owner, property owner, or another liable party might try to say that you provoked the dog or share responsibility for the dog bite.
These defenses are commonly deployed to shift liability and limit (or prevent) a financial payout.
If you don’t fight back, you could watch compensation disappear.
That’s because Pennsylvania has a modified comparative negligence system. Under its 51 percent bar to recovery, you cannot recover damages from a third party if you’re primarily responsible for a dog bite.
Sharing less than 51 percent of the blame will result in a reduced financial recovery. Damages are reduced proportionately. So, if you’re 30 percent to blame for a dog bite, your damages will be reduced by 30 percent.
Generally speaking, shared responsibility won’t be a factor in situations where a young child is bitten by a dog. Young kids don’t typically have the capacity to appreciate the potential risks of their actions. However, in cases involving older children, shared fault could play a role.
Common Dog Bite Injuries
Every year, a significant number of people have to seek emergency medical treatment because of a dog bite injury.
For many, these injuries include:
- Fractures and broken bones
- Nerve damage
- Lacerations to the extremities
- Soft tissue damage
- Internal organ damage
- Eye injury
- Crushing injury
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Amputation
- Catastrophic injury
Don’t hesitate to call Marzzacco Niven & Associates if you’ve suffered a dog bite in Carlisle, PA. You’ll have a limited time to pursue the financial compensation you deserve. We can help you preserve your legal rights and fight to get every cent you need.
What’s the Deadline for Filing a Pennsylvania Dog Bite Lawsuit?
Dog bite injury claims in Pennsylvania are traditionally subject to the state’s two-year statute of limitations.
The deadline applies to cases where a dog bite inflicts personal injury or causes wrongful death.
Once time runs out, you will lose the opportunity to demand a rightful financial recovery.
Schedule a Free Consultation With an Experienced Carlisle Dog Bite Lawyer
Don’t settle for less than your dog bite injury case is worth. Call Marzzacco Niven & Associates and enlist the help of our experienced Carlisle dog bite attorneys.
A member of our team is always available to help, so reach out to our Carlisle, PA, law office at (717) 995-8732 to schedule your free case evaluation now.