First things first, what is Personal Injury?
Personal injury is when a persons mind or body is harmed, and another person could be responsible for that harm. An example of a personal injury could be if you or a loved one were attacked by a dog. In Pennsylvania there are certain liabilities as follows to determine the severity or negligence of the crime:
- Liability based on Dangerousness which means the owner is held responsible for all compensation if the dog has previously attacked another dog, or if the dog has a tendency to be aggressive towards others. So much so that it would be considered an aggressive or vicious animal. The owner could face a misdemeanor and face up to two years in jail. So it is important to register your dog as dangerous, and have liability insurance.
- Liability based on Common Law is a claim used when a dog owner can prove his or her dog escaped accidentally. Using this claim you must be able to show that because of escape solely, the harm was suffered.
- Negligence per se is another claim that is used to describe someone that violates a statute to prevent public harm, such as the Dog Bite Law
Almost always, the owner is responsible for full compensation of medical bills. Personal injury comes into play when someone wants to file suit for pain and suffering. it is important to be able to prove Negligence per se, or dangerousness of the dog to receive compensation for pain and suffering. To see more information about Personal Injury, click here.
What should you do if you or a loved one is bit by a dog:
The first thing you should do is seek help right away, because with these cases there are a statute of limitations. This means that if a certain amount of time passes the claim will be dismissed, without punishment to the owner. Be sure to contact the Law Office of Vincent J Caputo today if you or someone you love are victims of a personal injury such as a dog bite.
