Philadelphia Dog Bite Lawyer

We love our cherished family pets, but facing an attacking dog is a terrifying reminder that they are animals with sharp teeth and motives we don’t always understand or anticipate. Dog bites are painful and traumatic, leaving physical and emotional scars and putting the bite victim at risk of infection. The impacts of severe dog bites can affect all aspects of the bite victim’s life. Fortunately, New Jersey has protections in place for dog bite victims so they aren’t left with the economic costs of their injuries as well as the pain, trauma, and scars. Call Grungo Law to learn about your rights and your options for financial recovery.

Why Choose Grungo Law as Your Dog Bite Law Firm In Philadelphia?

The attorneys at Grungo Law have decades of experience in recovering compensation for injured clients, including those who suffer injuries from an attacking dog. We’re ready to put our experience, knowledge, and resources behind your case with the following advantages:

• A free case consultation and contingency-based payment so you pay us nothing until after we recover your compensation
• An attorney dedicated to strategizing the best way forward based on the unique circumstances of your case rather than taking a formulaic approach that might not bring the maximum compensation available to you
• A lead attorney who is a board-certified trial lawyer, a distinction given to only about 2.5% of attorneys
• A results-oriented approach to your case that includes an investigation, consultation with the best medical experts, and the most compelling case possible to seek full and fair compensation

Our history of recovering millions of dollars for injury victims through settlements and jury awards puts a reputation of success behind your case.

Dog Bite Injuries In Philadelphia

Dog’s have sharp, jagged teeth that work like serrated blades to tear meat. An attacking dog’s bite ranges in severity from a warning knick to torn flesh and traumatic amputations.

Medical professionals classify dog bite injuries through a level system based on the depth of tooth-puncture wounds and the severity of injuries. The Dunbar Dog Bite Scale includes six levels of injury:

• Level-1 bites are mild abrasions with scraped, reddened skin without punctures
• Levels 2-4 describe bites with increasingly severe punctures, open wounds, and torn flesh. 
• Level 5-6 bites are the most serious, involving the loss of fingers or toes, traumatic amputations, consumed flesh, or death.

Victims of dog bite injuries in Philadelphia and elsewhere commonly experience injuries such as the following:

• Abrasions and puncture wounds
• Lacerations
• Contusions (bruises)
• Soft-tissue injuries
• Degloving injury (when a dog bites and pulls,  peeling the flesh away from the victim’s hands or feet)
• Facial trauma
• Bites to the throat
• Scalp lacerations and punctures
• Traumatic amputation of digits, hands, or feet

If a loved one died due to severe dog bite injuries in Philadelphia, a wrongful death lawyer from Grungo Law can help close family members recover compensation through a wrongful death claim.

What to Do After Suffering Dog Bite Injuries In Philadelphia

Surviving a dog attack is traumatic, especially when the injury is more than just a warning bite but multiple bites or severe physical and emotional trauma from a prolonged attack. After the dog has been restrained, a dog bite victim can protect themselves physically and financially by using their cell phone as a critical tool to summon help and document evidence by doing the following:

• First, if the injuries are severe enough to require an ambulance, call 911; otherwise, arrange transportation to an emergency room
• Apply any necessary emergency first aid
• Report the attack to the police and your local animal control agency 
• Use the phone’s camera to take photos of the dog and anything relevant to the attack, such as a broken fence or dragging leash
• Photograph the visible injuries

It’s critical to go directly to a hospital from the accident scene to receive emergency medical care and infection prevention. Ask for a detailed medical report listing your injuries, the doctor’s treatment recommendations, and the prognosis. Then, carefully follow all of the doctor’s instructions and reach out to an experienced attorney.

Recovering Compensation for Dog Bite Injuries In Philadelphia

When a pet owner is liable for damages caused by their dog, compensation in a successful claim comes from the pet owner’s property liability insurance, even if the attack did not occur on their property. When dog bites occur on the pet-owner’s property, they are still liable for the damages as long as the bite victim was there legally and not trespassing or committing a crime. 

The damages a dog bite victim can recover in a claim depends on whether or not the pet owner’s actions were negligent. A dog bite victim in Pennsylvania can recover compensation for medical expenses and an amount for anticipated future medical costs regardless of whether or not the pet owner was negligent. With evidence of a pet owner’s negligence, a successful claim also recovers compensation for the following:

• Lost earnings and future income loss
• Pain and suffering
• Scarring or disfigurement
• Loss of limb
• Emotional trauma or PTSD

Often, survivors of severe dog bite injuries require counseling or psychological therapy for emotional trauma, which may cause anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances.

Call The Philadelphia Dog Bite Lawyers at Grungo Law

Dog bite claims in Philadelphia are uniquely complex due to the commonwealth’s limitations on strict liability for pet owners. We understand the trauma and terror of this type of serious injury. Call the injury attorneys in Philadelphia at Grungo Law for experienced representation to recover the compensation you deserve.