Because Pennsylvania follows a strict liability rule for dog bites, many of the common defenses to a dog bite lawsuit—such as that the dog had never bitten anyone before, or that the owner tried to stop the dog attack—are largely moot.
Still, a dog owner may avoid liability if:
- The injured person was tormenting or teasing the dog, which caused it to bite;
- No one can figure out who the owner is; or
- The dog bit an adult trespasser or someone in the act of committing a crime.
Experienced Philadelphia dog bite injury lawyers prepare their cases to anticipate that an owner might try to escape liability for a victim’s injuries.