If you’ve been attacked by someone’s dog in Lackawanna County, you need Munley Law’s Scranton dog bite lawyers on your side. For almost seven decades, we’ve shouldered the legal burden for injured Pennsylvanians, fought for justice, and enabled them to recover more than $1 billion in damages, and we can help you.
All our attorneys are members of the Pennsylvania Bar Association and of the American Association for Justice, and all our partners have received AV Preeminent ratings from Martindale-Hubbell. We’ve also received honors from Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, and the National Trial Lawyers, and all our partners were named to the Irish Legal 100 list. This assures you that, when you choose us, you choose a Scranton personal injury law firm with a longstanding commitment to representing individuals and families throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania.
A dog bite injury lawyer in Scranton at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys can evaluate your situation and help you understand if you have a strong enough case to hold the dog owner or handler liable for your medical bills and other damages. We offer complimentary consultations to dog bite victims and will handle your case on a contingency basis. This means you do not pay us a dime unless we recover compensation for you. Call us today to schedule a free consultation.
Call Us At 844-686-5397 What Damages Can Be Recovered in a Scranton Dog Bite Injury Case?
Dog bite victims often suffer physical scarring, emotional trauma from the incident ( in rare, tragic cases, even fatalities that could result in a wrongful death claim ). They might require ongoing treatment to help heal their wounds and counseling to ease their fears. When we handle a dog bite injury claim, we are careful to consider not only your physical wounds but your emotional needs as well.
Some of the most common damages we can recover for our clients after a Scranton dog bite incident include:
● Medical care costs
● Physical therapy and rehabilitation
● Future care costs, such as necessary plastic surgery to reduce scarring
● Lost wages, for time missed at work
● Lost earning capacity, if your injuries require you to work fewer hours or retire from the workforce
● Cognitive and emotional therapy
● Pain and suffering
● Manifestation of anxiety disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder
Even when injuries seem relatively minor, it is important to get the help you need immediately. Dog bite wounds can quickly become infected, which will only mean more medical bills and treatment costs.
“Munley Law is far more than just a law firm. We’re a family of attorneys who truly understand the meaning of family and bring deep compassion to every client we serve.”
J. Christopher Munley
What Are Pennsylvania’s Dog Bite Laws?
Pennsylvania law provides different rules depending on the type of damages a dog bite victim seeks to recover. Under Pennsylvania’s Dog Law, dog owners may be responsible for medical expenses resulting from a dog bite regardless of whether they acted negligently. However, to recover additional damages such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, lost wages, or other non-medical losses, it is often necessary to prove the owner was negligent or knew, or should have known, of the dog’s dangerous propensities.
Evidence of negligence may include:
- Allowing a dog to roam in violation of state or local leash laws
- Failing to maintain reasonable control of the animal
- Ignoring prior aggressive behavior or warning signs
- Otherwise failing to take reasonable steps to prevent a foreseeable attack
Because the facts of every case differ, an attorney can evaluate the circumstances of the incident and determine which damages may be available.
Often, we can hold the owner responsible for your injuries and damages if he did not have control of his dog at the time of the attack. This violates Scranton and state leash laws that require the animal to be under the owner’s control at all times. The law also states that, as dogs are personal property, their owners are responsible for the damages caused by their animals.
Unfortunately, dog attacks are a common occurrence in the US. According to the Insurance Information Institute, around 4.5 million people, most of them children, are bitten by dogs every year. 1,004 dog bite claims, at an average cost of $86,668 each, were filed in Pennsylvania in 2024. The United States Postal Service revealed 316 postal workers were bitten by dogs in Pennsylvania in the same year, making the Keystone State the state with the sixth highest number of postal workers attacked by dogs.
Recovering Compensation in a Scranton Dog Bite Injury Case
We can help you recover the compensation you deserve after a Scranton dog bite injury. At Munley Law, we have the resources and experience to pursue these claims aggressively and seek full and fair compensation for our clients. As part of helping you pursue your claim, we will:
Prove the Owner Acted Negligently
We will conduct a full investigation into what happened during the attack and uncover how the owner could have prevented it. Most commonly, we find dog owners act negligently by violating state and local leash laws that require them to keep their dogs under control at all times. Violation of this law means:
● The dog was not on a leash; or
● The dog was not in a secure area on its own property; or
● The dog was otherwise not under “reasonable” control (e.g., verbal control) at the time of the attack.
While there are many other ways a dog owner can act negligently, this is the most frequent kind of negligence we encounter in the cases we handle. To prove this leash law violation was an act of negligence, we must show there is no valid explanation for the violation and that the bite injuries resulted from it.
File an Insurance Claim
We can often settle dog bite injury cases without needing to file a lawsuit. Frequently, these claims intersect with premises liability insurance claims, allowing us to seek compensation from the negligent party’s homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy. Once we finish our investigation and understand how the owner’s negligence caused the dog bite incident, we can send his insurance company a demand letter.
This letter outlines our case against the dog owner and demands fair compensation for your medical care, lost wages, and pain and suffering. This may prompt the insurer to begin settlement negotiations, where our team can aggressively pursue a fair settlement on your behalf.
File a Lawsuit Against the Dog Owner
If the dog owner does not have applicable insurance coverage, or if his insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement, our only option to hold him accountable for his negligent actions is to file a lawsuit in civil court. We are not afraid to litigate your case, presenting evidence of negligence to the judge and asking for an award that takes your full range of losses and expenses into account.
Under 42 Pa. C.S.A. § 5524 (2), victims generally have two years from the date of the dog bite incident to file a lawsuit, or the court will likely bar any attempt to collect compensation. If your minor child suffered the injuries, you likely have a longer period of time to pursue a claim.
Why Choose Munley Law for Your Scranton Dog Bite Lawyer?
Munley Law has represented injured Pennsylvanians since 1959 and has extensive experience handling dog bite and other personal injury claims, securing multi-million-dollar settlements and verdicts.
Our attorneys are renowned for their work in personal injury litigation. Marion Munley, Daniel Munley, J. Christopher Munley, and John Mulcahey have board certifications in Civil Trial Law and Civil Trial Advocacy from the National Board of Trial Advocacy, an organization accredited by the American Bar Association to certify lawyers in specialty areas. Marion Munley and Daniel Munley are members of the American Board of Trial Advocates.
All our attorneys have been honored by Best Lawyers, which named Marion Munley Lawyer of the Year for Personal Injury Litigation. She has also been named among the Top 10 Super Lawyers in Pennsylvania for the past three years, and she has been named among the Top 100 Super Lawyers in Pennsylvania and the Top 50 Women Pennsylvania Super Lawyers.
The American Association for Justice, of which Marion Munley is currently Vice President, has awarded several of our lawyers. Among them were Marion Munley, who received awards such as the Above and Beyond Award, and Mackenzie Wilson, who received the New Lawyers Division Excellence Award and the New Lawyers Division Above and Beyond Award.
You know your case is in good hands when you choose Munley Law for your dog bite lawyer in Scranton, PA.
Frequently Asked Questions About Scranton Dog Bite Cases
What Should I Do After a Dog Bite in Scranton?
After a dog bite in Scranton, you should seek medical attention, even if the wound seems minor, as dog bites can lead to serious infections. Next, report the incident to local authorities and document everything by taking photos and gathering information from the dog owner and any witnesses. Lastly, speak with a Scranton dog bite lawyer before speaking with insurance companies.
Who Can Be Held Liable for a Dog Bite in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania uses a two-tier (hybrid) system for dog-bite claims, and the difference matters for how much you can recover:
- Medical costs — strict liability. Under Pennsylvania’s Dog Law (3 P.S. § 459-101 et seq.), the dog’s owner is responsible for the medical and veterinary expenses caused by a bite regardless of fault. You do not have to prove the owner did anything wrong to recover these costs — if their dog bit you, those bills are covered.
- Full damages — negligence required. To recover beyond medical bills — for pain and suffering, scarring and disfigurement, lost wages, and emotional distress — you must show the owner was negligent. That usually means proving the owner knew or should have known the dog was dangerous (for example, prior aggression or bites), or that the owner violated a leash or confinement law, which can establish negligence on its own.
In short, your medical expenses are covered automatically, but recovering full compensation requires showing the owner failed to control a dog they had reason to believe was dangerous. A Scranton dog-bite lawyer can gather the evidence, such as prior complaints, animal-control records, and witness accounts, needed to prove that second tier.
What Compensation Can I Recover After a Dog Bite Injury in Scranton, PA?
After a dog bite injury in Scranton, PA, you may recover compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and future treatment costs such as reconstructive surgery or therapy. You may also be eligible for damages related to pain and suffering, emotional trauma, and reduced earning capacity. Each case is unique, and the value depends on the severity of your injuries and their long-term impact.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Dog Bite Lawyer in Scranton?
It costs nothing up front to hire a Munley Law dog bite lawyer in Scranton, as we work on a contingency fee basis. This means you pay nothing initially or out of pocket and that your attorney will only be paid of we successfully recover compensation for you.
How Long Do I Have to File a Dog Bite Claim in Scranton, PA?
Under 42 Pa. C.S.A. § 5524 (2), you generally have two years from the date of the attack to file a dog bite claim in Scranton, PA. Missing this deadline could prevent you from recovering compensation, although there may be exceptions, especially when minors are involved.
Talk to a Dog Bite Injuries Lawyer in Scranton About Your Case
The team from Munley Law offers free case evaluations and never charges our clients anything until we recover compensation on their behalf. To learn more about whether you might have a valid dog bite injury case, contact us today for your free consultation with a personal injury attorney in Scranton.
James Christopher Munley
James Christopher Munley is an award-winning and trusted premises liability lawyer. Chris is a board-certified civil trial advocate and has been named to the Best Lawyers in America and the Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America. Chris has also been appointed to the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Pennsylvania by the National Trial Lawyers Association and is among the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers since 2005.
Reviewed by Bernadine Munley, Esq., Personal Injury Attorney at Munley Law, on July 20, 2026.
