For more than 65 years, Munley Law’s dog bite lawyers in Wilkes-Barre have helped victims obtain justice and receive compensation for their injuries. Dog owners have a duty to control their pets, and they may be held responsible for harm caused by their animals, including dog bites.
With more than 250 years of combined legal experience, our board-certified lawyers have helped clients recover millions in settlements and verdicts. We can also help you. When you entrust your case to us, you’re entrusting it to lawyers whose skills, contributions to the legal profession, and impressive client victories are recognized and honored by the American Association for Justice, National Trial Lawyers, Best Lawyers, Lawdragon, Irish Legal 100, and others.
At Munley Law, our experienced Wilkes-Barre dog bite lawyers offer free case evaluations and will not charge you anything unless we recover compensation on your behalf. We will review the facts of your Wilkes-Barre dog bite and determine if you are eligible to hold the owner legally responsible for your injuries, emotional scarring, and financial losses. Call us today to speak with a dog bite lawyer in Wilkes-Barre.
$32 Million Wrongful Death
$26 Million Truck Accident
$20 Million Commercial Vehicle Accident
$19.8 Million Truck Accident
$17.5 Million Car Accident
$12 Million Work Injury
$11 Million Truck Accident
$9 Million Truck Accident
$8 Million Truck Accident
$8 Million Truck Accident
$7.5 Million Auto Accident
$6.9 Million Garbage Truck Accident
What Damages Can You Recover in a Successful Wilkes-Barre Dog Bite Case?
Even relatively minor dog bites usually call for a trip to the emergency room and antibiotics to fight off infection. These costs can add up quickly. When the dog attack is more serious, the victim may suffer significant physical injuries as well as emotional scarring. Surgery may be necessary to reduce scarring and restore full movement to the hands, face, or other areas of the body.
The most common damages we collect for our clients include economic and non-economic damages covering:
- Medical care costs
- Rehabilitation or physical therapy
- Plastic surgery, if needed
- Counseling for emotional distress because of the attack
- Pain and suffering damages in serious and catastrophic injury cases
While the value of your case will depend on various factors, we can help you understand the types of damages you might be able to recover from a Wilkes-Barre dog bite injury claim.
Contact a Munley Law Personal Injury Attorney Now
Call Us At 844-686-5397 Pennsylvania’s Dog Bite Laws
To recover compensation for a dog bite in Pennsylvania, we must be able to prove the dog owner’s negligence caused or contributed to the bite. This usually requires us to prove:
- There were laws in place that could have prevented your dog bite injuries
- The dog owners failed to follow these laws
- This allowed the dog attack to occur
- You suffered physical injuries and financial losses
It can be difficult to do this by yourself. Give yourself the best chance of success by letting our dog bite lawyers in Wilkes-Barre handle your case.
Common Reasons for Dog Bites
Most commonly, dog attacks stem from the owners’ violation of state and local leash laws, such as 3 P.S. Agriculture § 459-305. These laws require dog owners to have control of their dogs at all times, usually by:
- Keeping them in a contained area in their yard
- Using a leash in a public area
- Ensuring dogs are under their “reasonable control” (e.g., verbal control) if they are neither contained nor on a leash
In many of the dog bites we see, an owner with adequate control of their dog could have prevented the dog bite injuries. Dogs that are allowed to roam free pose a much greater threat to other people than dogs on-leash or contained in a yard. These scenarios are more common than you might think. According to a State Farm/Insurance Information Institute report, Pennsylvania had the fifth-highest number of dog bite claims (1,004) and the second-highest average cost per claim ($88,668) in the US in 2024. Our dog bite lawyers in Wilkes-Barre will help determine who is at fault for your personal injury.
“Since 1959, we have secured over $1 billion in
compensation for our clients.”
Daniel W. Munley
How Can Our Dog Bite Lawyers in Wilkes-Barre Help You?
Our dog bite lawyers in Wilkes-Barre investigate every case we handle, learning exactly how and why the attack occurred, and the dog owner’s role in failing to prevent it. Only then can we begin to navigate the claims process, fighting to recover the damages you deserve based on the attack you suffered. Dog attacks can be tricky to handle, but an experienced dog bite lawyer, like those at Munley Law, will have no issues finding the liable party.
In addition to helping clients recover more than $1 billion in compensation, our lawyers boast impeccable credentials and have been honored with various accolades and awards:
- Marion Munley, Daniel Munley, J. Christopher Munley, and John Mulcahey are board-certified in Civil Trial Law and Civil Trial Advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy
- Daniel and Marion are members of the invitation-only American Board of Trial Advocates
- Marion received the American Association of Justice Board of Governors Outstanding Achievement Award, Woman Trial Lawyers Caucus Marie Lambert Award, and Above and Beyond Award, among others
- Best Lawyers named Marion as Lawyer of the Year for Personal Injury Litigation
- National Trial Lawyers named all partners to the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Pennsylvania list and named Caroline Munley to the Top 25 Women Trial Lawyers in Pennsylvania list.
Let the best dog attack law firm in Wilkes-Barre fight for justice on your behalf. Choose Munley Law to handle your dog bite case.
How Do We Prove Negligence and Liability in Dog Attack Cases?
We need to collect evidence to prove you played no role in your dog bite injuries (i.e., you did not provoke the dog by teasing or hitting). Our dog bite lawyers in Wilkes-Barre will then prove the dog owner failed to uphold their obligations under state and local leash laws or acted negligently in another way. This may require us to:
- Survey the scene of the attack
- Interview witnesses
- Collect and analyze reports filed by first responders
- Call in experts to explain your medical condition and possible future needs
In general, most homeowner’s insurance policies will cover dog bite injuries. This allows us to pursue compensation on behalf of our clients without having to litigate many cases. If the dog owner does not have an insurance policy that covers dog bites, or if the insurer refuses to offer a fair payout, we are not afraid to take your case to trial. We will file a lawsuit in a civil court and present the case to the judge and jury.
How Do We Pursue Compensation in a Wilkes-Barre Dog Bite Case?
After we finish our investigation and have evidence to show the dog owner acted negligently, we can approach their homeowner’s or renter’s insurance company with a letter of demand. This letter outlines our Wilkes-Barre premises liability case against the insurer’s policyholder and demands a fair settlement based on your damages.
This usually leads to settlement negotiation talks with an insurance company representative. Our dog bite lawyers in Wilkes-Barre attempt to come to a fair settlement agreement, which is often possible after the insurer sees the strength of our case. In this way, we may be able to settle your Wilkes-Barre dog bite injuries case without filing a lawsuit.
Our Wilkes-Barre dog bite attorneys will need to act quickly. We only have two years from the date of the dog attack to file a lawsuit, in line with Pennsylvania’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims under 42 Pa. C.S.A. § 5524(2). If the victim was a minor, we may have additional time to take legal action.
There is a lot to do in those two years. Do not wait to get in touch with our personal injury lawyer in Wilkes-Barre. Witnesses’ memories can fade, and evidence can disappear, making it difficult to file a successful case even if you do so within the time limits.
Contact us as soon as possible to preserve any available evidence and to begin building your Wilkes-Barre dog attack case.
Frequently Asked Questions about Dog Bite Cases in Wilkes-Barre, PA
Who Can Be Held Responsible for a Dog Bite Injury in Wilkes-Barre, PA?
In most cases in Wilkes-Barre, PA, the owners can be held legally responsible for dog bite injuries inflicted by their pets if their negligence contributed to the attack. Pennsylvania law (3 P.S. Agriculture § 459-305) requires dog owners to keep their pets under reasonable control, whether through leashes, fencing, or verbal commands. If an owner violates leash laws or otherwise fails to control their dog and someone is injured as a result, they may be liable for the victim’s medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other losses.
What Compensation Can I Recover After a Dog Bite in Wilkes-Barre?
The compensation you can recover after a dog bite in Wilkes-Barre may include economic and non-economic damages. These often cover medical bills, emergency treatment, antibiotics, rehabilitation, plastic or reconstructive surgery, and counselling for emotional trauma. You may also recover damages for pain and suffering, scarring, loss of quality of life, and other long-term effects of the attack. The value of your claim depends on the severity of your injuries and their impact on your life.
Do I Need to Prove the Dog was Aggressive Before the Attack?
You do not necessarily need to prove the dog was aggressive before the attack. While evidence of prior aggression can strengthen your case, Wilkes-Barre dog bite claims usually focus on whether the owner acted negligently. This includes failing to follow leash laws, allowing a dog to roam freely, or otherwise losing control of the animal.
How Long Do I Have to File a Dog Bite Claim in Wilkes-Barre, PA?
Under Pennsylvania’s personal injury statute of limitations, as found in 42 Pa. C.S.A. § 5524(2), you generally have two years from the date of the dog attack to file a personal injury lawsuit. If the victim is a minor, you can either file a claim on their behalf, or the statute of limitations is tolled until they reach their 18th birthday. They then have until their 20th birthday to file a claim.
Will I Need to Go to Court to Recover Compensation for a Dog Bite in Pennsylvania?
You may not need to go to court to recover compensation for a dog bite in Pennsylvania. Many dog bite cases are resolved through insurance claims and settlement negotiations, often with the dog owner’s homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy. However, if the insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement or denies liability, Munley Law’s dog bite lawyers in Wilkes-Barre are fully prepared to file a lawsuit and take your case to trial. We only charge a fee if we recover compensation for you.
Talk to a Dog Bite Lawyer in Wilkes-Barre Today
At Munley Law, we have protected the rights of residents of Northeast Pennsylvania for more than 55 years. We can help you understand your rights and recover compensation for your injuries and other losses.
Contact us today for a free consultation with a Wilkes-Barre dog bite attorney.
Daniel W. Munley
Daniel W. Munley is an award-winning personal-injury attorney and champion of plaintiffs’ rights. For decades he’s won multi-million verdicts and settlements and is recognized as a national leader in truck and rideshare litigation,including a record $26 million truck settlement in Northeastern Pennsylvania and a $20 million recovery in 2024 for life-altering commercial-vehicle injuries.
Reviewed by Bernadine Munley, Esq., Personal Injury Attorney at Munley Law, on December 29, 2025.
Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys
1170 PA-315
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702
(570) 399-0406
Get Directions
