Philadelphia Attorney Jeffrey H. Penneys Secures $300,000 Insurance Settlement for Victim of Pit Bull Attack
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 21, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Jeffrey H. Penneys, a personal injury lawyer and owner of Philadelphia-based Law Offices of Jeffrey H. Penneys, P.C., recently secured a $300,000 insurance settlement on behalf of a client who suffered severe traumatic injuries in a pit bull attack. The victim, a 32-year-old female, came to the rescue of her own dog when the pit bull escaped its yard unleashed.
The settlement is noteworthy because insurance companies will frequently defend against such claims by alleging that the victim "assumed the risk" of being injured by intervening in a dog-on-dog altercation. In this case, attorney Jeffrey Penneys was able to convince the pit bull owner's insurance company otherwise and obtain a settlement for the full policy limits. According to Mr. Penneys, "Despite the fact that we fully acknowledged that my client intervened in the pit bull's attack in order to save her own dog's life, we were nonetheless able to convince the insurance company that a maximum settlement was warranted."
Mr. Penneys' client suffered an amputation of the tip of her ring finger, which was now much smaller than all of her other fingers and certainly a serious disfigurement and a constant reminder of the attack for the rest of her life.
"Pennsylvania's dog bite laws provide important protections for victims in scenarios where they are abiding by the law and suffer injuries in unprovoked dog attacks," says Mr. Penneys. He explains that, under Pennsylvania law, dog owners are liable for any injuries their pets cause when they escape their enclosures, with limited exceptions for situations where the victim either provokes the attack or is trespassing on the owner's property at the time of the attack. In cases where the dog's owner is negligent, such as by failing to keep their dog from escaping its enclosure, the owner can be held fully liable for all financial and non-financial losses sustained by the victim.
Homeowners insurance policies typically cover claims involving dog attacks. As explained by Mr. Penneys, "In Philadelphia, most insurance policies have coverage limits of $100,000." Luckily here, the policy was higher than the typical Philadelphia homeowner's policy. Statistics show that more than one out of every three homeowners insurance claims involves dog attacks. Renters insurance policies will often provide similar coverage as well. While assumption-of-the-risk is a common insurance defense tactic, Mr. Penneys states, "When the facts show that the victim of a dog attack stepped in to protect his or her own pet, that person deserves to be fully compensated for his or her losses."
About The Law Offices of Jeffrey H. Penneys, P.C.
The Law Offices of Jeffrey H. Penneys, P.C., is a Philadelphia personal injury law firm that has been representing victims of dog attacks, vehicle collisions, and other accidents since 2013. The firm can be reached by phone at 800-465-8795 or online.
CONTACT:
Jeffrey H. Penneys
Law Offices of Jeffrey H. Penneys, P.C.
230 S Broad St #904
Philadelphia, PA 19102
800-465-8795
1-800injurylaw.com
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