Philadelphia Injury Attorney Blog

As insurance carriers get more picky as to the comfort of their risk levels, some carriers are refusing to insure certain breeds of dogs and other animals. Many carriers however still do not inquire about dog breeds during the underwriting process. The Center For Disease Control has listed the following breeds as the most dangerous based upon fatal human attacks which could be particularly prone to insurance claims: Pit Bull, Rottweiler, German Shepard, Huskies, Malamute, Doberman Pinscher, and Chow Chow. Many insurance carriers claim that these dogs have a reputation of being intimidating and aggressive, particularly towards strangers.

Some states have a very specific definition of what constitutes a dangerous dog and may include but not limited to the following: aggressively bites, attacks, or inflicts severe injury on a human on public or private property; has more than once severely injured or killed a domestic animal on lawful owners property; has been used preliminarily or in part for dog fighting which when unprovoked chases or approaches another individual in a menacing fashion or attitude of attack.

As an experienced Pennsylvania dog bite lawyer and animal attack attorney for over 30 years, I am well aware that approximately 60% of all seriously injured dog bite victims are children. In Pennsylvania, dog bite injury victims can legally hold a dog’s owner responsible for their injuries. Pennsylvania dog owners are only legally obligated to restrain or control the dog to make sure the public is safe from harm. If the dog is not on a lease or properly secured on an owner’s premises or the dog owner knew that his or her dog was prone to violence yet did not take proper safety measures to prevent someone from being bitten, mauled, or killed, the owner can be held financially liable by a Pennsylvania court. The Philadelphia dog bite lawyers of Reiff & Bily understand that many involved in a dog bite situation may have permanent scarring or catastrophic and severe bodily injuries and unfortunately, sometimes a wrongful death.

Continue reading "As Insurance Companies Get Banged For Dog And Animal Bites, Many Carriers Maintain A List Of Dog Breeds They Won’t Insure" »

In recent weeks, a victim who had traveled across the pond from London to Philadelphia for cosmetic enhancement tragically died in a hotel room after having a buttock injection of silicone. Notably, it was the victim’s second trip to have an illegal cosmetic procedure for which she paid the sum of $1,800. Unfortunately, the situation surrounding the aspiring hip hop dancer who lost her life is not so uncommon. While this cosmetic procedure did not involve a physician, I find it quite curious that many salons, spas, and other storefronts are offering cosmetic enhancements and procedures without proper training or safeguards. Many times elective cosmetic procedures and treatments are performed by untrained and minimally regulated individuals without any worries of negative repercussions.

I was in Florida last weekend and as I walked around various neighborhoods, I saw storefronts and salons advertising laser hair removal, dream lifts, non-surgical face lifts, botox and dermal filler injections, laser procedures, body sculpting procedures, teeth brightening procedures, as well as many other items to chose from on the elective menu.

The question one must ask is who trained the person doing the procedures and what happens if and when something goes wrong. Many of the procedures are being done by minimally trained individuals or physicians looking to bolster declining incomes. Many times the people administering the treatment take a one day course and become practitioners in the field of cosmetic enhancement bolstered by “snake oil" type of advertising. This industry is minimally regulated and there seems to be a growing underground industry that will surely lead to catastrophic injuries and deaths as businesses and untrained individuals push the limits as to what procedures they will offer to an unsuspecting public unaware of risk. Cosmetic procedures if improperly done can lead to paralysis, strokes, and death. The qualifications necessary to administer botox or other injective therapies is minimal. The question you must ask yourself is what happens when the procedure goes wrong as was indicated recently in a Philadelphia hotel room.

Continue reading "Just How Safe Is That Cosmetic Procedure And Is The Reward Of Enhanced Beauty Worth The Risk" »