ARIZONA DOG BITE INJURY LAW FIRM
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Breyer Law Offices, P.C. - Phoenix Dog Attack Attorneys
Arizona Dog Bite Laws
In Arizona, dog owners are held to strict liability pursuant to state statutes 11-1020 and 11-1025(a). If a dog bites or causes injury to another person, the owner can be held liable for a Class 6 felony, even if the owner was unaware of the dog's vicious nature, provided that the victim did not provoke the dog. There is a two year statute of limitations as well, but the protections afforded to dog bite victims in Arizona are largely lost if the claim is not brought in the first year.
Pursuant to state code 12-541, statutes of limitation do apply to dog bite liability cases in Arizona, and most cases must be filed within one year of the incident(s).
In some cases, owners can claim provocation as the reason for the dog attack and thus avoid a punishment, pursuant to Arizona Revised Statute 11-1027. In Murdock v. Balle, for instance, the defendants were able to show that the claimant had indeed provoked the dog into an aggressive posture.
There is an important distinction to be made, however. "Provocation" is not the same thing as "assuming the risk to provoke." In another case in the 1980s, the AZ State Supreme Court ruled that "contributory negligence and assumption of risk" on the part of a claimant was not enough to get a claim dismissed.
Even in relatively simple dog bite cases in Arizona, in which the owner was clearly responsible and the facts at hand are undisputed, it may behoove claimants to seek professional counsel. Recovering settlements from insurance companies can be tricky. And it's impossible to gauge how a defendant may react to your legal tactics.
Fortunately, the husband and wife law team of Mark and Alexis Breyer can help you build a battle-ready case. We provide top-tier client service, contingency representation, 24x7 availability in the event of client emergencies, and free consultations. Alexis and Mark Breyer literally wrote the book on Arizona personal injury claims: it's available on our main site, BreyerLaw.com. Please peruse the rest of DogBiteLawyersArizona.com to find out more about your rights, dog bite stats, and answers to frequently asked questions about dog bites; or phone us now at 602-978-6400.
