Arizona Dog Attack Lawyers
Attorney Representation in Phoenix, Arizona Since 1996
Arizona Dog Bite Laws
There is no question that dogs are loved by their owners. Almost all dogs offer great companionship and are loving, sweet dogs. There are over 50 million dogs in our country. Many dog owners do not realize that dogs can be dangerous animals. To the surprise of most of us that love dogs, dog attacks cause serious injury and death to a reported 4.5 million people each year. Dog bites often require hospitalization and plastic surgery. Dog bites also cause permanent disfigurement. Far too often, child dog bite victims in Arizona suffer from these painful scars.
Dog bite wounds result in over 300,000 people going to the hospital annually. Statistics show that half of dog bite victims are children. It is both shocking and concerning to learn that kids under 12 years old account for about half of all dog bite victims. 77% of the time children are bit, they are bit in the face. It has been said that more children are bit than adults because dogs often bite children when they are whining or crying. Some opine that the dogs confuse the child's whining and crying with the noises that would be made by another animal. That noise triggers the dog's predatory instincts and results in the dog biting the child.
Insurance companies estimate that they pay out approximately $1 billion dollars to injury victims who have been attacked by the homeowner's dog. Many times injury victims can be compensated by the dog owner's homeowner's insurance coverage. Some insurance companies try to escape covering dog bites, but many times an experienced dog bite attorney can prove that coverage is being declined against the law or the insurance policy's own language.
Every state's law differs when it comes to dog bites. In Arizona, when a person is bit by a dog, they have a claim against the dog owner. The dog owner is usually responsible for paying the victim's medical bills as well as money for pain and suffering, disfigurement, emotional injuries, and any other personal injuries that were incurred due to the dog bite. In Arizona, the only defense that can be used in most cases - and even this rarely applies - is to argue that the victim provoked the dog. If it cannot be proven by the owner of the dog that the victim provoked the dog, then the dog owner is responsible for monetary damages to the victim.
Some states have what we would call a "one free bite" law. However, Arizona does not follow this law. In Arizona, a dog owner is liable for damages to the victim whether the dog has ever exhibited dangerous behavior or not. The victim does not have to prove that the dog was dangerous or that the dog owner knew that the dog had a propensity to be violent. All that a victim of a dog bite must show is that the dog bit the victim and that the victim was injured as a result of the dog bite.
The statutes in Arizona that govern dog bites are Arizona Revised Statutes Sections 11-1020 and 11-1025A. These statutes state that the owner of a dog is responsible for injuries to the victim in most cases. The law refers to this as "strict liability." In other words, the dog's owner is liable to pay for surgery costs, medical costs, wages lost, and the traumatic effect of scarring and other damages, regardless of whether any previous, dangerous behavior existed or whether the owner could have foreseen the attack.
The public has many ways that they can become better educated on dog safety. The Center for Disease Control has a checklist that reviews safety measures for dogs around young children. There is even a pit bull awareness day to educate all pitbull owners of the safety measures they can take to prevent dog bite injuries to others from their pitbull. There also is a national organization called dogsbite.org which is a group dedicated to reducing serious injury from dog bites to innocent victims. It is always encouraged that people bring their dog to obedient school as well. People must remember that certain breeds of dogs are more likely to bite than others. For those with new babies joining a home that already has a dog, it is important to understand that there are plastic surgeons that treat children after dog bites that take the positions that dogs should be given away prior to a baby's arrival. Some believe that a dog is less likely to bite a child if the dog grew up around little children as opposed to bringing a dog into the home when there are children running around.
If you or a loved one has suffered injury in a dog bite incident in Arizona, call the Phoenix dog bite attorneys at the Breyer Law Offices, P.C. for a free consultation today.
