Gary Phillips Accident Law Professionals is your law firm for dog bites or animal attacks in Arizona. For over a decade Gary Phillips was in charge of the Significant Injury Group at Phillips and Lyon dealing with the serious injury claims that resulted from an animal attack. Just because an animal is a family pet and docile most of the time doesn’t mean that they can’t have a bad moment. A dog bite can result in a serious injury such as nerve damage, muscle damage and lacerations, which are deep tears in the skin. Dog bites can lead to long lasting permanent disability and scarring. In most instances the victim will require some form of plastic surgery to minimize the visible scarring and permanent disfigurement. Unfortunately the most common victims of dog bites are young children and due to their height level and that of the dog most bites are to the face which can turn into a very serious injury. Many children that suffer a dog bite will form a lifelong fear of animals and/or experience frequent nightmares which can turn into a psychological condition that would need to be treated by a psychologist.
The law that protects a victim of a dog bite or attack (or any other pet that bites or attacks) is Arizona Revised Statute §11-1025 “Liability for dog bites”. This law is what is considered a strict liability law which means that even if the dog has never bitten anyone and the owner was not aware that the dog would bite the owner are still liable. If the animal has a history of biting then the owner has an even greater duty to properly warn and protect anyone that may come near or in contact with the animal. Arizona does not have the “one bite” rule and therefore even the first time the dog has ever showed aggression and bit a person the owner is liable. The only exceptions to the dog owner being held liable are if the victim was trespassing or if the victim provoked the dog by doing something a reasonable person would not do.
If you or someone you love has been bitten by a dog (or other household pet) contact Gary Phillips Accident Law Professionals soon after the incident so that we can begin to properly protect your rights. In Arizona the Statute of Limitations for an animal bite or attack is only one-year so time is of the essence. We will also immediately investigate to determine if the animal needs to be quarantined, find out what kind of insurance the animal owner has, make sure you receive the proper treatment you need and fully document your injury, healing and scarring over time.
