More than just feeding and sheltering a dog, owning a dog implies a legal responsibility to ensure that your dog does not harm people or property. However, those situations happen all the time. If a dog in Arizona has bitten you, it’s crucial to know that a dog bite lawyer can assist you in receiving just compensation for damages.
A Serious Matter
Dog bites are nothing to take lightly, and depending on the circumstances, your injuries could be severe. You could be entitled to financial compensation for your medical bills and any physical or emotional damage caused by the incident. Most dog bite cases could benefit from hiring a dog bite lawyer. Whether your injuries are so severe as to inhibit you from working, or your bite was mild, but you find yourself in emotional and psychological distress about the incident, you can hire a lawyer to help you resolve the case.
How a Dog Bite Lawyer Can Help
Dog bites are considered civil personal injury cases. A dog bite lawyer can evaluate your particular case and help you receive compensation for the following:
Medical Bills
Medical bills can accumulate quickly in these cases, due to initial care costs for wound cleaning, stitches, and emergency treatment. In the case of severe injury and disfigurement, surgical and medication costs are added to the burden. The owner of the dog that bit you should be held responsible for this burden, not you.
Rehabilitation Costs
Depending on the area affected, dog bites can require physical therapy to recuperate mobility in certain limbs, or treatment to help with cases of PTSD or anxiety related to the attack.
Lost Wages
If you’re unable to work and aren’t sure when you may be able to again, you are entitled to compensation to help you live in a dignified way and pay for your basic needs or your family’s needs.
You don’t have to be an expert on dog bite law to make a great case. Arizona dog bite lawyers know the ins and outs of the law and can guide you through a sometimes complex process from start to finish.
Arizona Dog Bite Laws
In the state of Arizona, specifically, dog bite laws state that the pet owner must pay the victim’s damages when the owner’s dog attacks, regardless of whether the owner was negligent in animal control or had any knowledge about the animal’s potential to be dangerous. This is to your advantage because, as a victim, you won’t need to prove negligence to obtain compensation. This concept is called strict liability.
Additionally, even if your bite was not recent, Arizona law permits you to file a claim up to two years after the incident occurred. The only time you should not consider hiring a dog bite lawyer is when your chances of compensation are low – for example, if you provoked the animal through mistreatment or injury. A case can be denied if the owner has proof of this.
Do You Need A Dog Bite Lawyer?
In Arizona, most dog bite incidents will make a good case for compensation. The important thing is to contact us today to see how a dog bite lawyer can help you move forward after a dog bite injury.
Sources:
https://www.animallaw.info/topic/table-dog-bite-strict-liability-statutes
https://www.alllaw.com/articles/nolo/personal-injury/dog-bite-laws-liability-arizona.html
https://www.sargonlawgroup.com/personal-injury-attorneys/
https://www.sargonlawgroup.com/contact/