Dog Bites – Animal Attacks
Dog Bites - Animal Attacks
The lawyers at Megwa Law resolve dog bites and animal attack cases all over the state of Arizona. Call or email us now and one of our experienced advocates would be happy to answer any questions you have and talk about helping you with your Arizona dog bite or animal attack case.
ARIZONA DOG OWNERS ARE STRICTLY LIABLE FOR DAMAGES FROM DOG ATTACKS
Under Arizona law the owner of a dog is liable for all damages caused by the dog when it is attacking or attempting to bite a person. Arizona does not have a “one bite” rule. Arizona dog owners are liable for the damages caused by their dog’s first bite.
The only exception to this strict liability requirement is when the injured party was doing an unlawful act which directly contributed to the injury from the dog.
Under Arizona law only the owner of the dog is strictly liable for the injuries caused by the dog. This frequently becomes an important issue because after a dog seriously injures a person, potential defendants begin to argue that they were only watching or temporarily keeping the dog for someone else who is the actual owner. Arizona law does not necessarily require showing that anyone is the registered owner of the dog. Ownership of the dog can be shown by establishing that the defendant had the dog in his possession, and was harboring it on his/her premises as owners usually do with dogs.
NEGLIGENCE BASED CLAIMS
In addition to strict liability for dog bites, Iowa law also provides for negligence based claims against dog owners. Such a claim would be based on the owner failing to act as a reasonable person in controlling their dog. A negligence claim could be based on situations where the dog knocked a person over and injured them rather than biting them. Sometimes auto accidents are caused by drivers trying to avoid a dog (or livestock) that was running free, and the attempt to avoid striking the dog leads to a collision.
WILD OR DANGEROUS ANIMALS
Arizona law also provides that the owner or keeper of a wild or dangerous animal is strictly liable for damages or injuries caused by the animal. This liability applies to injuries caused by wild animals ranging from coyotes to rattlesnakes and even poisonous spiders.
DAMAGES CAUSED BY ANIMALS
If you’re lucky enough, injuries caused by domestic and wild animals can be minor and heal quickly. However, in some situations the physical or mental damages from an animal attack can be very significant. In more serious cases, the injured party may be entitled to compensation for past and future medical expenses, lost wages, loss of future earning capacity, past and future pain and suffering, and potentially other damages.
