Dog Bite Lawyers in Tucson, AZ

Experience that Matters

In your quest for legal help, you’re not just looking for any lawyer. You need a legal team with specialized expertise specifically in dog bite cases. Our Tucson team, together with our co-counsel firms, understand the significant life changes these incidents can bring about, and we’re committed to fighting for the financial compensation you’re entitled to. Your claim could be resolved in one of four ways:

• Trial verdict
• Arbitration
• Settlement
• Mediation

The best route for your case depends on its specific circumstances. We make it a priority to fully comprehend your situation, spending time to listen to every detail. This allows us to craft the most effective legal strategy to represent you.

FAQs: Dog Bite Lawyer Tucson

Q: What should I do if I encounter an aggressive dog?

A: If you encounter a dog that is acting aggressively and is not under its owner’s control, there are a few things that you should do. Do not run or turn your back to the dog. Instead, slowly back away. Avoid yelling at the dog and speak in calm tones. Do not make eye contact with the dog. If it starts to lunge at you, try to put a jacket, purse, or another object in between your body and the dog. If the dog starts attacking you, lie down on the ground in a fetal position while protecting your head and face with your arms.

Immediately after a dog bite, you should get help. Try to figure out where a loose dog belongs and who owns it. Call the police and report the attack. Make sure to seek medical attention immediately. If the dog is a stray or its vaccination history cannot be determined, you may have to get rabies shots. Get copies of the police report and the medical reports from the treatment of your injuries. Having documentation of your injuries and the attack can be helpful if you decide to file an injury claim.

Q: What types of injuries commonly occur in dog bite attacks?

A: When dogs attack, they commonly bite the victims’ nose, face, legs, and arms. People often suffer such injuries as bruising, puncture wounds, and emotional trauma. Older adults and children tend to suffer more serious injuries, including fractures, deep bruising, permanent scarring, and eye injuries. If victims do not seek immediate medical treatment for their bite injuries, they can develop secondary infections that can lead to severe problems and potential death. Because of the potential for dangerous infections, people who are bitten by dogs should go to their doctors or the emergency department immediately.

Q: How much might I recover from a dog bite claim?

A: The amount of monetary compensation that you might receive will depend on a number of factors, including the severity of your injuries, your likelihood of recovery, and whether you did anything to provoke the dog. The dog owner’s insurance may also place limitations on your recovery amount. Because the facts of each case differ, it is not possible to provide you with a quote of the value of your claim without analyzing the evidence.

People who suffer dog bites may be entitled to recover compensatory damages for their economic and non-economic losses. Some of the types of damages that you might receive include the following:

• Past and future medical costs related to your injuries
• Rehabilitation costs
• Past and future lost wages
• Property losses
• Physical pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Psychological injuries
• Disability
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Loss of consortium or guidance for spouses and children in wrongful death cases
• Funeral and burial costs in wrongful death cases

Q: Are specific breeds banned in Arizona?

A:  In 2016, Gov. Ducey signed Senate Bill 1248 into law. This bill amended A.R.S. § 9-499.04. Under the amended statute, breed-specific legislation in Arizona is banned. Cities may enact animal control legislation, but it cannot be specific to any breed. This means that there are no statewide or municipal bans for specific dog breeds regardless of the dangers they might pose.

Insurance companies classify certain breeds as more dangerous than others for coverage purposes. Some of the breeds that are considered to present a greater risk of attacking others include the following:

• Akita
• Alaskan Malamute
• Boxer
• Chihuahua
• Doberman Pinscher
• Pit Bull
• Rottweiler
• Rhodesian Ridgeback
• Wolf Hybrid
• Great Dane

It is important to note that any dog may bite even if its breed is not considered to be dangerous. You should treat any strange dog with caution and avoid approaching it or trying to pet it.

Q: Am I required to report a dog bite? What will happen to a dog after I report it?

A: In Arizona, anyone who is directly aware of a dog bite incident is required to report it to the enforcement agent in the county where it occurred. People who are required to report dog bites they witness include witnesses, victims, and dog owners. If you are bitten by a dog or witness a dog bite incident in Tucson, you must file a report with the Pima Animal Care Center. The center can be reached at (520) 724-5900.

After you report a dog bite, the dog will be quarantined. If the dog is unvaccinated, it must be quarantined at a veterinary hospital or the pound for 10 days. The 10-day quarantine period runs from the date of the dog bite. However, if the date is not known, the 10 days will begin running from the date the report is made. Vaccinated dogs may be quarantined at a location approved by the county. The dog’s owner must pay for all costs related to quarantining a dog. If a court declares the dog is vicious, or it shows signs of having rabies, it might not be released.

Q: Are there laws in Arizona that apply to dog attacks?

A: Arizona’s dog bite statute can be found at A.R.S. § 11-1025. Under this law, a dog’s owner will be liable for the injuries suffered by others when a dog attacks in a public place. The dog’s owner will also be liable when the dog bites someone on private property if the victim was legally present. For example, if you invite someone over, and your dog bites your guest, you will be liable for his or her losses. You will similarly be liable if your dog attacks someone who is present on your property with your permission or to perform regular business tasks, including postal workers, meter readers, or package delivery workers. Under Arizona’s law, it does not matter if the dog owner was aware of his or her dog’s propensity to attack other people at the time of the bite.

Q: What is strict liability?

A: Arizona’s dog bite law is a strict liability statute. This means that a victim will not be required to prove that the dog has bitten someone in the past. Dog owners cannot use their lack of knowledge of their dog’s propensity to attack as a defense to liability in a dog bite claim. Victims do not need to prove that the dog’s owner was negligent to recover damages.

Some states have what is known as a one-bite rule. In those states, victims must prove that the dogs have previously attacked or bitten others before they can recover damages. Fortunately, Arizona’s strict liability statute makes it easier for dog bite victims to recover damages for their losses following an attack.

Q: Who will pay for my losses from my dog attack?

A: Dog owners are liable when their dogs bite others. If someone other than the dog’s owner is handling the dog and fails to control it, strict liability will not apply. However, you can file a negligence lawsuit against a person who negligently fails to control a dog even if that person is not the owner.

The strict liability statute also does not apply to other types of attacks. For example, if a dog lunges at an elderly person and knocks him or her down but doesn’t bite, the elderly victim will not be able to sue under the strict liability statute. However, he or she may have a negligence claim if the dog was allowed to run loose or something similar happened. The dog bite lawyers Tucson at Lamber Goodnow can help you to understand your rights in these types of cases.

Most dog bite claims are paid through insurance. While there isn’t a specific dog bite injury coverage, dog bites may be covered by a homeowners’ insurance policy. Our Tucson dog bite attorneys will review the dog owner’s insurance policy to check to see if there are any breed restrictions for the specific type of dog that bit you. Some insurance companies will not cover bites from breeds that they consider dangerous. Finally, the dog’s owner can be personally liable if his or her insurance policy will not cover the attack or bite.

Q: How long do I have to file a dog bite lawsuit?

A: Every state has a statute of limitations for personal injury claims, including dog bites. You must file a dog bite lawsuit no later than two years after your injury. If you do not file your claim in time, you will not be able to recover damages for your losses. While two years might seem like plenty of time, you should seek legal help as soon as possible after your dog attack. Hiring an attorney early in the process can help you to preserve relevant evidence before it might be lost. This can also help your attorney to find witnesses and speak to them before they move away or forget important details.

Q: What defenses can a dog owner raise?

A: Under A.R.S. 11-1027, a dog owner can defend against a dog bite claim if the victim provoked the dog to attack him or her. The judge or jury will consider whether a reasonable person might consider the conduct of the victim to be provoking to a dog. If this defense is successful, you will not be able to recover damages for your dog bite injuries.

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