Arizona dog bites and other animal related injury cases

Every year, thousands of Americans are bitten or attacked by dogs or other animals. In many Arizona dog bite cases, a victim may have a legal right to recover damages from the animal’s owner or another responsible party. There are several steps you should take if you are bitten by a dog in the state of Arizona.

First: You should seek medical attention immediately. If you are not treated, an animal bite can cause serious injury, infection, and even death.

Second: After you have been medically evaluated, you should contact Solomon & Relihan PC Arizona Dog Bite Attorney right away. In Arizona, there is a shortened statute of limitations for pursuing causes of actions involving dog bites. You may not be able to pursue all your legal remedies if you do not bring your claim within the first year. Arizona imposes “strict liability” upon dog owners whose animals bite or attack others. Under this theory, an owner is liable for an animal bite, whether or not the owner did anything wrong in failing to protect others from attack. Even if the owner had no reason to know that his or her animal was dangerous, if the animal bites someone, the owner is still liable.

Under other, more restrictive legal theories, which trigger the usual, longer statute of limitations, the owner of an animal can be held liable for the injuries the animal inflicts if the owner knew or had reason to know that the animal had “dangerous propensities.”

Third: you should obtain the name, phone number, and other contact information of the animal’s owner, including the responsible person’s homeowner’s insurance information. If you don’t have this information, a neighbor or a witness might be able to provide it to you.

Fourth: as with any automobile or other accident, you should obtain names and contact information of any witnesses.