Gun violence and accidental shootings can have profound and lasting effects on the victims and the community. While the right to bear arms is protected by the Constitution, people are still required to use and store their guns responsibly.
It is important to understand that irresponsible gun ownership results in the injuries and deaths of thousands of innocent people each year, and they deserve to be held accountable for the damage and pain that their negligence caused.
If you or your loved one have been injured in an accidental shooting or became the victim of gun violence due to negligent security on commercial property, you may be able to pursue compensation. The Phoenix shooting victim injury lawyers of Zanes Law may be able to help you.
Most Common Reasons for Accidental Shootings
Arizona and the United States have seen increases in gun-related deaths in the past several years, according to the Giffords Law Center. A more alarming fact found is that three million children each year are affected directly by exposure to gun violence, according to a study in the American Academy of Pediatrics.
With 393 million guns in America, there is no shortage of firearms. While many people own guns throughout their lives without experiencing any incidents, accidental shootings still happen more frequently than anyone would like. The most common causes of accidental shootings include:
- Not checking to see if gun is loaded
- Playing with a gun
- Improper securing and storage of guns by homeowners
- Defective product design, manufacturing, or marketing
- Negligence or carelessness leading to hunting accidents
- Reckless handling of a firearm
- Drinking alcohol or using drugs while using a firearm
- Lack of warning signs
- Inexperienced or faulty handling of a gun
- Firing a loaded gun while cleaning it
- Misfiring gun
- Celebratory gunfire or firing into the sky
An accidental shooting attorney will have the experience and resources available to navigate the complexities of a shooting injury claim. Your lawyer will provide you with the determined and aggressive representation that is required for successful financial recovery following a shooting injury.
For a free legal consultation with a shooting victim injury lawyer serving Phoenix, call 866-499-8989
What Kind of Compensation Can I Receive As the Victim of a Shooting?
There are many circumstances surrounding a shooting. Some are criminal and intentional, while others result from carelessness and negligence. The damages recovered in each kind of claim can be very different depending on the specific circumstances and the financial resources of the liable parties involved.
Personal injury from a firearm can include physical injuries and emotional trauma inflicted by the act that caused the injury. If the victim’s injuries from a gunshot incident lead to death, a wrongful death lawsuit can be pursued by certain individuals or family members of the victim.
Some of the recoverable damages a Phoenix shooting victim injury attorney can help you to obtain include:
- Pain and suffering
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Emotional trauma
- Payment of medical bills
- Lost income
- Loss of earning capability
- Property damage and loss
- Out-of-pocket expenses
It is important that your damages are calculated with the help of an attorney to ensure that all the costs associated with the shooting injury are accounted for. It can result in a terrible financial hardship when the settlement is not enough.
A shooting injury lawyer can work with medical professionals, economists, and healthcare providers to ensure that your expenses are properly addressed and substantiated in your case.
Phoenix Shooting Victim Injury Lawyer Near Me 866-499-8989
Liability in a Firearm Accident or Shooting Injury Case
Reasonable and prudent care must be taken by anyone handling or owning a gun of any type. The obligation to handle, store, and secure a gun properly is legally binding. If a person fails to handle a firearm with the same care a reasonable person would, they can be found negligent.
Determining fault in any personal injury claim requires that four elements must exist and be proven by the plaintiff. If you can provide evidence of the following, fault can be established by you or a shooting victim injury lawyer in Phoenix:
- The defendant owed a duty of care to the plaintiff
- The defendant breached this duty
- This breach of duty was the sole cause of the plaintiff’s injury
- The injury lead to quantifiable damages
Your lawyer will perform a comprehensive evaluation of all the evidence in your case to determine all sources of liability to hold the at-fault parties accountable.
Our lawyers will fully investigate all aspects of the case to determine if there is a valid basis for a lawsuit. If so, we will file your case and demand compensation.
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Guns, Liability, and Minors
If a minor had access to a gun and injured someone on accident or intentionally, many people wonder if the parents can be held liable. The laws surrounding this issue are clear and especially important given the increase in school shooting incidents and campus violence.
Under Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 13-3111(B), Arizona law declares:
If the court finds that the parent or guardian of a minor found responsible for violating this section knew or reasonably should have known of the minor’s unlawful conduct and made no effort to prohibit it, the parent or guardian is jointly and severally responsible for any fine imposed pursuant to this section or for any civil actual damages resulting from the unlawful use of the firearm by the minor.
When a child without the proper respect and gun handling training is able to access a gun, there can be tragic consequences. Parents may be shocked to learn that their child knows where the guns have been hidden in their homes when a shooting accident happens.
They are further devastated when they realize they can be held legally and financially responsible for the shooting incident. While these situations are tragic for everyone involved, the injury victim is entitled to seek compensatory damages for their losses and pain.
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Contact a Phoenix Shooting Victim Law Firm Today
If you or someone you love have been injured in a shooting because of negligent security or the irresponsible actions of another, you may be able to pursue financial restitution for your medical costs, ongoing care, loss of future wages, pain and suffering, and other damages.
You should not be held financially hostage by the costs incurred from a shooting incident that was not your fault. Contact Zanes Law today to speak to a Phoenix shooting victim injury lawyer and learn more about how we can help.
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