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Arizona wants its dog bite victims to have the opportunity to pursue justice for their losses before a judge. As such, victims of dog bites can meet with dog bite lawyers in Surprise, AZ, to discuss how they might pursue compensation in the wake of an accident.
Specifically, the Zanes Law team can work with you, as a dog bite survivor, to file a civil claim detailing the nature of their case with a county clerk. We can then move your case forward and advocate for your right to an easy recovery.
Dog Bite Accidents as Personal Injury Cases
Victims of dog bite accidents are entitled to civil action courtesy of the civil legislature elaborating on a person’s right to general safety in public. This right can also be referred to as the duty of care held between all parties and gauging with one another in Surprise, AZ.
Specifically, this duty states that everyone must take reasonable action to protect one another from harm. A violation of this duty of care can see the violating party held responsible for their oversight and civil court. In the case of dog bite injuries, a dog’s owner may be financially responsible for a victim’s recovery.
That said, only cases brought forward within the Arizona statute of limitations on personal injury cases must abide by this duty of care. Victims of dog bite accidents must submit their claims within the deadline established by Arizona Revised Statutes §12-542. This statute caps a victim’s actionable time at two years.
For a free legal consultation with a dog bite lawyer serving Surprise, call 866-499-8989
Arizona Enforces a One-Bite Law
The statute of limitations on personal injury cases isn’t the only piece of legislation that controls how dog bite cases proceed in civil court. Victims of dog bite accidents in Arizona also benefit from the state’s strict one-bite rule.
Arizona’s one-bite rule states that owners may be held liable for their dog’s violent behavior even if those owners were unaware of the dog’s violent proclivities prior to the accident. In other states, dog owners may benefit from the benefit of the doubt on a dog’s first violation.
Instead, this inflexible stance allows victims of dog bite accidents to fight for their right to financial support regardless of the nature of the dog in question.
Victims Need to Abide by Strict Liability
The dog bite laws in Arizona aren’t biased in a victim’s favor. Victims who want to benefit from the rights of word to them by Arizona civil courts must first indicate that they deserve compensation for their losses under Arizona strict liability.
Arizona defines its understanding of strict liability in Arizona Revised Statutes §11-1025. According to this statute, victims of dog bite accidents must indicate that they did not antagonize or otherwise provoke the attacking dog.
Victims must further prove that they were engaging in lawful behavior at the time the accident occurred. Finally, victims must submit evidence that the injuries they want to request damages for are directly the result of a dog’s aggressive behavior and/or a dog owner’s negligence. Parties confused about their responsibilities can turn to a dog bite attorney in Surprise for help.
Surprise Dog Bite Lawyer Near Me 866-499-8989
Evidence Supporting Your Right to a Dog Bite Civil Claim
The evidence you bring forward regarding your right to compensation after a dog bite needs to highlight certain relationships between yourself, the dog in question, and the dog’s owner.
In Arizona, you do not need to prove that the dog in question had a mischievous, malevolent, or aggressive temperament before pursuing your case. Your evidence should instead elaborate on the duty of care that you were owed by a dog’s owner when the accident occurred. This evidence can further elaborate on the ways in which that duty of care was violated.
Finally, the evidence you present needs to make it clear to attending legal parties that had a dog not acted out, you would have walked away from an encounter uninjured. To make these points, you can bring forward evidence like:
- Photos of your accident
- Video footage of the dog’s misbehavior
- Bystander testimonies
- Expert witness assessments of your injuries
- Evidence of harm done to you by the dog, including medical bills and recommended treatments from doctors
The evidence you bring forward elaborates on the story of your accident. In turn, it is the primary tool you can use to explain to a judge and jury why you believe you need financial support from a liable party to recover.
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Use Evidence to Establish Your Preferred Dog Bite Damages
The complaint you bring forward also needs to use evidence to elaborate on the value of your losses. You need to estimate what you believe to be reasonable compensation for your losses when presenting your case to a judge.
A civil court assesses the losses associated with a personal injury case by determining their impact on your overall well-being. For example, economic losses affiliated with a dog bite accident increase the amount of financial hardship that you’re under. If you have to worry about paying medical bills, losing wages, or replacing damaged property, your stress levels increase.
Similarly, non-economic losses affiliated with a dog bite accident can see your quality of life decline. While these lawsuits don’t come with an inherent dollar value, our attorneys can use multipliers approved by the state to establish their worth. Non-economic dog bite losses can range from pain and suffering to worsening mental illness in the face of accident trauma.
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