It can happen when you least expect it. One moment you’re talking to your neighbor, and the next you’re in excruciating pain from a vicious dog bite. While dogs are great companions, they are also unpredictable and are walking liabilities. All dog owners, including your friends and neighbors, have a responsibility to keep their pets from harming others.
NOTE: Although the general statute of limitations for dog bites is 2 years, all dog bite lawsuits should be filed within 1 year to take advantage of the Arizona strict liability statute.
Although you may feel like somehow the dog bite was your fault, the dog bite laws in Arizona put the liability of the owner in most cases. While it may be a sensitive issue, it’s imperative that the dog owner pays your medical bills and lost wages surrounding the dog bite injuries. If you are the victim of a dog bite, follow these steps to protect yourself.
Get Yourself To A Safe Place – it’s incumbent upon the dog owner to secure their pet and remove it from your vicinity. If they don’t and you’re able to get to an area away from the animal, then do this immediately.
Seek Medical Care Right Away – dog bites can be extremely misleading when it comes to their severity. You may even have more than one bite and not realize it. Call emergency services or go to the doctor right away for proper medical treatment and documentation. Medical records will be an important part of your personal injury claim.
Contact A Lawyer To Protect Your Rights – no matter how friendly you are with the owner of the dog that attacked you, when it comes to liability, things can go downhill fast. As a dog lover, you may feel like waiving your rights to compensation, but that’s a terrible mistake to make. If your injuries cause you to have long-term medical treatment including surgery, lost wages plus pain and suffering, then you need an experienced lawyer to fight for you.
Call us today about your dog bite case, so that we can get you the compensation you deserve. In Arizona, the dog bite statute of limitations is just one year, so don’t wait.
