While dogs are certainly man’s best friend and make excellent pets, the fact is many people suffer serious and life-altering injuries each year due to dog bites. Sadly, children are often the victims in these cases, and have their lives forever changed due to the physical injuries and the emotional trauma that follows the attack. If you or your child were bitten by a dog in Phoenix, here are some crucial reasons why you need to immediately hire a personal injury attorney.
Strict Liability
Under Arizona law, all dog owners are held to what is known as strict liability. Thus, even if the dog has no prior history of violence toward others or if the owner had no reason to think the dog would bite someone, state law will still hold the owner accountable for the dog’s actions. Because of this, victims are entitled to be compensated so they can pay medical bills related to their injuries, replace lost wages from being unable to go to work, and help handle the pain and suffering that always come with such attacks.
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.
Insurance Company Negotiations
Since dog bite cases rarely make it to the inside of a courtroom, it is critical you hire a personal injury attorney who knows how to negotiate with insurance companies. For many dog bite victims, insult is added to injury when insurance companies fail to do the right thing and thus deny them compensation. By hiring an attorney immediately following your dog bite attack, you can have legal counsel on your side who can use your medical records, witness statements, and the state’s strict liability law to make sure an insurance company negotiates in good faith and ultimately provides you with the maximum amount of compensation.
Rather than let a dog owner successfully blame you for causing the dog attack or find yourself being denied compensation by an insurance company, schedule a consultation today with personal injury attorneys at Gary Phillips Accident Law. Once you do, you’ll be well on your way to gaining not only peace of mind, but also the financial compensation you deserve for your injuries.
