Dog bites can result in significant injury and sometimes severe and permanent scarring. Often the victims of dog bites are children, who may not realize the danger posed by dogs, and the elderly or incapacitated, who may not be able to avoid a dog attack.
In the case of a dog attack that leads to permanent scarring of a child, the physical and emotional damages associated with the scarring may be long-lasting. This is particularly true if the scarring is on the child’s face or a part of their body that will be seen by others.
We therefore work closely with the people we serve to make sure that our demand for damages covers the full range of the injuries and losses that you or your child has suffered from a vicious dog.
Liability for Dog Bites in Arizona
Subject to a few exceptions, such as trespass or provocation on the part of the victim, an animal owner is strictly liable for the personal injury damages caused by a household pet or working dog. You don’t need to show any prior history of biting, either.
Nevertheless, there might still be some difficult legal or factual issues in establishing an owner’s liability. The defendant might try to avoid paying damages on any of several grounds:
- The dog belonged to someone else
- Someone else was responsible for the dog at the time of the attack
- The victim teased or provoked the dog
- The victim was trespassing
We know how to counter these objections and defenses. Your claim will cover not only the obvious injuries such as lacerations, soft tissue trauma and scarring. We’ll also consider the long-term impacts of disfigurement, fear of dogs and similar continuing consequences, especially for small children who have been bitten by a dog.
How We Help the Victims of Dog Bite Injuries
If you or a family member has been a victim of a dog bite injury, please call the lawyers at Fein, Flynn & Associates so that we can meet with you and learn about the facts and circumstances of your case. This meeting will be free, and after we learn about your case, we can advise you of the possible options for recovery that may be available.
If we accept your case, we will serve as your lawyers on a contingency fee basis. This means that you will not pay any fees unless and until we recover for you.