What Are Arizona’s Dog Bite Laws? | Phillips Law Group
- Home / Personal Injury /
- What Are Arizona’s Dog Bite Laws? | Phillips Law Group
February 28, 2018
A dog bite can cause devastating and painful physical injuries. However, the damage from a dog attack often goes far beyond the victim’s physical wounds.
If you are a victim of a dog attack in Arizona, it is important to know the state’s dog bite laws to understand your rights. If the owner of the dog can be held liable for the physical and psychological injuries you sustained, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses, any lost wages, pain and suffering, and any other out-of-pocket costs.
The Phillips Law Group’s Arizona dog bite attorneys will provide you with a free, no obligation consultation to review your claim and determine if you have a case. Our personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, which means you only have to pay us if we obtain compensation for you.
Dog Bite Liability Laws in Arizona
Arizona follows a “strict liability” law for claims regarding dog bites and attacks. This means a dog’s owner is liable for any injuries and damages the dog causes, according to A.R.S. § 11-1025.
The owner of the dog does not need to know about the attack, and the victim does not need to prove negligence caused the attack. For a victim to hold a dog owner liable for his or her injuries, the victim must simply show that his or her injury was caused by the dog bite.
The victim can hold the dog’s owner liable if he or she was attacked in a public setting or while on private property, as long as the victim was a lawful guest or invitee, according to A.R.S. § 11-1026.
Unlike many states, Arizona does not follow the “one free bite” policy, where the owner may not be held liable for damages the first time his or her dog bites someone. This means a dog owner can be liable for a dog bite injury regardless of whether the dog has bitten someone before.
When is the Dog Owner Not Liable for Damages?
Although Arizona uses “strict liability” in most dog bite cases, there are some exceptions where a dog owner may not be at fault for a dog bite injury.
The only defense dog owners have against liability for a dog bite injury is when it can be proven that the victim intentionally provoked the dog.
Under A.R.S. § 11-1027, a dog owner may avoid liability in a dog bite claim if a reasonable person would believe the victim’s actions unquestionably provoked the dog to attack, and that the animal would not have bitten the person otherwise.
In the case that an attacking dog is under the care and control of someone other than the owner at the time of the incident, then both the dog’s caretaker and the owner can be held jointly liable for the victim’s injury.
Time Limits for Filing a Dog Bite Claim
If you are the victim of a dog bite, Arizona law requires you to take legal action against the dog’s owner within one year of the attack.
This is referred to as the statute of limitations. If you wait any longer than the one-year statute of limitations to file your claim, it will likely be dismissed and you will lose the right to pursue compensation from the at-fault party.
For this reason, anyone who is seeking compensation for a dog bite that occurred in Arizona must be aware of state’s one-year statute of limitations and act accordingly.
Phillips Law Group is Here to Help You
You should always be cautious about any dog that doesn’t belong to you. If you or someone you love has been bitten by a dog, you should act quickly learn your rights to recover compensation for your injury.
At the Phillips Law Group, our lawyers are well-versed in the laws that apply to dog bite claims. We will guide you through the process while answering any questions you may have.
Do not hesitate to schedule a free, no obligation consultation with our dog bite attorneys to find out if you have a case against a negligent dog owner. We work on a contingency fee basis and do not charge any upfront legal fees to our clients. We only require payment if we recover compensation for your claim.
Call 1-800-706-3000 to get started today.
Free Case Evaluation
By submitting your contact information, you agree that we may contact you by telephone (including text) and email in accordance with our Terms and Privacy Policy

Your message has been sent
Thank you for your message, we will get back to you soon.
Categories:
-
I enjoy my work day here at Phillips Law Group and generally speaking I love my clients. Every day brings a new client or task to keep me on my toes. Administration keeps open communication and is hilarious most of the time! I love the way we celebrate FRIDAY, holidays and birthdays and how everything is so competitive. All in all I’m so fortunate to be here and I enjoy what I do.
-
Phillips law group is a great firm! Caroline is great.
-
Phillips law group is the best around!
-
Definitely recommend! Awesome
-
My review is for Kathy Hudson a legal assistant at the law firm. She is great! She is very professional and a fair based person. She was never rude to me and always called me back. She listened to me and had my best interest as number 1. Mr Nasir who is a supervisor at law firm also was very professional and helpful. Not sure if spelling his name correctly but sorry if not. As far as mr Ross and the lady that runs the front desk reception I would say they are the most unprofessional and rude people I have met at a law firm in my life especially beings they were representing me. But Kathy made it overall a better experience. Thx Kathy.
-
Sophia H is a pleasure to work with! Thanks for all you do.
-
I would have no hesitation at all recommending Phillips Law Group. In particular, Juan Roque has impressed me with his professionalism, his integrity and his heart for the community!
-
I didn’t know anything about the area, and Phillips Law Group just took care of everything. They helped made sure I knew where I was going, made sure I didn’t have to worry. They literally just took care of me.
-
It’s an Honor and a Privilege to work for a company that cares about its employees and clients for 12 years. I’ve seen Management go out of their way to help someone whether it’s a personal matter or work related. I am also reminded of many occasions where a Client needed urgent help and we as a Team were able to get the person immediate assistance. At Phillips Law we make that happen through Teamwork and a dedication to our profession. I’ve had numerous jobs in several other fields, those were just jobs. This is a home. Many of us have been here for quite a few years, it feels like one large extended family.
-
Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness, Value As someone who is familiar with the inner workings of the auto insurance industry I can whole heartedly endorse Steven J. Jones and Phillips law group as someone I would want on my side should litigation take place. They handled my case professionally, honestly, and with satisfactory results which I would not have expected without enlisting their help.