Liability in Phoenix, AZ Dog Bite Cases

There are approximately 75 million dogs kept as pets in the United States, and while the majority of them are reasonably trained and not a threat to other people, the unfortunate fact is that millions of dog bite injuries occur every year in the country and hundreds of thousands of people are injured badly enough as a result of dog attacks that they require medical attention. If this has happened to you, the best step to take is to seek the help and advice of an Phoenix dog bite lawyer. In the meantime, below is a brief overview of the issue of dog bite liability and lawsuit compensation.

Arizona Dog Bite Liability

In the most basic sense, dog owners are legally responsible for the conduct of their dogs. While there are limited exceptions, dog owners have a duty to prevent harm that could be inflicted upon others by their dogs. Basic precautions that are expected include keeping the dog restrained in his or her yard by way of a sturdy fence and/or a chain, keeping the dog on a leash when out in public and not allowing their dog to think that attacking another person is allowed.

Specifically, dog owners can even be charged criminally if their dogs do inflict injury or worse on unsuspecting innocent people. The fact of the matter is that some dog breeds, particularly larger ones such as pit bull terriers, boxers or Rottweilers are big, strong and powerful enough to inflict serious injuries and even kill people if they maul someone for long enough. It should come as no surprise that both criminal and civil laws dictate that people be kept safe from this avoidable threat.

Potential Lawsuit Compensation for an Arizona Dog Bite

If someone is attacked and injured by a dog, that person likely has the right to bring a personal injury legal action against the dog’s owner. In terms of the possible damages that could be won, below you’ll find some examples:

Medical expenses – The victim of the dog bite will likely recover costs incurred for medical care that’s necessary after a dog attack.

Lost income – If the person is injured badly enough that he or she is unable to work, then the plaintiff could likely ask for damages that compensate the victim for lost income.

Pain and suffering – Few experiences are more terrifying than a dog attack, and pain and suffering is a form of damages available in Arizona that are designed to compensate the plaintiff for this form of injury.

Overall, bringing an action for a dog bite in Arizona can be difficult. Rather than attempting to handle this situation by yourself, contact an Arizona dog bite lawyer at Phillips Law Group today to schedule a free initial consultation.

Ph: 1-800-706-3000 .

In Central Park, New York, a couple was walking their dog while it crossed the path of a biker causing him to fly through the air and land on his face. The two people are now being charged for tossing the ball over traffic in disregard to the bicyclist who was riding into the dogs path.

This may not have been ruled in favor of the biker if it werent for a similar case last year when a motorist was injured after striking a cow crossing the road. The cow had reportedly escaped from his fenced pasture and wondered into the road where he was struck by a motor vehicle, thus injuring the driver.

Of course, the Court of Appeals did not rule in favor of the injured person, as negligence could not be proven against the farm owners or the escaped cow, nor had the cow shown any signs of vicious tendencies in the past.

This case differs in that the cows owner had no control over the animal crossing the road as it had escaped from its pasture, whereas the dogs owner was controlling the animal as the biker was crossing its path. In no way was the animal misbehaving, it was completely under its owners control, thus the owner was acting in a negligent manner.