DOG BITE RESOURCE CENTER
DOG BITE ACCIDENT ARTICLES
- Dog Bites and Insurance
- What to do After a Dog Bite
- Can You Sue Someone if Their Dog Bites You?
- When Do You Need a Dog Bite Lawyer?
- Raising Dog Bite Awareness to Prevent Injuries and Fatalities
- Safety Tips for Take Your Dog to Work Day
- The Danger of Dog Parks
- Protect Yourself and Your Loved Ones: Tips for Avoiding Dog Attacks
- How To Prevent Dogs from Fighting
- How to Handle an Aggressive Dog
LEARN MORE ABOUT ATTORNEYS
PHOENIX DOG BITE LAWYER
Were You or a Loved One Attacked by a Dog?
The Phoenix dog bite attorneys at Friedl Richardson Trial Lawyers represent victims of dog attacks by holding the dog’s owner liable. In the state of Arizona, dog owners are held in strict liability when their dog attacks and injures another person, with few exceptions. If this happened to you or a loved one, our law firm could help you file a personal injury claim to collect damages.
Determining Liability in Dog Bite Cases
Arizona’s dog bite law holds that owners are liable when their dog attacks and injures someone, provided that the attack happened in a public place or on a private premises that the victim was permitted to be. This is clearly stated in the Arizona Revised Statutes § 11-1025, and provides a legal remedy for dog bite victims, that is, they can bring lawsuits against the dog’s owner for damages. Some states have a modified dog bite law that places some additional protections on the dog’s owner, such as if the dog had no former displays of viciousness, but this is not the case in the state of Arizona.
One defense the dog owner might use to protect themselves against a lawsuit is to claim that the attack victim provoked the dog, and therefore the victim is partially or totally liable for their own injuries. This defense is addressed in § 11-1027 of the statutes, and explains that a judge may decide whether or not the dog bite victim knew, or reasonably could have known, that their action(s) would provoke the dog to attack. This is a defense that many defendants named in dog bite lawsuits will use, but know that our Phoenix dog bite attorneys are prepared to fight back so that you can collect maximum compensation.
Phoenix Leash Law & Dog Parks
The state of Arizona has a clearly defined leash law, but the city of Phoenix has also written a municipal code regarding the required use of leashes on dogs. This is Phoenix Municipal Code 8-14 “Dogs not permitted at large; wearing licenses; penalties.” According to this code, dog owners must:
- Not let their dog run loose in public or on their own property
- Provide a way to confine or enclose their dogs on their property
- If the dog is not enclosed (such as behind a locked gate), the owner must have their dog on a leash that is a maximum six feet long and must be directly supervising the dog.
- Provide their dog(s) with a collar when the animal is at least three months old that has a license/ID tag attached to it.
It can actually be considered a class 1 misdemeanor for a dog owner to violate certain sections of leash law, while some violations are just considered civil violations punishable only by fine. Phoenix’s leash law does not apply to parks and other areas that are designated by the city as a dog park. If you were attacked by a dog while visiting one of Phoenix’s many dog parks, you may not be able to claim that the dog’s owner was in violation of leash law, but there is a possibility that you still have a claim.
Attorney Tommy Richardson on Fox 10 News Regarding Arizona Dog Bite Laws
Friedl Richardson: Phoenix Personal Injury Attorneys
If you or a loved one was recently attacked and/or bitten by a dog, you may be entitled to bring a lawsuit against the dog’s owner with the help of a Phoenix dog bite lawyer at Friedl Richardson. We also represent families of children bit by dogs as these types of cases can require special care and attention. To learn more about how Friedl Richardson could help you, call us today for a free initial case evaluation!
Read our Dog Bite blog for additional information.
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