Phoenix Dog Bite Attorney

Handling Even The Most Complex Personal Injury Cases in Arizona

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Phoenix Dog Bite Injury Lawyer

Experienced Attorneys Serving Clients in Maricopa County, Yavapai County, Navajo County, and Beyond

A dog attack can be a terrifying experience for everyone involved, and the aftermath of an attack can be just as upsetting. Dog bites can and often do result in serious physical injuries, emotional trauma, and financial burdens for victims and their families, typically spanning years if not a lifetime after the attack.

At Belén Law Firm, our experienced Phoenix dog bite lawyers understand the devastating impact a dog bite injury can have on a victim’s life. That’s why we are dedicated to helping dog bite injury victims recover the compensation they are entitled to following a dog attack, including compensation for things like medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Our skilled attorneys can help guide you through the personal injury process while ensuring your rights remain protected and the at-fault party is held legally responsible.

If you believe you have a dog bite claim and are seeking compensation for your injuries, reach out to the Phoenix personal injury attorneys at Belén Law Firm for a free consultation regarding your case. While based in Phoenix, AZ, we are also happy to provide legal assistance to clients throughout Maricopa County, Navajo County, Gila County, Coconino County, Apache County, and Yavapai County, including but not limited to the cities of Holbrook, Show Low, Pinetop-Lakeside, Winslow, Flagstaff, Sedona, Prescott Valley, and all across the Grand Canyon area. You can reach us by phone at (602) 715-0908 or by completing our online intake form today.

Arizona Dog Bite Laws

You may have heard of the “One Bite Rule” before, wherein dogs are essentially allowed one “free” bite before the dog owners become liable for any further injury caused by the dog. When it comes to dog bite cases, Arizona law does not recognize the One Bite Rule, but instead follows strict liability law. This means that whether or not the dog has bitten before does not matter. The first time a dog attacks another person, the dog owner is automatically responsible for any legal repercussions that follow.

The exact statute can be found under ARS 11-1025, which states the following:

“The owner of a dog that bites a person when the person is in or on a public place or lawfully in or on a private place, including the property of the owner of the dog, is liable for damages suffered by the person bitten, regardless of the former viciousness of the dog or the owner’s knowledge of its viciousness.”

Common Dog Bite Injuries

The severity of a dog bite depends on the nature of the attack and can range from relatively minor soft-tissue injuries to much more serious injuries, such as the loss of a digit or permanent nerve damage, for example. Below, we’ll include a list of common dog bite-related injuries:

Puncture wounds
Lacerations
Bruising
Skin loss
Blood loss
Amputations
Broken bones
Infections
Permanent scarring and disfigurement
Wrongful death

In addition to physical injuries, many dog bite victims suffer serious emotional trauma following a dog attack. Things like anxiety and PTSD are not uncommon in the aftermath of a dog bite injury. When you equip the help of a Phoenix personal injury attorney, they will make sure you are appropriately compensated for both the physical and mental injuries you’ve sustained.

Steps to Take After a Dog Bite

If you or a loved one has been involved in a dog attack, there are some important steps you should follow to protect the integrity of your case. We’ll list them below.

Get Information

First and foremost, you need to identify who the dog belongs to and make sure they know that their dog just bit you. Obtain the name and address of the dog’s owner if you can, as well as any witnesses who may have seen the attack occur. If the person who had custody at the time of the attack is not the dog’s true owner, you should still receive that person’s information as well as get the dog owner’s information from them.

Gather Evidence

One of the best things you can do for your case in this situation is gather evidence that can be used to support your injury claim. Perhaps the best evidence you can provide is photographic evidence, so be sure to take pictures of your wounds BEFORE they are treated.

Seek Medical Treatment

Regardless of whether the injury appears serious or not, it is important that anyone bitten by a dog receives medical attention promptly, as even minor bites can lead to infections and permanent scarring.

Report the Attack

It is also important that dog bite victims report the attack. This is important in creating a record of the incident as well as to ensure appropriate measures are taken to prevent future attacks. If the dog bite occurred in Maricopa County, you can report the attack either online or by calling (602) 506-7387.

Call a Phoenix Dog Bite Lawyer

Finally, reach out to a Phoenix dog bite attorney. The sooner you get an attorney on your side, the better. Your lawyer will get straight to work building a strong case while protecting your rights as a victim, establishing negligence and liability on the at-fault party’s behalf, and maximizing your compensation.

Compensation Available for Dog Bite Victims

The damages that may be available to injury victims in a dog bite case are the same as other personal injury cases. This means a victim may be entitled to both economic and non-economic damages, including:

Medical bills (both past and future medical expenses related to the attack)
Lost wages
Lost earning capacity
Property damage
Permanent disability or disfigurement
Pain and suffering
Emotional distress
Loss of enjoyment of life

Why You Need a Phoenix Dog Bite Lawyer

If you or a loved one has been the victim of a dog bite, it’s important that you contact a Phoenix dog bite lawyer like those at Belén Law Firm to help you with your personal injury claim. This is because dog bite claims can be rather challenging, especially if the at-fault party disputes liability or argues that the victim provoked the dog. If this is the case, a dog bite lawyer can help you build a strong case to prove negligence. This includes gathering evidence such as witness statements, medical records, and photographs to support your claim. They can also work with expert witnesses to demonstrate the severity of your injuries and the long-term impact they might have on you or your loved one’s life.

Another reason it can be extremely beneficial to equip the help of a skilled attorney for your dog bite case is because insurance companies may attempt to deny your claim or otherwise minimize the amount of compensation that you receive. Personal injury attorneys like Belén Olmedo Guerra know all too well how insurance adjusters work, and she will negotiate and fight back against the insurance company on your behalf. If a fair settlement cannot be reached through negotiations, Belén and her legal team are not afraid to file a dog bite lawsuit and fight for you before a judge and jury.

Overall, Phoenix dog bite attorneys like those at Belén Law Firm can help you hold the at-fault party accountable for their negligence and ensure you receive maximum compensation for your injuries.

Call the Phoenix Dog Bite Attorneys at Belén Law Firm Today

As we mentioned before, dog bite claims can be particularly difficult to navigate, and the injuries caused can be severe and last a lifetime. That is why it is so important that you hire a Phoenix personal injury attorney to help with your claim. At Belén Law Firm, our experienced dog bite lawyers are dedicated to helping victims recover compensation for the physical, emotional, and financial damage caused by an unprovoked dog attack.

If you or a loved one has suffered injuries after an attack by someone else’s dog and you wish to pursue compensation for these injuries, call the Belén Law Firm at (602) 715-0908 for a free case review today.

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What Our Clients Say

"We first hired Belen and her highly esteemed team of expert litigators. For her integrity and professionalism, but during the course of our representation, we gained a degree of personal trust and reliance far exceeding our expectations. Belen demonstrated an amazing level of genuine care and compassion and an implicit desire to keep us informed and knowledgeable of each step in the process. She is a diligent and hard worker and leaves no stone unturned. Our representation was nothing short of brilliant, creative and successful! She is without a doubt the Lady I want in my corner. I would HIGHLY recommend her to anyone interested in winning their case with the least amount of headaches throughout the process."

"Belén is hands down the BEST defense attorney out there. She has the heart, compassion, determination, backbone and most of all, the desire to help her clients. Belén’s expertise and experience helped mitigate our case to receive a reduced sentence. She spent thousands of hours over the year and a half she represented our family to challenge the prosecution at every corner and on every angle. She went above what most attorneys do by hiring her own experts and investigators to ensure she went to battle fully loaded. Due to her dedication, determination and commitment, my family felt extremely satisfied and confident that she obtained the best outcome with a reduced sentence. Belén is a stand up human being who, not only represented our family, but became family. If you want the best defense attorney, Belen is your choice!"

"At a time where we felt helpless and, quite frankly traumatized, Belen stepped in and reassured us that we had options and assured us she would work her hardest for a satisfactory resolution. My teenage son needed defense against law enforcement and my family needed legal advice and support in the worst way. Despite being beaten black and blue by police officers that said he was resisting arrest, they also charged him with two felonies. We were all at a loss and Belen was able to keep us grounded as we went through the process explaining every step along the way. She worked extremely hard to expose the truth about the officer involved, and because of her hard work, the felonies were dropped. My son can go on with his life without having his record and character tarnished by these unjust accusations."

"Hire this one! I spoke to several firms before using Belen. Every other firm connected me to a sales person who refused to allow me to speak with an attorney. Belen was put on the phone when I called at 7pm on a Saturday. Belen cared about my son. He had a warrant for his arrest and did not know until he was pulled over and hauled off to jail. Belen went to the jail on Saturday, stood with my son in jail in front of the jailhouse court judge and told that judge how it was. My son walked out 2 hours later without paying for bail. The following week, she called the prosecutor and was able to get the plea reinstated from years prior that resulted in the case being fully dismissed. Also, her fees for everything were lower than the other attorneys who were trying to get me to pay over the phone. I highly recommend Belen!"