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Michael Agruss

Written and Reviewed by Michael Agruss

  • Managing Partner and Personal Injury Lawyer at Mike Agruss Law.
  • Over 20 years of experience in Personal Injury.
  • Over 8000+ consumer rights cases settled.
  • Graduated from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law: Juris Doctor, 2004.

We at Mike Agruss Law are proud to serve the people of Phoenix in personal injury cases, including when you or a loved one has suffered an injury in a dog bite attack, and we are fully committed to protecting your rights and ensuring that the other party is held legally accountable when negligence occurs. We will fight until the very end to ensure that you receive full financial compensation for all injuries and losses, such as medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering, and you won’t owe us a dime for our services. Contact our Phoenix dog bite attorneys for a free consultation today.

Dog Bite Injuries

Dog bites can result in very serious injuries, both physical and psychological. Many victims suffer from scarring and emotional trauma following a dog bite attack, and sometimes this damage can be long-term or even permanent.

In 2016, Illinois ranked second in the U.S. in payouts for claims on homeowners’ insurance policies, according to the Insurance Information Institute (III), and these included over 900 claims against the insurance policies of dog owners; the average payout was just under $43,000. Here are some important considerations for dog bite injury claims:

Emotional/psychological trauma

Victims in these cases may suffer from anxiety, flashbacks, or even PTSD after a dog attack.

Medical expenses

Dog bites can result in a variety of complications, such as infections and damage to nerves, muscle, or tissue, which may require significant medical care and expenses;

Scarring

Visible scars, especially those which are permanent, can reduce a victim’s confidence or self-esteem, and cosmetic surgery may be necessary to treat some scars.

Arizona Law

There are two approaches to a dog bite injury claim, which vary by state: negligence and strict liability. Arizona, like Illinois, has a strict liability statute, which means a plaintiff must prove that: the defendant’s dog attacked or attempted to attack him/her; the dog was not provoked; and the plaintiff was not trespassing when the attack occurred. But, remember that dog bite cases can vary and should be thoroughly evaluated by a Phoenix dog bite attorney.

According to Arizona Revised Statutes Section 11-1025A:

“The owner of a dog which 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.”

By law, dog bite injury victims may have a valid personal injury case against the dog’s owner for the damages.

Insurance

When a dog owner is legally responsible for his/her dog attacking another person or animal, his/her insurance company will typically pay the compensation, and the very fact that insurance companies are typically involved makes the help of a Phoenix dog attack attorney essential for a successful case and full compensation for your injuries.

In addition, many insurance policies only cover damages to a certain extent, which means the dog owner may also be pursued for the remaining compensation. With the help of an experienced personal injury attorney, you can successfully pursue the at fault party for compensation, regardless of the owner’s insurance policies, and recover for damages such as medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Dog Bite Fatalities

While dog bites and attacks are somewhat common in the United States, there are rare and devastating cases in which a serious dog bite results in the death of a person. And while city and state laws have been effective in addressing these cases, the underlying problem is that many dog bite victims are attacked not by family dogs, but dogs which are strays or otherwise uncared-for, which can be challenging for legal cases. If you have lost a loved one due to an attack by a dog, our Phoenix dog bite lawyers are here for you every step of the way to ensure a successful dog bite claim that fully compensates you for your losses.

In the Chicago area and throughout the United States, studies have been conducted by the National Canine Research Council and similar organizations to shed light on the most common contributing factors in dog attacks resulting in serious injury or death. Here are the primary factors in order of likelihood:

  • There was no able-bodied adult who could have intervened in the attack;
  • The victim and dog had no prior relationship;
  • The dog was not spayed or neutered;
  • The victim had physical- or age-related limits;
  • The dog was maintained “as a resident” instead of a family pet;
  • The dog’s owner had a history of abuse or mismanagement of dogs or other pets;
  • The dog’s owner abused and/or neglected the dog.

While some people assert that certain breeds are more aggressive or dangerous than others, such as pit bulls or Rottweilers, studies and statistics regularly challenge these myths and show that the circumstances of dog bite attacks matter more than the dog’s breed. And while stray dogs usually pose a greater risk of an attack than family dogs, the dogs most likely to attack a person are those who are abused, neglected, or otherwise not properly cared for. Those which are abused and/or lack human connection are far more likely to attack a person, especially without provocation, and in many cases the owner will be legally liable for the damages.

Contact us Today!

If you or a loved one has suffered an injury or wrongful death from a dog bite in the Phoenix area, you need an experienced Phoenix dog bite lawyer. Contact Mike Agruss Law for a free case evaluation. We are a Chicago-based personal injury law firm, and helping our clients is about counseling, advocating, and ultimately solving problems. With years of experience successfully representing the people and not the powerful, we will take care of the insurance company, your medical bills, your property damage, and your lost wages, and monitor your treatment so you can focus on healing and getting your life back to normal. We will handle your case quickly and advise you every step of the way, and we will not hesitate to go to trial for you. Lastly, Mike Agruss Law works on a contingency fee basis and is not paid attorneys’ fees unless we win your case. Our no-fee promise is that simple. You have nothing to risk when you hire us – only the opportunity to seek justice.

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