Dog Bite Lawyer in Scottsdale, AZ
A dog bite can happen in seconds but leave injuries that require weeks, months, or even years of treatment. Deep wounds, infections, nerve damage, permanent scars, and emotional distress can significantly affect an injured person’s daily life.
Folger Law Firm represents people injured in dog attacks throughout Scottsdale, AZ. A dog bite lawyer can investigate how the attack happened, identify the dog’s owner, determine what insurance coverage may apply, and document the physical and financial consequences of the injury.
Arizona also has specific laws addressing dog bites. Understanding those laws can be important when an owner or insurance company disputes responsibility.
Arizona Dog Bite Law Protects Lawful Visitors and the Public
Arizona Revised Statutes § 11-1025 provides that a dog’s owner is liable for damages when the dog bites someone who is in a public place or lawfully on private property, including the property of the dog owner.
Unlike a traditional negligence claim, this statutory claim does not require the injured person to establish that the dog previously bit someone or that the owner already knew the animal was dangerous.
This means a claim may still exist even when:
- The dog had never bitten anyone before
- The owner describes the attack as unexpected
- The dog had no documented history of aggression
- The bite occurred at the owner’s residence
- The injured person was an invited visitor
The specific facts still matter, particularly when questions arise about whether the injured person was lawfully on the property or whether the dog was provoked.
A dog bite accident attorney can review those circumstances and determine which Arizona laws may apply.
What Should You Do Immediately After a Dog Bite in Scottsdale?
The first priority after an attack should be health and safety.
Depending on the severity of the injury, immediate steps may include:
Move Away From the Dog
Get to a location where the animal can no longer reach you. Avoid attempting to restrain or confront the dog after an attack.
Seek Appropriate Medical Attention
Dog bites can cause puncture wounds, torn tissue, infection, nerve damage, and other injuries that may not be fully visible immediately after the attack.
Medical treatment also creates documentation showing when the injury occurred and what care was required.
Identify the Dog and Its Owner
Obtain the owner’s name and contact information when possible. Arizona law now specifically requires a person who owns or is responsible for a dog that bites someone in a qualifying location to provide the owner’s contact information to the person who was bitten.
Photograph the Injuries
Take clear photographs before wounds change significantly through treatment or healing. Additional photographs throughout recovery can help document bruising, stitches, swelling, infection, and permanent scarring.
Document the Location
Photograph relevant conditions such as an open gate, damaged fence, loose leash, doorway, sidewalk, or other location where the attack occurred.
Report the Bite
An official bite report may help establish when and where the incident occurred and identify the dog involved.
Dog Bites Can Cause More Than Surface Wounds
A bite may damage skin, muscle, nerves, tendons, or bone. The force of an attack can also cause injuries when a person falls, twists suddenly, or attempts to escape.
Possible injuries include:
- Puncture wounds
- Deep lacerations
- Facial injuries
- Nerve damage
- Tendon injuries
- Fractures
- Infections
- Permanent scarring
- Disfigurement
- Reduced movement or grip strength
- Emotional distress following the attack
Children can be especially vulnerable to facial and upper-body injuries because of their height relative to the dog.
Arizona Department of Health Services research identified 34,151 emergency department visits and 2,358 inpatient hospitalizations for dog-bite injuries statewide from 2008 through 2012. The same research found that children under age 14 accounted for nearly one-third of dog-bite-related injuries during the study period.
Although the study covers an earlier period, the data illustrates how frequently dog attacks have required hospital-level medical care in Arizona.
Who May Be Responsible for a Dog Bite?
The dog’s owner is generally the primary person addressed by Arizona’s dog-bite statute.
However, the circumstances of an attack may also require examining who controlled the dog at the time.
For example, the animal could have been under the care of:
- A family member
- A pet sitter
- A dog walker
- A temporary caretaker
- A boarding facility
- Another person responsible for controlling the animal
Separate questions may arise if a defective gate, fence, or property condition contributed to the dog escaping.
A dog bite accident lawyer can investigate ownership, control of the animal, property conditions, and applicable insurance coverage rather than assuming that only one person or policy is relevant.
What If the Bite Happened at Someone's Home?
A bite does not have to occur on a sidewalk, street, or public park to support a claim.
Arizona’s dog-bite statute expressly includes a person who is lawfully on private property, including the dog owner’s own property.
This may include an invited:
- Friend
- Family member
- Neighbor
- Contractor
- Delivery worker
- Service provider
- Other lawful visitor
The circumstances may be different when someone was not legally permitted to be on the property.
Where the attack happened and why the injured person was there should therefore be documented carefully.
Why Scarring Should Be Documented Over Time
Scars often change substantially during the months after an injury.
Early photographs may show stitches, swelling, and open wounds. Later photographs may reveal changes in color, texture, size, and visibility.
For a serious bite, useful documentation may include:
- Photographs immediately after the attack
- Photographs following stitches or surgery
- Medical notes describing wound depth and location
- Follow-up photographs during healing
- Recommendations for scar treatment
- Evaluations for reconstructive procedures
- Information about limitations caused by the scar
Scarring may be particularly significant when it affects the face, hands, arms, or another highly visible area.
An insurer should not evaluate a permanent-injury claim solely from photographs taken during the first few days after an attack.
Insurance Coverage Can Affect a Dog Bite Claim
Dog bite claims are sometimes handled through homeowner’s or renter’s insurance associated with the dog’s owner.
Coverage is not automatic. Policies can differ in their limits, exclusions, and requirements.
An insurance company may investigate:
- Ownership of the dog
- Where the bite occurred
- Whether the injured person was lawfully present
- The circumstances immediately before the attack
- Whether provocation is alleged
- The extent of medical treatment
- Whether injuries are permanent
- Whether the policy applies to the incident
A dog bite lawyer can communicate with the insurer, provide supporting documentation, and evaluate whether a proposed settlement accounts for the full extent of the injury.
Evidence Can Become Harder to Find After an Attack
A Scottsdale dog bite claim may rely on evidence that does not remain available indefinitely.
Doorbell footage can be overwritten. Nearby businesses may routinely delete security recordings. Witnesses may become harder to locate. A damaged gate or fence can be repaired before anyone photographs it.
Useful evidence may include:
- Injury photographs
- Surveillance video
- Doorbell-camera footage
- Witness statements
- Medical records
- Bite reports
- Messages from the dog owner
- Photographs of the attack location
- Veterinary or ownership information when relevant
- Records showing lost wages
Preserving this evidence early can help establish both how the bite occurred and how seriously the person was injured.
Building a Scottsdale Dog Bite Claim Around the Lasting Impact
The consequences of a dog attack do not necessarily end when the wound closes. An injured person may continue dealing with visible scars, additional procedures, reduced movement, missed work, or anxiety associated with dogs and similar situations.
Folger Law Firm represents Scottsdale residents and visitors injured in dog attacks. Their work includes investigating responsibility, examining insurance coverage, preserving evidence, and documenting how the injuries have affected the person’s health, employment, finances, and daily life.
If you or a family member has suffered a serious dog bite in Scottsdale, contact Folger Law Firm at (602) 774-0033 or submit an online inquiry to discuss the circumstances of the attack.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What should I do immediately after a dog bite in Scottsdale, AZ?
Move to a safe location and seek appropriate medical care, particularly when the bite breaks the skin or causes significant tissue damage. Obtain the dog’s owner’s information when possible, photograph your injuries and the location, identify witnesses, and report the incident to the appropriate authority.
Who is liable for a dog bite in Arizona?
Arizona law generally makes the dog’s owner liable when their dog bites someone who is in a public place or lawfully on private property, including the owner’s property.
Depending on the circumstances, other legal issues may arise if another person was responsible for controlling the dog or if negligence involving a property condition contributed to the attack.
Does Arizona have a strict liability law for dog bites?
Yes. Arizona Revised Statutes § 11-1025 generally imposes liability on a dog owner for damages suffered by a person bitten in a public place or while lawfully on private property, regardless of the dog’s prior viciousness or the owner’s previous knowledge of vicious behavior.
What compensation can I recover after a dog bite injury?
Compensation depends on the losses caused by the attack. Recoverable damages may involve medical treatment, future medical care, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, physical pain, limitations, scarring, disfigurement, and emotional consequences associated with the injury.
Can I recover damages for scarring or disfigurement from a dog bite?
Potentially, yes. Permanent scarring and disfigurement may be considered when determining damages following a dog bite.
Photographs taken throughout the healing process, medical records, scar evaluations, recommendations for future treatment, and documentation of how the injury affects daily life can help establish the extent of the loss.