What should I do if I was bitten by a dog in Flagstaff?

Our Flagstaff Injury Lawyers Discuss Steps to Take to Help Protect Your Right to Compensation if You Suffered Dog Bite Injuries 

When you’re bitten by a dog, you can suffer serious injuries, and the actions you take after an attack can affect the strength of your claim for compensation. Our experienced Flagstaff personal injury lawyers at Griffen & Stevens Law Firm, PLLC know what’s needed to build a winning case against the at-fault party. We will help you take the proper steps to protect your rights and will fight with the dog owner’s insurance company to help get the full value of your claim in your settlement.

Your Right to Compensation Under Arizona Dog Bite Laws

Dog owners are liable for your injuries if their dog bites you in Arizona. Here are three laws that could help you hold them responsible:

• Strict liability. Under Arizona’s strict liability dog bite law, a dog owner can be found strictly liable if their dog bites you, even if the dog never bit anyone before. This law applies only if you were actually bitten by the dog.  
• Negligence. A dog owner or dog handler may be liable for your injuries if they were negligent in controlling a dog that attacked you. This law can be a useful way to hold the owner accountable if their dog attacked you but did not bite you.
• Negligence per se. If the dog owner violated an Arizona law enacted to protect the public’s safety, our lawyers may be able to hold them accountable under the negligence per se doctrine.

Steps to Take if You Were Injured Due to a Dog Bite in Flagstaff

There are specific steps you should take that will help you prove your case and obtain fair compensation for damages under Arizona law. If you do not take these actions and make other mistakes, such as agreeing to give a recorded statement, you provide the insurance adjuster ammunition to argue about why they can deny your claim or pay you less money than you deserve. Here are vital steps our Flagstaff personal injury lawyers recommend you take:

• Get medical treatment. A physician should examine you right after your dog bite, even if you think your injuries are minor. By doing this, you can ensure your injuries are treated for possible infection. In addition, you can start getting treatment for injuries that you may not realize you suffered, such as internal bleeding or a traumatic brain injury. You also cut off some of the insurance company’s arguments about the cause and severity of your injuries.
• Report the dog attack. Under Arizona law, you are required to notify your local animal control agency of the dog attack. Taking this step will also substantiate that the owner’s dog bit you. In Coconino County, you should contact the Coconino County Health and Human Services Animal Services department.
• Obtain contact information. Get the contact information for the dog owner, their insurance company, and eyewitnesses to the dog attack. You will need this information to file your insurance claim and to obtain signed statements from eyewitnesses who can corroborate what happened when you were bitten.
• Take photos. Use your cellphone camera to take pictures of the dog, the scene of the attack, and your injuries. They can be compelling evidence to show the jury.
• Save your clothes. Keep your clothes in the same condition as when the dog attacked you. Seal them in a plastic bag or other container to preserve them.
• Hire an attorney. You should retain our personal injury lawyers at Griffen & Stevens, PLLC as soon as possible after the dog bite. We will take over all communications with the insurance adjuster, collect the evidence you need to help prove your case, hire expert witnesses if necessary, and negotiate your settlement with the insurance company. We will also sue the dog owner if the two-year statute of limitations expires soon or the insurance company won’t offer a settlement that fully compensates you.