Peoria Dog Attack Lawyers
How Do I Find a Top Dog Bite Lawyer?
Finding a lawyer who has experience handling dog bite claims in Arizona first requires asking the right questions. Any lawyer can claim to be a dog bite lawyer. As a matter of law, anyone who been admitted to the bar in Arizona is legally allowed to advise the victim after a dog bite injury. However, the fact that anyone who passes the bar can claim to be a dog bite expert does not mean that person is an experienced Arizona dog bite lawyer. It also does not mean that he or she understands all the laws that can be used to the benefit of somebody who's been injured as a result of a dog attack.
For instance, many people are not aware of the fact that AZ does not have a one free bite law, as some other states do. In other words, if somebody is bitten by a dog and injured in Peoria, when the insurance company or owner of the dog tries to claim they did not know the dog was dangerous because the dog never bit anyone before, this is not a plausible defense in Arizona. Knowing which law to cite to prevent a dog owner from escaping responsibility for a dog bite is a critical step to helping dog bite victims in Peoria and throughout the state.
Then again, the ability to prevent this type of defense also hinges significantly on when a lawsuit is filed. If a suit against the dog's owner is not filed within one year of the date of the incident, this fact alone will often alter a judge's view of the situation and allow the dog owner to construct a defense based upon the one free bite principle-that is, the fact that they were not reasonably aware that they had a dangerous dog. Obviously, it is much easier to prove that there was a dog bite, which caused an injury, than to prove that a dog is dangerous. Therefore, not only knowing the law, but knowing when to file suit is fundamental.
To further confuse matters, if the victim of the dog attack is a child-- and all too often, bite cases include children who have been the victims of the bite-- the statute of limitations is sometimes adjusted. Along with that, a personal injury defense may need to be changed completely. A skilled and experienced Peoria personal injury lawyer will be able to extend the period of time the defense has to prove that the dog was known to be vicious.
Perhaps this explanation seems complicated. Dog bite cases are indeed a complex challenge for a citizen or a lawyer who do not know how to handle these claims.
We have helped numerous people after dog bite incidents in our tenure. Unfortunately, we continue to see an unfortunate number of cases in which Pit Bulls or Rottweilers have attacked innocent people and, heartbreakingly, innocent children. And far too often, the law is not fully utilized to benefit the victims of these bites.
If you have any questions regarding a dog bite incident and whether or not an Arizona dog bite claim can be made, do not hesitate to give us a call. We will give you an honest analysis of your claim's potential and the laws that come into play for the protection of the person who was attacked.
