<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Strict Liability</span></span></strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Arizona has adopted strict liability statutes to protect victims of dog bites. This means that when an unprovoked dog bites a victim, the owner is legally obligated to pay for the injuries and damages of the victim.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Most of the time, dog bite attorneys will pursue homeowners or rental insurance to cover damages. </span></span></p>

<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Arizona Revised Statutes Sections 11-1020 and 11-1025A imposes strict liability on dog owners in the event of a dog bite injury.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span></span></span>

<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><strong>Defenses </strong>to a dog bite claim include: </span></span>
<p style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-indent: -0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .75in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size: small;">(i)</span><span style="font: 7pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">                 </span></span><span style="font-size: small;">The injured person provoked the dog prior to the dog bite;</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-indent: -0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .75in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size: small;">(ii)</span><span style="font: 7pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">               </span></span><span style="font-size: small;">The injured victim was a trespasser on the dog’s property;</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-indent: -0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .75in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size: small;">(iii)</span><span style="font: 7pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">             </span></span><span style="font-size: small;">The dog owner is a governmental agency in military or police work and the bite occurred while the dog was defending itself from a harassing or provoking act, or assisting an employee of the agency in connection with certain specified tasks.</span></span></p>

<strong><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Dogs at Large</span></span></strong>

<span style="font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;">There is another statute that applies to dog attacks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>This statute, A.R.S. Section 11-1020, applies to all injuries suffered by a dog attack, not just dog bites as discussed above.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>This statue applies to dogs at large.</span>

<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Dogs at large are defined as being neither confined by an enclosure such as a gate nor physically retrained by a leash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span></span></span>

<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">An injury to any person or damage to any property by a dog while “at large” is the full responsibility of the dog owner or person(s) responsible for the dog when the injuries occurred.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span></span></span>

<strong><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Statute of Limitations for Strict Liability</span></span></strong>

<span style="font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;">In Arizona, the statute of limitations for dog bite cases based on strict liability is one (1) year from the day of the dog bite.</span>

<span style="font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span>

<span style="font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span>

<span style="font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span>

<strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Additional Arizona Dog Bite Liability</span></span></strong>

<span style="font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;">In addition to claims brought for damages under Strict Liability discussed above, dog bite claims may also be brought under Arizona common law for negligence.  These claims are more difficult to prove for the reason that the victim has the burden of proof of showing that the dog owner knew or should have known of the dog’s vicious propensity to bite or attack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">   </span>It is commonly referred to as the first bite rule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>That is, the dog owner can argue that there was no knowledge of the dog’s vicious propensity until after the first bite. This is why it is especially important for attack victims to contact a dog bite attorney. </span>
<h4 style="margin: auto 0in;"><span style="font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;">Statute of Limitations for Negligence</span></h4>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;">In Arizona, the statue of limitations for dog bites cases based on negligence is two (2)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>years from the day of the dog bite. </span></p>

<strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Responsibility for Dog Bite Damages</span></span></strong>

<span style="font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;">If a dog bite victim proves liability, the victim is entitled to be compensated for the full costs of medical treatment, lost wages, pain and suffering and other losses. </span>

<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><strong>Alex &amp; Gaxiola </strong>will pursue the homeowner's insurance and/or renter's insurance of the dog owner to secure full compensation for dog bite victims.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>If you or a family member is a victim of a dog bite or dog attack, please contact us to discuss your legal rights in greater detail. </span></span>