Animal Bites and Mauling

Animal Bites and Mauling

People who have been bitten or mauled by an animal have a legal recourse to pay for present and future medical expenses, loss of wages, pain and suffering, and counseling to deal with the emotional scars that accompany the violent event.

The exception is if the victim is a member of the family that owns the animal and lives in the same residence.

Applicable Arizona Law

Arizona law demands that animal owners act responsibly to keep others safe in the presence of the animal. A landlord may also be held responsible for the event if the landlord knew that the animal living on the landlord’s property has a predisposition for aggressiveness and did not take measures to prevent an attack.

If an owner or landlord is proven to have acted negligently, they can be held financially accountable under the Arizona law.

Under the law, the victim must prove negligence, and that requires the skill and experience that an experienced lawyer, such as the attorneys at Van Norman Law, can bring to building your case.

What a Lawyer Can Do

Animal bite and mauling law presents a number of legal issues that a victim’s attorney must address. Because it is the victim’s legal responsibility to prove negligence on the part of another, the attorney must thoroughly investigate what lead to the attack, the history of the animal involved to determine aggressive behavior and why, and perhaps to use the testimony of experts in the field to assemble the facts.

The first step is to send a letter to the alleged negligent party outlining the facts and demanding damages. The lawyer will help victims determine the amount of medical, lost wages and other damages, and also document the pain and suffering the victim lived through. If the demand letter fails, the attorney will build your lawsuit and handle all the necessary legal steps.

Most civil cases are settled out of court. If the negligent party wants to settle, the victim’s attorney will negotiate an amount that is satisfactory to the victim, or in the case of a child victim, the child’s parents or legal guardian.

Retaining an Attorney

Bringing a case in animal bite and mauling law requires an attorney to have special knowledge, such as the attorneys at Van Normal Law who are experienced handling these cases. It’s in your best interest to arrange for a free initial consultation as soon as possible.

Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (12/9/24). Photo by David Taffet on Unsplash