Bitten By Man’s Best Friend? You May Have A Personal Injury Case!
They’re known as our best friends, but when dogs – or other pets, for that matter – bite us, medical attention is a must and legal action may be a necessity. Arizona law is very specific in that it places all liability of pet bites with the pet owner.
Action to Take When Bitten: Superficial vs. Puncture Wounds
For any bite, do whatever cleaning you can and then immediately seek medical attention for rabies vaccinations. Do not try to catch or hold the animal that bit you. Instead, contact animal control for their assistance. Interestingly, cat bites are more likely than dog bites to result in infection. That’s because cat bites usually result in puncture wounds, which can be a bit more difficult to clean. If the wound is a superficial one, clean it with running water and hydrogen peroxide before bandaging. For puncture wounds, avoid the hydrogen peroxide or iodine as they can slow the healing process. Instead, let the wound bleed for about five (5) minutes before stopping it with direct pressure. The prolonged bleeding actually helps to clean it. Of course, if the blood is gushing, call 911 immediately.
Legal Action for Personal Injury Due to Animal Bites
According to the Center for Disease Control, about 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs annually in the U.S. Not surprisingly, dog bites are the most common trigger for rabies in humans. In Arizona, you have two years to file a personal injury case against the owner. Even if the owner was unsure of the animal’s whereabouts at the time of the injury or if the animal had never before shown a propensity for biting, the owner is responsible for any injuries caused. The only exception is if the animal was provoked by the victim or if the victim was trespassing at the time of the injury. If you’ve been bitten by an animal, you very well may have cause for a personal injury case. We strongly encourage you to contact the skilled attorneys at Oswalt Law Group so that we can begin to advise you with the options available to you.