JEFFERY HERNANDEZ: Dog bite incidents occur in Phoenix, Arizona quite frequently. A common misperception is that dog bite incidents occur relating mainly viscous dogs.
The viscous breeds being pit bulls, rottweilers. The reality is that most dog bites occur with animals such as Labradors, golden retrievers, et cetera.
[GRAPHIC: Children are often the victims of dog bites]
JEFFERY HERNANDEZ: I think the CDC had a study indicating that over 300,000 dog bite incidents occur every year throughout the country. Now, most of them happen to children, whether they be young children or children up to 9 years old. The injuries, more often than not, occur to the facial area and the neck. The children are of such a height that dogs can easily jump up and grab the kid's face and bite it. And oftentimes the injuries are quite traumatic.
[GRAPHIC: You must file a strict liability claim within the first year]
JEFFERY HERNANDEZ: It doesn't matter in Arizona whether a dog has any propensity for viciousness, if a dog bites a person and that person is in a public place, or is lawfully on a private property, the owner is strictly liable for those injuries. There is no defense to a strict liability claim except for provocation.
But, you have to file your lawsuit within the first year of the dog bite incident or you lose that strict liability claim. It's important to hire an attorney right away to determine the facts, to determine the strengths of your case, to determine if there was provocation involved and make sure that you file that lawsuit within the first year.
[GRAPHIC: A victim is entitled to many different types of recovery]
JEFFERY HERNANDEZ: I'm able to help them recover for their medical bills, obviously. You can recover future medical bills for the surgery. If you're traumatized by the event and you have to see a psychiatrist or a psychologist, you're entitled to recover for that too.
These events are very traumatic. If a mother or father was to witness his or her child being attacked by a dog, the mother and father would be--might be entitled to recover as well. And on some occasions, I'm able to recover enough to ensure that the child is able to pay for his or her college education.
[GRAPHIC: You don't pay, unless you receive a recovery]
JEFFERY HERNANDEZ: If an adult or a child is attacked by a dog, it's important to retain an attorney right away. Give me a call if you or your loved one was involved in a dog bite incident. I'll be happy to talk to you free of charge. And if I'm able to help you, there is no fee to me until I'm able to recover on your behalf.
