Utah Dog Bite Laws

What causes dogs to attack humans?

Dogs are the most loyal pet animals, always demanding attention, affection, and a playmate. But despite all of your love and attention, many dogs begin to act abnormally and remain fearful at all times.

Yes! Even though they are well-trained and live a high life, this is something to marvel at about them.So, the person owning the dog has a legal obligation to keep people safe from dog bites. Any dog injury, whatever the cause may be, is evidence for a lawsuit against the accountable person, according to the strict liability principle.

However, there might be a variety of causes for a dog’s violent behavior. Let’s have a look!

  • The prey’s distrustful demeanor
  • Territorial attitude
  • Hunger
  • Fear of being harmed
  • Accidents or illnesses
  • Redirected aggression

The above mentioned factors can lead to a dog biting someone. Ideally, dogs should be kept chained up and under command when they are in public places due to the wide range of possible dangers.

dog biting a rope from its owner

Compensation that can be claimed by people injured by dog attacks

It’s not uncommon for your beloved dog to harm you. When dogs lose their minds, they won’t listen to even their most loving masters. That’s a terrible thing to be sorry about. A dog attack attorney can help to assure that you obtain fair and rational monetary compensation if such instances occur. The affected person may be compensated for:

Medical Bills

In case you get attacked by any dog seriously, you will need long-term treatment and will have to shell out money in medical fees to recover.

Pain and trauma 

Aside from the health expenditure and financial woes, a dog related injury will cause psychological anguish. These damages are more difficult to demonstrate and require the counsel of an educated dog bite lawyer.

Severe side-effects 

If the bite is severe, it can result in lasting abnormalities such as loss of limbs, disfigurement, and so on. 

Loss of productivity 

Your dog bite wounds may lead to losing future and current revenues by reducing your work efficiency for long periods.

Loss of a good relationship 

When an accident causes significant bodily injury to your closed ones, this happens. That person’s death leaves you without the affection and love that person was creating in your life.

Punitive damages 

The person responsible for the dog injury can be slapped with punitive damages if:

  • that attack was ordered by the dog’s owner
  • Sometimes, the dog seemed to be of a vicious or mischievous disposition
  • Forestalling an attack is unimportant to the owner.

Acadia Law Group will fight relentlessly to maximize your settlement in case you sustain injuries due to dog attacks. In the terrible case of a loved one’s death, we can help you process a claim for wrongful deaths and recover costs for expenditures like funerals or loss of companionship.

Nurse putting stiches on injured hand due to dog bite injury

Utah Dog Bite Laws: The Statute of Limitations in Utah

Utah, like every other state, has a statute that provides a timeframe for legal complaints in Utah authorities. A dog injury sufferer in Utah can register litigation within four years after the incident. Because different factors might impede the statute’s application, you must understand the application of rules in your particular case. However, It is almost certain that your lawsuit will be abandoned by the court if you don’t submit it within four years after the incident.

How will an Utah dog attack lawyer help you?

Getting a professional Utah dog injury litigator is the most successful way to maximize the value of a dog attack claim. Attempting to resolve your claim without any lawyer’s can leave some companies offering insurance with an upper hand over you. So don’t agree for less from the companies offering insurance. So, we recommend that you let the experienced lawyers at Acadia law group help you in the following domains:

Investigating the incident 

Your accident will be investigated by our experienced lawyers. The company does this reaching out to the witnesses, looking into the accident report from Police, and inspecting any available visual evidence of the accident.

Agreement 

Our dog bite attorneys will issue a demand letter to the at-fault party’s health insurer after you are given proper medical care and we have the required medical documents. After that, the negotiating program commences. If we seem unable to strike a deal, we will be able to bring a dog attack case.

Claim collection

Following your rehabilitation from a dog injury, our legal team will create complete clinical notes of your injuries as soon as possible. This is a time-consuming practice, so be calm!

Lead your incident to authorities

The lawsuit is a lengthy process in itself, potentially adding one or two years delay to the case. If you decide to pursue legal action, be warned that you might be appearing in front of a jury.

Furthermore, Arbitration is more of a informal process than a prosecution, thus it is inexpensive and may be concluded in short time. You should only choose arbitration if you know that the damages will not me more than $50,000. $50k is the absolute maximum you may get in case of an arbitration.

personal injury attorney talking on the phone outside courthouse

What can you do when a dog attacks you in Utah?

Dog bites are lethal to people for a myriad of purposes. However, both dog owners and victims should be aware of what to do immediately after being bitten by any dog. Let’s take a look!

Medical examination

In case a dog bites you, summon an ambulance and get immediate treatment. Dog attacks can lead to major medical consequences. Otherwise, delays in providing medical help for the injury may lead to a potentially fatal illness or hinder your recovery.

Inspect the person owning the dog

The most crucial thing to undertake is to know about the Dog’s owner and its entire residence address. Otherwise, bringing a lawsuit against him would be difficult.

Inform the authorities 

If you have been badly bitten by any dog, inform your local councils as quickly as possible. It would make it easier for you to pursue legal action against person owning the dog.

Keep your medical record

During your wound’s rehabilitation, capture images of it and retain all of the original medical papers, along with the invoices. These documents will serve as evidence in the case that you file suit.

Call an attorney specializing in Utah Dog attack cases

A committed and skilled dog lawyer can clarify your legal options in Utah dog attack cases. Without the assistance of an experienced attorney, you should avoid communicating with any dog owner’s insurance provider agent. They may make you a low-ball settlement offer. Let an experienced attorney pursue your dog bite claims to seek the best possible compensation.

Let Acadia Law Group help you

Let an experienced Utah dog bite attorney from Acadia Law Group help you seek the best compensation for a dog bite. Unlike other law groups, we treat each case as unique and try to seek a quick settlement in every dog bite injury lawsuit. Our comprehensive experience and years of experience set us apart from others. Call us today to get a free consultation session on your case.

Acadia Law Group staff sitting on round table

Utah Dog Bite Injuries FAQs

Here is a list of the most frequently asked questions asked by a dog bite victim regarding Utah dog bite cases and Utah dog bite law :

In Utah, can I get paid if a dog bites me?

Yes, you can be paid if you happen to be a dog attack victim. You can file a claim against the owner or custodian of a dog that attacked you under Utah law. We have a “strict liability” statute in Utah. Hence, the dog owner is automatically answerable under this law if their dog bites anyone.

How does Utah’s statute apply in a dog bite case?

You are given a four-year limit from the date of attack in Utah to initiate a case. If you do not bring a case within the four-year timeframe, your claim becomes invalid.

Can I sue for punitive damages after being bitten by any dog?

Yes, the court in Utah can award punitive damages. According to the law, dog owners are liable to pay compensation for injury committed by their dog. Punitive damages, on the other hand, are hard to procure under Utah’s dog bite law. They may be imposed if it is demonstrated that the owner of dog had some involvement in the incident.

Is it possible to register a case against a person if their dog attacks my dog?

Yes, registering a case against a person is possible if their dog attacks your dog leading to injuries or death. There is an important caveat: in case your dog enters the someone else’s property without a warrant and the other dog attacks from the owner’s property, that dog cannot be blamed for your dog’s injuries or death.

Can I pursue dog bite injury claims in case of minor attacks?

Yes, you can pursue a dog bite injury claim even if the attack is of minor nature. You may get small scrapes as a result of a dog attack. In such Utah dog bite claims, you have the right to pursue a claim for compensation for the harm caused to you.

Is the person owning the attacking dog facing criminal charges?

In Utah, officers responsible for controlling animals can cite and locate the person who owns the attacking dog. In the rest of the cases, it is a Class B offense. Authorities can also impound the dog, destroy it, muzzle it, or cancel the canine’s license.