What rules apply to dog bite injury claims in Utah?
There are thousands of dogs living as companion animals in Utah, and most of them are very friendly animals. However, some dogs occasionally injure people when they become aggressive. Perhaps someone encounters a dog running loose in a park, or maybe an animal turns violent when someone visits their neighbor.
Dogs can cause severe injury when they bite someone, particularly if they are a larger breed or if the victim is a child. The wounds that they cause may develop severe infections, leave behind disfiguring scars, or cause the victim to suffer from PTSD that can only be addressed through therapy. In extreme cases, dog bite attacks can break bones or cause such severe injuries that people require surgery and hospitalization. Those hoping to seek compensation after a canine turns vicious need to know the rules about such claims in Utah.
Can you get compensated for a dog bite injury in Utah?
Yes, you can get compensated for a dog bite. Utah law allows you to bring a claim against the dog owner or keeper of a dog that bites you. Your damages might include incurring medical bills, scarring, disfigurement, pain and suffering, emotional trauma, and wage loss.
Dog owners should carry homeowner’s or renter’s insurance to cover against a dog bite. Coverage limits are usually between $100,000 and $300,000 for homeowners’ and renter’s insurance policies. However, Utah does not require dog owners to carry insurance for dog bites. Your dog bite case can range from $10,000 on the low end to $500,000 on the high end (or even higher) depending on the particular facts of your case.
There are few limits to an owner’s liability
Utah has a “strict liability” law for dog attacks. This means that the dog owner is automatically liable when his or her dog bites someone. It doesn’t matter that the dog has never bitten someone before, that the dog was well-trained, or that the dog was scared. None of these defenses will work. Utah lawmakers decided that if you own a dog, there’s always a risk it will bite someone. Therefore, you must be willing to accept responsibility when that happens.
Thus, owners have a responsibility to train their animals and to keep them away from the public when they know those animals are aggressive. If the circumstances meet the criteria established in state law, those affected by a dog bite can potentially initiate a personal injury lawsuit.
There is a statute of limitations as well
People affected by the negligence or misconduct of others have legal rights, but those rights only last for so long. Those hoping to file a personal injury lawsuit for a dog bite injury in Utah usually only have four years of the injurious incident to initiate legal action. If they fail to take appropriate action before the statute of limitations expires, they may have no right to sue or ask an insurance company to pay their bills. It is important that people are aware of that four-year statute of limitations so that they do not miss out on an opportunity to cover their expenses related to the dog bite incident.
Understanding the laws in Utah that govern dog bite attacks may benefit those injured by an aggressive animal — as can seeking legal guidance promptly after an attack occurs.
