Dog Bites

Layton Dog Bite Attorneys Serving Northern Utah

There are over 4.7 million dog bite victims each year, totaling over $1 billion in claims. While it’s estimated that only ¼ of dog bites require medical attention, that doesn’t mean that the other ¾ of dog bites aren’t eligible for compensation. If you have been injured by a dog bite, it is important to contact our Layton law firm as soon as possible as you may be entitled to financial compensation for your damages.

Utah’s Dog Bite Law

Utah has a specific law that addresses dog bite liability.  U.C.A. § 18-1-1  specifies that “every person owning or keeping a dog is liable in damages for injury committed by the dog,” even if the owner did not know or have reason to know the dog might cause injuries. The lack of a need for knowledge on the part of the owner is what makes Utah’s dog injury statute a “strict liability” law.

Utah’s dog bite law applies not only to injuries involving dog bites, but also to injuries caused by other dog actions. For instance, if a dog knocks a person to the ground, injuring him, the injured person may seek damages from the dog’s owner under Utah’s dog bite law. Alternatively, the injured person can file a claim based on a  negligence theory. A negligence claim argues, in essence, that a dog’s owner failed to use reasonable care and that this failure resulted in the injury.

Why You Need an Attorney for a Dog Bite Claim

While cases can be won without representation, studies show that fighting the legal battle with a lawyer will reward you with a much higher settlement. It is proven that plaintiffs without legal representation often misstep in their case by giving a recorded statement, demanding too much or too little, assuming the system makes sense, taking the insurance company’s “final” offer and settle the case without knowing the full extent of their injuries.  In addition, many cases where the injuries from a dog bite are the worst involve children.  If a minor child has been seriously injured by a dog bite, in addition to the work that must be done to settle the case, if the settlement amount exceeds $10,000.00, a Minor Child Settlement Action must be filed to conserve those funds for the child’s medical care before they turn eighteen (18), and to allow the child to be able to use those funds for their own benefit after they turn eighteen (18).  This is designed to protect the funds from unscrupulous adults who may try to spend the child’s settlement funds rather than preserving them for the child’s benefit.  LeBaron & Jensen will file the Minor Child Settlement Action at no additional cost to you.  It is included with our contingency fee.  We then ensure that the settlement money is deposited in a Minor Child Settlement Account with a court order to the financial institution letting them know that they can only release funds if they receive a court order prior to the child’s eighteenth (18^th) birthday.  

In addition, less than 1% of reported dog bite victims are compensated each year. Insurance companies have tough rules and regulations surrounding dog bites and try not to pay much for each claim. Many dog bites go unreported, making it difficult for victims to obtain compensation once they retain legal representation. Most insurance adjusters make lowball offer settlements to  dog bite victims early.  Many who don’t obtain counsel will accept these lowball offers, without realizing that they could have obtained more, only to realize that their damages later in life . With proper reporting and legal representation from the beginning, a personal injury attorney can obtain compensation for a far larger number of claimants. Our attorneys know how to work with insurance companies and will be able to negotiate a fair settlement offer.