The Faerber Law Firm Blog

By Jared Faerber of The Faerber Law Firm

A dog attack may last only a few seconds, but the physical and emotional scars can last a lifetime. Utah law is appropriately favorable to victims of dog bites. Under Utah law, a dog owner is liable for injuries caused by his or her dog whether or not that dog has previously bitten others or shown signs of being vicious.   Lawyers call this strict liability, or liability without fault.  It is an easier standard than negligence because it does not require the plaintiff to show carelessness on the part of the dog owner.  While there are still some defenses in Utah, generally, all a plaintiff must show is that the defendant owned or kept the dog and that the dog harmed the plaintiff.

In my experience with these types of cases, there is often insurance coverage available, specifically home owner’s insurance,  to satisfy claims made against dog owners.  Dog bite victims should remember that they may need future medical care such as scar revision surgery from a plastic surgeon.  In other cases I have handled, the victims required physical therapy to rehabilitate damaged muscles.   It is also important to remember that scars, particularly on the face, can result in permanent psychological damage and self-esteem issues.

Another tragic aspect of these types of cases is that most of them are completely avoidable by the dog owners.  With proper training, socialization, control, and confinement, dogs can be safely kept. When these practices are not observed, terrible injuries can occur.