Premises Liability & Dog Bite Lawyers in Phoenix, Arizona
When you are injured on someone else's property — whether it's a grocery store, a neighbor's yard, or a public park — the law holds property owners responsible for maintaining a safe environment. "Premises liability" is the legal term for that responsibility, and when owners fail to uphold it, you have the right to pursue full compensation for your injuries.
At Caruso Injury Law, we handle slip and fall accidents, dog bite attacks, negligent security claims, and all other premises liability cases across Arizona. We know exactly how property owners and their insurers fight these claims — and how to beat them.
Common Premises Liability Cases We Handle in Arizona
Not every injury on someone else's property qualifies as a premises liability claim, but many do. Cases we regularly handle include:
- Slip and Fall Accidents — Wet floors, icy walkways, uneven pavement, and unmarked hazards in stores, restaurants, and public spaces
- Trip and Fall Accidents — Broken sidewalks, torn carpeting, poor lighting, and other property defects that cause falls
- Dog Bites and Animal Attacks — Injuries caused by aggressive dogs or other animals on private or public property
- Negligent Security — Assaults, robberies, or attacks that occur because a property owner failed to provide adequate lighting, locks, or security personnel
- Swimming Pool Accidents — Drownings and injuries caused by unsafe pool conditions or inadequate barriers
- Construction Zone Hazards — Injuries to visitors or bystanders caused by unsafe construction conditions on a property
- Falling Objects — Items falling from shelves, scaffolding, or overhead storage due to improper securing
Arizona Premises Liability Law: What You Need to Prove
To win a premises liability case in Arizona, we must establish three things:
- The hazard existed — A dangerous condition was present on the property
- The owner knew or should have known — The owner was aware of the hazard or it existed long enough that they should have discovered it
- The owner failed to act — They did not fix the hazard or warn visitors about it in a reasonable timeframe
Insurance companies almost always attack element two — arguing the hazard was too new for the owner to have known about it. Alec J. Caruso spent years making exactly that argument on the defense side. He knows how to counter it with maintenance logs, surveillance footage, incident report histories, and witness testimony that proves the danger was known and ignored.
Arizona Dog Bite Law: Strict Liability Means You Don't Have to Prove the Dog Was Dangerous
Arizona is a strict liability state for dog bites under Arizona Revised Statutes § 11-1025. This is one of the strongest dog bite laws in the country and it works directly in your favor.
In most states, you have to prove the dog had a history of aggression — the so-called "one bite rule." In Arizona, that does not apply. If a dog bites you in a public place or while you are lawfully on private property, the owner is liable. Period. It does not matter if the dog has never bitten anyone before. It does not matter if the owner claims the dog is friendly.
This applies to children especially. Dog bites are one of the leading causes of serious injury among children in Arizona, and attacks often happen at the homes of people the family knows. That should never stop you from pursuing a claim.
We Handle the Awkward Conversations
Many premises liability and dog bite cases involve someone the injured person knows — a neighbor, a friend, a family member's landlord. Clients often feel guilty about moving forward because they don't want to create conflict or cause financial hardship to someone they care about.
Here is the reality: in almost every case, we are not pursuing the individual. We are pursuing their homeowner's insurance, renter's insurance, or business liability policy. That is exactly what those policies exist for. The property owner pays premiums for this protection — your claim is the system working as intended.
We handle every interaction professionally and diplomatically. You focus on recovery. We handle the rest.
How Insurance Companies Fight Premises Liability Claims
Slip and fall and premises liability cases are among the most aggressively defended claims in personal injury law. Insurers know that juries are sometimes skeptical of these cases, and they use that to their advantage.
Their go-to tactic is victim blaming — arguing you were not watching where you were going, that you were wearing inappropriate footwear, or that the hazard was "open and obvious." Alec Caruso used these arguments as a defense attorney. Now he anticipates them, prepares for them, and dismantles them before they gain traction.
We move quickly to preserve evidence — pulling surveillance footage before it is overwritten, securing maintenance records, photographing hazards, and locking down witness statements. In premises cases, speed is everything. Evidence disappears fast and property owners have every incentive to fix the hazard and claim it never existed.
What Compensation Can You Recover in a Premises Liability Case?
Depending on the severity of your injury, we pursue compensation for:
- Medical Bills — All past and future treatment including emergency care, surgery, and rehabilitation
- Lost Wages — Income lost during recovery and future earning capacity if your injury is long-term
- Pain and Suffering — Physical pain and emotional distress caused by the injury and recovery process
- Scarring and Disfigurement — Particularly relevant in dog bite cases involving facial injuries
- Psychological Trauma — Anxiety, PTSD, and fear responses following a violent animal attack or serious fall
- Punitive Damages — In cases involving gross negligence such as knowingly ignoring a dangerous condition
*Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Each case is unique. Clients may be responsible for certain case costs regardless of outcome. Alec Caruso is licensed to practice law in Arizona and is not certified as a specialist by the State Bar of Arizona.
