18-1 - Injuries by Dogs

Title 18 > 18-1

Sections (4)

18-1-1 - Liability and damages for dog injury — Exceptions.

18-1-1(1) Except as provided in Subsections (2) and (3), an individual who owns or keeps a dog is liable for an injury caused by the dog, regardless of whether:the dog is vicious or mischievous; orthe owner knows the dog is vicious or mischievous.Damages for an injury described in Subsection (1)(a) shall be determined in accordance with Section 78B-5-818. 18-1-1(2) Neither the state nor any county, city, or town in the state nor any peace officer employed by the state, a county, a city, or a town is liable in damages for an injury caused by a dog, if:the dog and the dog’s law enforcement handler are trained to assist in law enforcement and are certified according to the standards adopted in Title 53, Chapter 6, Part 4, Law Enforcement Canine Team Certification Act;the governmental agency has adopted a written policy on the necessary and appropriate use of dogs in official law enforcement duties;the actions of the dog’s handler do not violate the agency’s written policy; andthe injury occurs while the dog is reasonably and carefully being used in the apprehension, arrest, or location of a suspected offender or in maintaining or controlling the public order. 18-1-1(3) An individual who owns or keeps a dog is not liable for an injury or death caused by the dog if:the injury or death is to another animal;the injury or death occurs:on the individual’s private property; andwhile the dog is reasonably secured within a fence or other enclosure; andthe animal described in Subsection (3)(a) entered the individual’s private property without consent; orthe injury or death is to a trespasser who is in violation of Subsection 76-6-206(2); andthe injury or death occurs:on the individual’s private property; andwhile the dog is reasonably secured within a fence or other enclosure.

18-1-2 - Dogs acting together — Actions — Parties — Judgment.

Where any injury has been committed by two or more dogs acting together and such dogs are owned or kept by different persons, all such persons may be joined as defendants in the same action to recover damages therefor, and the amount found by the court or jury as damages for such injury shall be apportioned among the several defendants found liable and judgment shall be entered severally against them for the amount so apportioned.

18-1-3 - Dogs attacking domestic animals, service animals, hoofed protected wildlife, or domestic fowls.

Any person may injure or kill a dog while: 18-1-3(1) the dog is attacking, chasing, or worrying:

a domestic animal having a commercial value; a service animal, as defined in Section 26B-6-801; or any species of hoofed protected wildlife; 18-1-3(2) the dog is attacking domestic fowls; or 18-1-3(3) the dog is being pursued for committing an act described in Subsection (1) or (2).

18-1-4 - Use of arbitration in personal injury from dog attack cases.

18-1-4(1) A person injured as a result of a dog attack may elect to submit all third party bodily injury claims to arbitration by filing a notice of the submission of the claim to binding arbitration in a court if:the claimant or the claimant’s representative has:previously and timely filed a complaint in a court that includes a third party bodily injury claim; andfiled a notice to submit the claim to arbitration within 14 days after the complaint has been answered; andthe notice required under Subsection (1)(a)(ii) is filed while the action under Subsection (1)(a)(i) is still pending. 18-1-4(2) If a party submits a bodily injury claim to arbitration under Subsection (1), the party submitting the claim or the party’s representative is limited to an arbitration award that may not exceed $50,000inadditiontoanymedicalpremisebenefitsandanyclaimforpropertydamage.Apartywhoelectstoproceedagainstadefendantunderthissection:waivestherighttoobtainajudgmentagainstthepersonalassetsofthedefendant;andislimitedtorecoveryonlyagainstavailablelimitsofinsurancecoverage.\ast \ast 18-1-4(3)\ast \ast AclaimforpunitivedamagesmaynotbemadeinanarbitrationproceedingunderSubsection(1)oranysubsequentproceeding,eveniftheclaimislaterresolvedthroughatrialdenovounderSubsection(11).\ast \ast 18-1-4(4)\ast \ast Apartywhohaselectedarbitrationunderthissectionmayrescindthepart{y}^{\prime }selectioniftherescissionismadewithin:90daysaftertheelectiontoarbitrate;andnolessthan30daysbeforeanyscheduledarbitrationhearing.ApartyseekingtorescindanelectiontoarbitrateunderthisSubsection(4)shall:fileanoticeoftherescissionoftheelectiontoarbitratewiththecourtinwhichthematterwasfiled;andsendcopiesofthenoticeoftherescissionoftheelectiontoarbitratetoallcounselofrecordtotheaction.AlldiscoverycompletedinanticipationofthearbitrationhearingshallbeavailableforusebythepartiesasallowedbytheUtahRulesofCivilProcedureandtheUtahRulesofEvidence.ApartywhohaselectedtoarbitrateunderthissectionandthenrescindedtheelectiontoarbitrateunderthisSubsection(4)maynotelecttoarbitratetheclaimunderthissectionagain.\ast \ast 18-1-4(5)\ast \ast Unlessotherwiseagreedtobythepartiesorbyorderofthecourt,anarbitrationprocesselectedunderthissectionissubjecttoRule26,UtahRulesofCivilProcedure.Unlessotherwiseagreedtobythepartiesororderedbythecourt,discoveryshallbecompletedwithin150daysafterthedatearbitrationiselectedunderthissectionorthedatetheanswerisfiled,whicheverislonger.\ast \ast 18-1-4(6)\ast \ast Unlessotherwiseagreedtoinwritingbytheparties,aclaimthatissubmittedtoarbitrationunderthissectionshallberesolvedbyasinglearbitrator.Unlessotherwiseagreedtobythepartiesororderedbythecourt,allpartiesshallagreeonthesinglearbitratorselectedunderSubsection(6)(a)within90daysoftheanswerofthedefendant.IfthepartiesareunabletoagreeonasinglearbitratorasrequiredunderSubsection(6)(b),thepartiesshallselectapanelofthreearbitrators.IfthepartiesselectapanelofthreearbitratorsunderSubsection(6)(c):eachsideshallselectonearbitrator;andthearbitratorsselectedunderSubsection(6)(d)(i)shallselectoneadditionalarbitratortobeincludedinthepanel.\ast \ast 18-1-4(7)\ast \ast Unlessotherwiseagreedtoinwriting:eachpartyshallpayanequalshareofthefeesandcostsofthearbitratorselectedunderSubsection(6)(a);andifanarbitrationpanelisselectedunderSubsection(6)(d):eachpartyshallpaythefeesandcostsofthearbitratorselectedbythatpart{y}^{\prime }sside;andeachpartyshallpayanequalshareofthefeesandcostsofthearbitratorselectedunderSubsection(6)(d)(ii).\ast \ast 18-1-4(8)\ast \ast Exceptasotherwiseprovidedinthissectionandunlessotherwiseagreedtoinwritingbytheparties,anarbitrationproceedingconductedunderthissectionshallbegovernedbyTitle78B,Chapter11,UtahUniformArbitrationAct.\ast \ast 18-1-4(9)\ast \ast Subjecttotheprovisionsofthissection,theUtahRulesofCivilProcedureandtheUtahRulesofEvidenceapplytothearbitrationproceeding.TheUtahRulesofCivilProcedureandtheUtahRulesofEvidenceshallbeappliedliberallywiththeintentofconcludingtheclaiminatimelyandcost-efficientmanner.DiscoveryshallbeconductedinaccordancewiththeUtahRulesofCivilProcedureandshallbesubjecttothejurisdictionofthecourtinwhichthematterisfiled.Dispositivemotionsshallbefiled,heard,anddecidedbythecourtpriortothearbitrationproceedinginaccordancewiththecour{t}^{\prime }sschedulingorder.\ast \ast 18-1-4(10)\ast \ast Awrittendecisionbyasinglearbitratororbyamajorityofthearbitrationpanelshallconstituteafinaldecision.\ast \ast 18-1-4(11)\ast \ast Anarbitrationawardissuedunderthissectionshallbethefinalresolutionofallbodilyinjuryclaimsbetweenthepartiesandmaybereducedtojudgmentbythecourtuponmotionandnoticeunless:eitherparty,within20daysafterserviceofthearbitrationaward:filesanoticerequestingatrialdenovointhecourt;andservesthenonmovingpartywithacopyofthenoticerequestingatrialdenovounderSubsection(11)(a)(i);orthearbitrationawardhasbeensatisfied.\ast \ast 18-1-4(12)\ast \ast UponfilinganoticerequestingatrialdenovounderSubsection(11):unlessotherwisestipulatedtobythepartiesororderedbythecourt,anadditional90daysshallbeallowedforfurtherdiscovery;theadditionaldiscoverytimeunderSubsection(12)(a)(i)shallrunfromthenoticeofappeal;andtheclaimshallproceedthroughlitigationpursuanttotheUtahRulesofCivilProcedureandtheUtahRulesofEvidenceinthecourt.InaccordancewiththeUtahRulesofCivilProcedure,eitherpartymayrequestajurytrialwitharequestfortrialdenovofiledunderSubsection(11).\ast \ast 18-1-4(13)\ast \ast Iftheplaintiff,asthemovingpartyinatrialdenovorequestedunderSubsection(11),doesnotobtainaverdictthatisatleast$5,000 and is at least 30% greater than the arbitration award, the plaintiff is responsible for all of the nonmoving party’s costs.Except as provided in Subsection (13)(c), the costs under Subsection (13)(a) shall include:any costs set forth in Rule 54(d), Utah Rules of Civil Procedure; andthe costs of expert witnesses and depositions.An award of costs under this Subsection (13) may not exceed $6,000.\ast \ast 18-1-4(14)\ast \ast Ifadefendant,asthemovingpartyinatrialdenovorequestedunderSubsection(11),doesnotobtainaverdictthatisatleast30$6,000. 18-1-4(15) For purposes of determining whether a party’s verdict is greater or less than the arbitration award under Subsections (13) and (14), a court may not consider any recovery or other relief granted on a claim for damages if the claim for damages was not disclosed in:writing prior to the arbitration proceeding; orresponse to discovery contrary to the Utah Rules of Civil Procedure. 18-1-4(16) If a court determines, upon a motion of the nonmoving party, that the moving party’s use of the trial de novo process was filed in bad faith, as described in Section 78B-5-825, the court may award reasonable attorney fees to the nonmoving party. 18-1-4(17) Nothing in this section is intended to affect or prevent any first party claim from later being brought under any first party insurance policy under which the injured person is a covered person. 18-1-4(18) If a defendant requests a trial de novo under Subsection (11), the total verdict at trial may not exceed $15,000aboveanyavailablelimitsofinsurancecoverageandthetotalverdictmaynotexceed$65,000.If a plaintiff requests a trial de novo under Subsection (11), the verdict at trial may not exceed $50,000. 18-1-4(19) All arbitration awards issued under this section shall bear postjudgment interest pursuant to Section 15-1-4.