questions & answers

Question: We had an installer for a cable company in our house. My dog broke through the gate and bit his pants which scraped his leg. No puncture through the skin, no bleeding. Not trying to minimize what happened. It was scary. He put in a claim with his workmans comp. Now the Workmans Comp insurance company is sending us notices that we are responible to re-emburse them. The notice says "Medical Lein" Is this legal? They are being paid by the company and they also want to collect from us? The letter says I should submit a claim to my home owners insurance. Help? Thank you, J

Answer: Arizona's dog bite statute, A.R.S., section 11-1025 makes the dog's owner liable for any injuries caused by the dog bite.  When the installer put in a claim with Workers' Compensation, the compensation carrier was given the right to recapture any money it paid on the claim from the dog's owner.  In a nutshell, yes, they are entitled to a medical lien.  You may want to contact your homeowners insurance.