Gun Injury Lawyers in Phoenix

Most residents living in Arizona have experience with firearms. For those living in Phoenix, firearms offer a way to hunt, shoot recreationally, or provide personal protection for their family. However, a lack of gun safety often leads to accidental shootings and increased injuries caused by the gun owner’s negligence or misuse.

Common causes of accidental shootings in Phoenix include mishandling firearms, improper storage, or confusion between real and toy guns. Unfortunately, many gun accidents often occur when a person consumes alcohol or drugs, which impairs their judgment and increases the likelihood of an accident.

Children up to the age of 14 are particularly vulnerable to gun accidents in Arizona due primarily to a lack of proper gun safety education and access to firearms. In Arizona, guns must be locked and stored when not in use. Children often do not know how to handle firearms properly and can be exposed to guns that are not appropriately secured.

Types of Gun-Related Injury Cases

It’s no secret that Arizona has lots of guns. And with more guns being sold weekly in the state to first-time owners, the likelihood of accidental shootings increases exponentially. Some types of firearm accidents that Torgenson Law handles include:

• Hunting accidents. It is a common occurrence for gun accidents to happen during hunting trips. A common accident on hunting trips occurs when a hunter mistakes a human for an animal. Inexperienced hunters unfamiliar with their firearms can also lead to misfires and accidental shootings.
• Intentional shootings. Intentional shooting incidents can occur at a moment’s notice. These cases often stem from disputes or a misidentified threat to one’s personal safety.
• Improper storage. The improper storage of a gun, specifically the failure to secure a loaded firearm, can often lead to an accidental shooting.
• Accidents caused by gun owner negligence. Gun owners fooling around with a firearm can result in an accidental shooting that ends in injury or death. A gun owner has the responsibility to safely store and operate their firearm.
• Accidents at firing ranges. Firing ranges are one of the safest places to shoot guns. However, accidents do happen when proper safety protocols are not enforced or followed. The owner and managers of the firing range have a legal duty to ensure proper safety measures are understood and followed.
• Design flaws or manufacturing defects cause accidents. Accidental shootings can occur from firearm manufacturing defects. Mechanical defects can cause the gun to accidentally discharge or misfire, injuring the owner or third party.
• Accidents involving drug or alcohol use. Perhaps one of the more common causes of gun accidents is alcohol or drug use while carrying a gun can lead to devastating accidents. These accidents can occur in any situation where a firearm is present. These incidents commonly occur in conjunction with domestic violence.

Regardless of the type, gun-related injuries can be both physically and emotionally traumatic. If you or someone you know has suffered from gun violence, it is important to contact Torgenson Law’s gun injury lawyers in Phoenix who can help evaluate your case and work to get you compensation for your injuries.

Phoenix Gun Laws

Phoenix gun laws are in place to protect citizens of the community, as well as help make sure firearms are used responsibly. The most common gun laws in Phoenix involve the following:

• Background checks must be performed before purchasing a firearm from a dealer
• Waiting periods are in place before purchasing a firearm to ensure that those purchasing firearms are not acting in haste
• Persons convicted of certain felonies are not permitted to purchase firearms
• Concealed carry permits have specific requirements and must be renewed yearly
• The firearm must be legal under state law
• Magazines with more than ten rounds can only be used at shooting ranges
• Carrying firearms on school grounds is illegal

These Phoenix gun laws are designed to ensure that firearms are being purchased and used safely and responsibly. Although gun ownership is legal and readily available in Arizona, proper care must be taken to ensure firearms are stored safely, permitting laws are followed, and no firearm is misused or abused.

Firearm Liability Law: Who Can Be Sued

Under Arizona’s firearm liability law, an injured party may bring a civil action against the firearm’s owner or custodian for unlawful use of the firearm. This includes any wrongful act or omission that causes injury or death to another person or damages another person’s property resulting from using or misusing a firearm.

The owner and custodian could include anyone who is the actual owner, lessee, or sublessee of the property on which a firearm is located or is the authorized agent or representative of the owner or custodian of the firearm. If a minor owns the gun, the minor’s parents or guardians can be held liable for any damages.

In the event of an accidental shooting, the gun’s manufacturer or seller may also be subject to liability if any negligence in the production or sale of the gun resulted in injury or death. Arizona’s firearm liability law applies to anyone who owns or has possession of a firearm, including a person renting, borrowing, or giving the firearm to another.

Under the law, either party in a shooting incident can be held liable for any injuries or deaths that result from its misuse. This law allows victims of firearm-related injuries, death, or damages to sue for extra compensation from the party legally responsible for the incident. For example, victims could file a lawsuit against the shooter, the gun’s owner, the gun manufacturer, or ammunition suppliers who created a defective, unsafe, or unlawful firearm.

This law also extends to any person with reasonable grounds to believe that their firearm use would injure or create a reasonable risk of injury to another person. Essentially, the gun owner, shooter, and any party with a duty of care to ensure that a firearm is handled responsibly may all be held liable under this law.

If you are unsure of Arizona’s gun liability laws, contact Torgenson Law’s gun injury lawyers in Phoenix for an explanation of your rights and a free case evaluation.

Liability in a Firearm Accident or Shooting Injury Case

Liability in a firearm accident or shooting injury case in Arizona depends on the facts of the particular case. In some instances, the victim of an accident or shooting may bring a claim for negligence against the owner of the gun used in the accident or shooting.Negligence is when a person fails to take reasonable care of a firearm, resulting in an accident or injury to another.

In Arizona, the person who owns the firearm is the primary party liable for any incident resulting from its use or possession. This includes the owner’s negligence in handling and storing the weapon and any use of the weapon that is criminal in nature.

Contact Torgenson Law Today

If you or a loved one has been affected by the negligence or misuse of a firearm, contact our  experienced gun injury attorneys and let us guide you through the process of filing a claim for compensation. Please call us at 602-726-0747, or get in touch with us online for a confidential consultation.