Owners and Keepers Are Strictly Liable in Utah

By the FigureMyTax Editorial Team · How we calculate

Utah is a strict liability state, and the statute covers keepers as well as owners.

The statute

UCA 18-1-1 provides that 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, or whether the owner knows it is. The official chapter text is on the Legislature's site.

No one-bite rule

One legal blog explains that Utah does not follow a "one free bite" rule; you do not need proof of an earlier bite or of the owner's knowledge.

Damages follow comparative fault

The statute says damages are determined under UCA 78B-5-818, so your own fault can reduce them.

Several dogs

If two or more dogs acting together are owned or kept by different people, they may be sued in one action, and the damages are apportioned among them with several judgments.

Deadline

Dog injury claims are personal injury claims, generally under the four-year period in UCA 78B-2-307.

This is general information, not legal advice, and the state comparisons above are illustrative, not an exhaustive survey. Confirm how Utah's rules apply to your specific case with a licensed Utah attorney.