Scar and disfigurement claims in Tucson: photos, timing and deadlines
A scar is usually mature around 12 to 18 months after the injury, but in Arizona you generally have just 2 years to sue. So start photos and records on day one. For a Tucson dog bite, report it to the Pima Animal Care Center, which gets every bite report.
Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (32)
When is a scar final, and why does that matter for a Tucson claim?
The timing is tight. A scar matures around 12 to 18 months. The lawsuit deadline is 2 years. That leaves little room to wait and see.
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Photograph the wound with a ruler beside it, in the same light and from the same angle, then every week. |
| First months | Follow your doctor's care. Scars look thicker, pinker, redder or shinier at first. |
| 12 to 18 months | The scar is usually mature. Ask a doctor to document it. |
| Before month 24 | Talk to a lawyer well ahead of the 2-year deadline. |
A scar fades over time, though a trace always remains.
What do I do about a dog bite scar in Tucson?
Report the bite. Pima County says all animal bites must be reported to the Pima Animal Care Center (PACC). Call Animal Protection dispatch at 520-724-5900, ext. 4. Bite complaints are a priority call.
The dog must be quarantined for 10 days, and the owner must show proof of a current rabies shot. Tucson requires a dog on public property to be on a leash no longer than six feet, and requires a fence or enclosure at home, with tie-outs prohibited.
PACC can cite a loose dog's owner if an officer sees it, if two people from different addresses verify it, or with clear photo or video. Photos and names from the scene matter.
Where can I get scar care in Tucson?
Banner University Medical Center Tucson's burn and wound clinic lists plastic surgery for scar repair. Scar treatments include revision, dermabrasion, laser, injections, peels and creams.
Keloid scars are more common under 30 and in some groups, and treatment can make a keloid larger. Ask your surgeon about timing before you settle, because early revision of an immature scar gives poor results.
How does Arizona count a scar in a claim?
Juries are told to weigh past and future pain, disability, disfigurement and anxiety, along with medical costs and lost earnings. Some of those elements overlap, so judges may adjust the instructions.
Arizona's constitution allows no cap on what a jury may award for scars. Settlement terms may not be reported or public, so a stranger's number tells you little.
If a scar comes from a work injury, Arizona comp can pay up to 18 months for head or face disfigurement.
What if my child has a scar from an accident in Tucson?
Time under 18 does not count toward the 2-year deadline. A claim notice to a public agency is due 180 days after the minor turns 18. For a child with scars, a judge has to approve the settlement under probate Rule 53 before it binds.
If it happened at a Tucson Unified school, claims go to Risk Management at 1010 E. Tenth St., 520-225-6601. TUSD says it does not pay for accidental injuries on campus.
Questions
Should I have scar surgery before I settle?
Ask your surgeon first. Early revision of an immature scar gives poor results. A lawyer can ask for future surgery costs in the claim.
Is a scar settlement taxable?
A settlement for physical scarring is generally not taxed, unless you deducted the medical costs in an earlier year.
How long do I have to file against the City of Tucson?
180 days. File with the City Clerk, and email [email protected] is preferred.
What if the dog was loose and I do not know the owner?
Tell PACC what you saw, and give any photo, video or witness names. Your claim still has the same 2-year clock.
Scars and disfigurement in Tucson? See if you are owed money.
A free case review. $0 upfront. No fee unless you win.
See if I’m owed moneySources (32)
- PubMed Central (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “it takes around 12-18 months for the scar to mature”
- A.R.S. § 12-542, checked 2026-11-08. “within two years after the cause of action accrues”
- Pima County, Pet Owner Resources, checked 2026-11-08. “All animal bites must be reported to the Pima Animal Care Center”
- PubMed Central (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “Immature scars are prone to hypertrophy and give poor results after scar revision.”
- PubMed Central (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “scar revision will improve and not erase the scar”
- pima.gov, checked 2026-11-08. “You can contact Animal Protection Services Dispatchers by calling 520-724-5900, ext. 4.”
- Revised Arizona Jury Instructions (Civil), Personal Injury Damages 1, checked 2026-11-09. “The pain, discomfort, suffering, disability, disfigurement, and anxiety already experienced, and reasonably probable to be experienced in the future.”
- A.R.S. 12-502, checked 2026-11-09. “the period of such disability shall not be deemed a portion of the period limited for commencement of the action”
- MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “Scars are often thicker, as well as pinker, redder, or shinier, than the rest of your skin.”
- MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “Scars usually fade over time but never go away completely.”
- Pima Animal Care Center, I Need Help With, checked 2026-11-08. “Every animal that bites and breaks skin must undergo a 10-day quarantine.”
- Pima Animal Care Center, I Need Help With, checked 2026-11-08. “must provide proof of a current rabies vaccination”
- Tucson City Code 4-97, checked 2026-11-08. “not more than six (6) feet in length”
- Tucson City Code 4-97, checked 2026-11-08. “Tieouts are prohibited.”
- Pima County, Loose Animals, checked 2026-11-08. “Two people, from different physical addresses, can verify incident”
- Banner Health, Banner University Tucson Burn Services, checked 2026-11-09. “burn unit at Banner – University Medical Center Tucson and our Burn and Complex Wound Care Clinic”
- MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “These include surgical revision, dermabrasion, laser treatments, injections, chemical peels, and creams.”
- MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “Black people, Asians, and Hispanics are more prone to developing keloids.”
- MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “These treatments, especially surgery, sometimes cause the keloid scar to become larger.”
- Revised Arizona Jury Instructions (Civil), Personal Injury Damages 1, checked 2026-11-09. “Reasonable expenses for necessary medical care, treatment, and services already incurred and reasonably probable to be incurred in the future.”
- Revised Arizona Jury Instructions (Civil), Personal Injury Damages 1, checked 2026-11-09. “Lost earnings to date, and any decrease in earning power or capacity in the future.”
- Revised Arizona Jury Instructions (Civil), Personal Injury Damages, checked 2026-11-09. “in some instances can be redundant”
- Arizona Constitution, article 2, section 31, checked 2026-11-09. “No law shall be enacted in this state limiting the amount of damages to be recovered for causing the death or injury of any person”
- U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, Civil Bench and Jury Trials in State Courts, 2005, checked 2026-11-09. “The terms of settlement agreements and other key information for civil cases resolved prior to trial may not be reported to the court or may not be publicly available.”
- A.R.S. § 23-1044, checked 2026-11-09. “For permanent disfigurement about the head or face, including injury to or loss of teeth”
- A.R.S. 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-09. “a minor or an insane or incompetent person may file a claim within one hundred eighty days after the disability ceases”
- Arizona Rules of Probate Procedure, Rule 53, checked 2026-11-09. “no settlement of a claim brought on behalf of a minor or an adult in need of protection is binding on the minor or the adult in need of protection unless it is approved by a judicial officer.”
- Tucson Unified School District, Risk Management, checked 2026-11-09. “520-225-6601 | fax: 520-225-6631 | 1010 E. Tenth St., Tucson, AZ 85719”
- Tucson Unified School District, Risk Management, checked 2026-11-09. “TUSD does not pay for accidental injuries sustained on campus or during extracurricular functions.”
- IRS Publication 4345, checked 2026-11-09. “did not take an itemized deduction for medical expenses related to the injury or sickness in prior years, the full amount is non-taxable”
- A.R.S. § 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-08. “within one hundred eighty days after the cause of action accrues”
- City of Tucson, File a Notice of Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “Claimants have 180 days from an accident or injury to file a claim against the City.”