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California Dog Bite Attorney

A biting dog

Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers represents dog bite victims as well as the families of those who have died as a result of dog bite attacks. A California dog bite attorney at our law firm can help you recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, wrongful death and more.

California holds dog owners strictly liable for most dog bites. This means that victims can usually pursue compensation for dog bites without proving that dog owners are at fault.

Our personal injury lawyers help dog bite victims identify all liable parties, including, in some cases, landlords. Cases involving multiple liable parties may be worth more than cases involving a single party.

Call our experienced dog bite law firm today for a FREE consultation at (800) 718-4658 or contact us if you or a loved one was bitten by a dog in California. Our experienced lawyers have been handling serious dog bite cases since 1990, have extensive experience negotiating dog bite settlements with homeowners and renters insurance companies, and will charge you no legal fee until we win your case.

Key Takeaways

  • California law holds dog owners strictly liable for most dog bites, whether the dog has bitten anyone before or not.
  • Victims may recover compensation for medical care, lost income and pain and suffering after being attacked by a dog.
  • Homeowners or renters insurance will cover many dog bite claims, depending upon the policy and circumstances.
  • California law gives most dog bite victims two years from the date of the bite to file a lawsuit.
  • Dog bite attorneys help victims identify all potentially liable parties, including, in some cases, property managers or landlords.

Table of Contents

Can You Sue Someone if Their Dog Bites You?

Yes, you can sue someone in California if their dog bites you because California’s dog bite laws impose strict liability upon dog owners. California Civil Code Section 3342 holds California dog owners liable for most bites in private or public places, regardless of:

  • If the dog bite was the result of their negligence
  • If the dog had a prior history of biting or aggressive behavior

California dog bite victims do not need to prove that dog owners were negligent or knew their dogs were dangerous, unlike victims in states which follow a “one bite rule.”

California dog owners are usually liable for dog bites that happen in public places or while victims are lawfully on private property, even when the dogs are off-leash at the time of the animal bite.

California dog bite claims typically differ from ordinary negligence claims, since how strict liability works in California does not require proving carelessness on the part of the dog owner.

Potential Exceptions to Strict Liability

Potential exceptions to strict liability for dog bites in California include:

  • The victim was trespassing when they were bitten.
  • The victim provoked the dog prior to being bitten.
  • Government entities which own certain police or military dogs are not strictly liable for dog bites under specific conditions.

Who Can File a California Dog Bite Lawsuit?

Anyone who suffered physical injuries due to being bitten by a dog in a public place or while lawfully on private property can generally file a dog bite lawsuit. This includes mail carriers and utility workers performing their jobs.

Protected claimants include:

  • Invited visitors
  • Neighbors
  • Delivery drivers
  • Postal workers performing a duty imposed by state or federal law

California’s postal employees reported almost 13 dog-related incidents per week in 2025. This is the highest total of any state, according to USPS’s 2025 dog incident rankings.

Landlords and property managers can share liability when they fail to act after knowing a dangerous dog is on their premises. This legal theory has a lot in common with broader premises liability claims.

How Common Are Dog Bite Injuries in California?

Emergency departments in California treat thousands of dog bite injuries each year. The rate has steadily climbed over time.

Emergency departments in California logged an average of around 2,909 dog bite-related visits each month, or about 96 per day, across a 15-year study of statewide emergency department records covering 2005 through 2019.

The dog bite-related emergency department visit rate in California rose around 63 percent over that time period, increasing from 69.2 to 113 visits per 100,000 residents.

Almost three in four bites involving documented locations occurred at residences. That share increased to over nine in 10 regarding children under the age of five.

Common Injuries From California Dog Bites

Who Faces the Highest Risk

Children ages five to nine had the highest emergency department visit rate in the same 15-year California dog bite study. This was 51.6 percent above the study-wide average.

Almost half of all recorded head, face and neck injuries involved children under the age of 10.

Where Injuries Occur on the Body

Around 76 percent of recorded injury locations involved the upper limbs, head, face or neck, according to the study.

Complications That Can Follow a Bite

There were over 1,000 diagnosed wound infections per year, according to the study.

There were around 788 musculoskeletal injuries such as fractures and dislocations per year. This included about 43 skull fractures per year.

Regarding how to treat a dog bite injury before medical care is available, prompt first aid can reduce the risk of infection.

How Much Money Can You Get for a Dog Bite?

Dog bite settlements may range from thousands of dollars or tens of thousands of dollars to millions of dollars, depending primarily on injury severity.

Readers who are deciding if they wish to pursue a claim can obtain a rough starting estimate from a dog bite settlement calculator before they speak with an attorney.

California dog bite victims can typically pursue economic and non-economic damages linked with their injuries.

Economic Damages

Dog bite victims can receive compensation for:

  • Medical bills
  • Lost wages
  • Future earning capacity
  • Scar treatment or revision procedure costs

Past and future medical bills can be compensated, including the costs of surgery, reconstructive care and physical therapy.

Non-Economic Damages

Dog bite victims can seek compensation for:

  • Pain and suffering
  • Emotional distress, including anxiety or fear around dogs
  • Permanent scarring
  • Disfigurement

Wrongful Death

The families of those who died due to dog bites can seek compensation for:

  • The pain and suffering their loved ones endured prior to passing
  • The medical bills their loved ones incurred prior to passing
  • The loss of their loved ones’ income, household services, love, companionship and spousal benefits

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Dog Bites?

An insurance policy

Yes, homeowners insurance will often cover dog bite injuries. In fact, most dog bite claims are paid by dog owners’ homeowners or renters insurance instead of out-of-pocket.

Standard homeowners insurance policies usually cover dog bites via their personal liability and medical payment sections.

Personal liability coverage pays for medical bills, lost wages, legal fees and settlement costs when dogs bite those outside the household.

Medical payments coverage can cover minor medical expenses for guests who are hurt in the home regardless of fault.

Liability protection often follows dog owners and their dogs away from home, like during walks or at public parks.

Household members typically aren’t covered.

Some insurance companies exclude specific, high-risk breeds like pit bulls.

Dogs with documented histories of aggression may be excluded by policies.

California generated an estimated $208.4 million worth of dog-related injury claim value in 2024, according to Insurance Information Institute and State Farm data.

The average dog bite claim in California cost around $86,229 in 2024. This is about 24 percent higher than the national average.

The number of California claims rose around 15 percent from 2023 to 2024. Total claim value rose around 45 percent over that same year.

California accounted for about one in nine dog-related injury insurance claims across the United States in 2024.

When it comes to insurance covering dog bite injuries, though, dog bite injury victims without lawyers may find themselves facing settlement offers they feel are inadequate from insurance companies.

While past results do not guarantee future outcomes, all cases are unique and results depend on cases’ specific facts, a Martindale-Nolo survey found that victims of injuries who hire attorneys recover $77,600 on average, while those who do not recover only $17,600 on average. The survey found that victims of injuries who hire lawyers recover nearly three times as much money as those who do not, even after attorney fees are taken into account.

Call us today for a FREE case evaluation if you or a loved one has been bitten by a dog in California. Our legal team can protect your legal rights and help you seek fair compensation from the insurance company.

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Dog Bites off Property?

Yes. Standard homeowners insurance will typically cover dog bites which happen off-property via their personal liability coverage. It will typically pay for medical bills, legal fees and settlement costs after bites that happen at parks, on sidewalks or during walks.

Does Renters Insurance Cover Dog Bites?

Yes, standard renters insurance will typically cover dog bites under their personal liability protection.

It will cover medical expenses for guests or strangers who are bitten at home or off-property, like at parks.

Household members are typically excluded.

High-risk breeds like pit bulls are often excluded.

Dogs with previous bite histories may be excluded.

Those bitten by dogs may find themselves staring at settlement offers they deem inadequate from insurers.

While past results do not guarantee future outcomes, all cases are unique and results depend on cases’ specific facts, a 2019 study found that injury victims who hire lawyers receive 31 percent more financial compensation than those who don’t.

Call us today for a FREE consultation if you or a loved one was bitten by a dog in California. We can help you seek fair compensation from a renters insurance company.

Do I Need a Lawyer for a Dog Bite?

You aren’t legally required to hire a lawyer for a personal injury case involving a dog bite in California.

However, it is strongly recommended to consult with an attorney to discuss your legal options if you have serious injuries or if an insurance company is disputing liability or refusing to offer you what you believe is a fair settlement offer.

While past results do not guarantee future outcomes, all cases are unique and results depend on cases’ specific facts, studies and surveys show that injury victims who hire lawyers, on average, recover more money than those who don’t.

In addition, it takes an average of 10 months for injury victims to recover financial compensation when they hire attorneys, and 18 months when they don’t, according to an Insurance Research Council survey.

Also, injury victims who hire attorneys recover financial compensation 84 percent of the time, and those who don’t only recover money 56 percent of the time, according to the National Center for State Courts.

Dog bite attorneys can help you secure fair compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, wrongful death and more.

A dog bite lawyer can:

  • Investigate your dog bite incident, collecting and preserving witness statements, police reports, photos and medical records
  • Handle all communication and negotiation with insurance companies so you don’t need to say anything which might hurt your case
  • Accurately calculate your total losses in order to figure out the true cost of your medical expenses, future plastic surgery, lost wages and/or emotional pain
  • File a lawsuit for you if the insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement, making sure the lawsuit is filed properly and on time

How Much Does a Dog Bite Lawsuit Cost?

Most dog bite lawyers in California work on a contingency fee basis.

This means that you are not charged legal fees until and unless they win your case. The only legal fee you are charged is a percentage of any compensation recovered.

How Long Does a Dog Bite Lawsuit Take?

A dog bite case will typically take from three months to a year or more to settle, and one to two years if the case goes to a full trial.

However, most dog bite cases in California end up settling before reaching courtroom verdicts.

Cases involving minor injuries, cooperative insurance companies and clear fault may last three to six months.

Cases requiring time for finishing medical treatment and negotiating payouts may last six to 12 months.

Complex cases which involve severe injuries, formal lawsuits that go to trial, or disputed fault may last one to two years.

Severe injuries, disputed fault and uncooperative insurers are factors which can delay resolution of a dog bite case.

How to Choose a Lawyer for Dog Attack Injuries

Some key factors for hiring a California dog bite lawyer include:

  • Experience with California’s strict liability laws that hold dog owners responsible for bites even when the dogs don’t have a history of aggression
  • Experience handling personal injury claims involving dealing with homeowners or renters insurance companies
  • A solid track record with positive past results, settlement and trial experience regarding dog bite cases
  • A contingency fee structure, meaning you don’t pay legal fees unless they recover compensation for you

Additional factors for hiring dog bite attorneys include communication style and experience with animal attacks.

The legal process regarding dog bite cases includes negotiating with and insurance company prior to possibly filing a lawsuit. A good dog bite lawyer will be a tough negotiator with extensive experience negotiating dog bite settlements with insurance companies.

Steps you should take before hiring a dog bite lawyer include:

  • Schedule a consultation; most personal injury lawyers offer a free initial consultation to review your case facts.
  • Ask questions, like who will handle your case on a day-to-day basis and how often you will be provided updates by them.
  • Gather medical records, photos of your injuries and any police or animal control reports, since the lawyer will probably want to see these.

What to Do if a Dog Bites You

First, immediately perform first aid.

Stop the bleeding by using a sterile bandage or clean cloth to apply gentle pressure to the wound.

Next, clean the wound thoroughly by running warm tap water and mild soap over the dog bite for several minutes. Do not perform harsh scrubbing.

Next, put on a thin layer of antibacterial or antibiotic cream.

Finally cover the wound with a clean, dry, nonstick sterile bandage.

Obtain medical treatment immediately after being bitten by a dog and performing first aid, since infection is a major risk. In addition, waiting too long to seek medical treatment can jeopardize your dog bite case.

Call 911 or seek immediate emergency care if:

  • The bleeding is heavy and won’t stop after 15 minutes of pressure.
  • The bite is deep or located on your face, hands, feet, head or neck.
  • You show signs of a severe injury or a crush injury.
  • You need a tetanus booster or rabies evaluation.

Get the name, phone number and address of the dog owner.

Ask for the dog’s vet records and rabies vaccination status.

Take pictures of your injury and write down details about the incident.

Report your dog bite to animal control and local authorities.

Finally, consult with an experienced dog bite lawyer to discuss your legal rights and options.

How Long After a Dog Bite Can You Sue?

California’s statute of limitations for most dog bite claims is two years. This means you must file a lawsuit within two years of the date of the dog bite, and failure to do so can forever bar you from recovering compensation for your dog bite injuries.

There are exceptions which can extend or shorten the deadline which depend on the age of the victim or if a government entity is involved.

It’s wise to consult with an experienced dog bite attorney as soon as possible after a dog bite, regardless of the deadline, as getting your case started promptly allows for important evidence to be preserved. It also gives your attorney as much time as possible to build a strong case for you and negotiate with insurance companies before filing a lawsuit.

Get a Free Case Review From a California Dog Bite Attorney

Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers

You did not ask for a dog to bite you. You should not have to pay for your medical bills alone.

You deserve to have someone help you heal and prevent you from drowning in medical costs.

Our strong legal team can help you collect proof, negotiate with insurers, and fight for justice.

To us, you’re not just a dog bite client, you’re a human being who deserves to feel whole and safe again.

Call us today for a FREE consultation at (800) 718-4658 or contact us if you or a loved one has been bitten by a dog in California. We can help you seek the fair compensation you deserve and we will charge you no legal fee until we win your case.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Happens If the Dog Owner Does Not Have Insurance?

Victims can pursue claims directly against dog owners’ personal assets when dog owners lack insurance.

However, recovering financial compensation may be more difficult if insurance coverage is not in place.

Can I File a Claim If a Family Member’s Dog Bit My Child?

Yes. California’s strict liability law doesn’t require that victims and dog owners be unrelated.

However, family dynamics may complicate the unfolding of the claims process.

Does It Matter What Breed of Dog Bit Me?

No. California’s strict liability law applies regardless of breed.

Liability doesn’t depend on if a breed is commonly considered to be dangerous.

As for whether certain breeds face added legal restrictions in California, some cities do separately regulate specific breeds, but this does not affect liability in dog bite cases.

Can I Still Recover Damages If I Was Partly at Fault for the Incident?

Yes. California follows a comparative fault rule.

In essence, this means that if you are found 20 percent at fault for a dog bite incident, the amount of compensation you will qualify for will be reduced by that 20 percent.

So, if you suffered $100,000 in damages due to a dog bite and were found 20 percent at fault for the dog bite, you’d still be able to recover damages. The amount you’d be able to recover would simply be reduced by 20 percent of that $100,000, meaning $20,000. So, you’d qualify to recover $80,000 in damages.

An experienced California dog bite law firm can help reduce the percentage of fault assigned to you if you were partially at fault for your dog bite injuries.

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