Orange County Dog Bite Lawyer

Yes, for most bites. California has no “one free bite” rule for bites. Civil Code § 3342 makes the owner liable for a bite in a public place or while the injured person was lawfully on private property, including the owner’s home, regardless of the dog’s history or what the owner knew. Exceptions include trespassers, certain police and military dog bites, and veterinarians and kennel workers who took on the risk.

To the animal control agency for the city where the bite happened. OC Animal Care takes reports for the unincorporated areas and the cities it serves, including Anaheim, Orange, Tustin, Huntington Beach, and Fullerton. Irvine and Santa Ana run their own animal services through their police departments. Call 911 in an emergency.

It is generally quarantined for 10 days to watch for signs of rabies, often at the owner’s home. OC Animal Care says a bite report is a public health step, not a finding of fault. Removing or destroying a dog is a separate process: a hearing if the dog is found vicious under the Food and Agricultural Code (§§ 31603, 31645), or a court action under Civil Code § 3342.5 after two separate bites.

Often, yes, but not under the dog bite statute, which covers only bites. A knockdown claim generally rests on negligence, such as letting a dog run loose, or on the owner’s knowledge that the dog was dangerous (CACI Nos. 400, 462). Breaking a leash law can raise a presumption of negligence when the law was meant to prevent that kind of injury (Evidence Code § 669), and in unincorporated Orange County and cities that follow the county code, a dog on public property must be on a leash no longer than six feet. Witnesses and video often matter most.

Sometimes. California generally does not hold landlords liable for tenants’ dogs. The exception applies when the landlord knew or must have known the dog was dangerous and could have taken reasonable measures to prevent the harm, for example by ending the lease, but did not (CACI No. 1013). Complaints to the manager and earlier animal control reports can show what the landlord knew. The claim against the dog’s owner remains as well.

Get medical care, report the bite, and photograph the wounds as they heal, because scars are evaluated over time. For a minor, the two-year filing period is generally paused until age 18 under Code of Civil Procedure § 352, but a six-month government claim deadline is not. A settlement of a child’s claim generally must be approved by the superior court under Probate Code § 3500.

Generally two years from the bite, under Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1. If a public entity is involved, such as a police dog or a public agency’s property or employee, a written government claim is generally due within six months under Government Code § 911.2. Talks with an insurer do not, by themselves, pause the deadline, so confirm your dates early.

Depending on the injuries and the coverage available, a claim can include medical bills, future treatment such as scar revision, lost earnings, pain, scarring and disfigurement, and emotional harm such as anxiety, nightmares, or fear of dogs. Scar location and visibility, nerve or tendon damage, and the injured person’s age all affect value.