Los Angeles Dog Bite Lawyer

California is a strict liability state for dog bites. Under Civil Code Section 3342, the dog owner is responsible for damages caused by a bite regardless of the dog’s prior history and regardless of whether the owner knew the dog was dangerous. There is no one-bite rule in California. If a dog bit you or your child anywhere in Los Angeles County, whether in Griffith Park, at a Silver Lake apartment, on a Venice Beach sidewalk, or in a Koreatown building common area, the owner is liable and the claim is almost always paid by their homeowner’s or renter’s insurance. Pedram Law represents dog bite victims across Los Angeles County. Free case evaluation. No fees unless we win.

The most common and most expensive mistake dog bite victims make is settling before scarring has matured. Insurers push fast settlements specifically because they know visible scarring will be worse at month 12 than at month 2, and reconstructive surgery options become clearer only after scar tissue stabilizes. Once you sign a release, the case is closed permanently. Call before you accept any offer.

California Strict Liability and What It Means for Your LA Dog Bite Case

California Civil Code Section 3342 imposes strict liability on dog owners for bites that occur in public places or in private places where the victim was lawfully present. Strict liability means you do not need to prove the owner knew the dog was dangerous. You do not need to show prior bites or aggressive behavior. You need to show the bite occurred, the defendant owned the dog, and you were lawfully in the location where the bite happened.

That clear liability framework is what makes dog bite cases valuable and what makes insurers fight them aggressively. Homeowner’s and renter’s insurance carriers in Los Angeles approach dog bite claims with a standard playbook: argue provocation, argue trespassing, cite breed exclusions, push a fast settlement before scarring matures, and dispute injury severity with independent medical exams. Every one of these tactics is beatable with the right preparation.

Attorneys experienced in California dog bite cases under Civil Code Section 3342 know how to challenge breed exclusion denials, identify landlord liability, and coordinate plastic surgery documentation before settlement.

Los Angeles has specific complications that add to the standard dog bite case. Dense multi-unit housing in neighborhoods like Echo Park, Koreatown, and Boyle Heights means landlord liability is frequently in play. When a landlord knew or should have known a tenant’s dog was dangerous and had the ability to require removal, the landlord may share liability alongside the owner, often with significantly more insurance coverage. Commercial facilities including doggy daycare operations, boarding kennels, and pet stores in LA carry commercial liability policies that exceed typical homeowner’s coverage when a bite occurs on their premises.

Who Can Be Liable for a Dog Bite in Los Angeles

• The dog owner. Strict liability under Civil Code Section 3342 applies directly to the owner regardless of prior bite history.
• The landlord. When a landlord knew or should have known a tenant’s dog was dangerous and had the ability to remove the dog from the property, California case law imposes liability on the landlord alongside the owner. Landlord liability expands available coverage significantly in multi-unit buildings.
• Boarding kennels and doggy daycare facilities. Commercial facilities that have custody of a dog at the time of a bite share liability with the owner. These facilities carry commercial general liability policies that often provide substantially more coverage than homeowner’s insurance.
• Pet sitters and dog walkers. A dog walker or pet sitter who has custody of the dog at the time of the bite may share liability under both strict liability and negligence theories.
• Property owners. When a bite occurs on commercial property where a business permits dogs on the premises, the property owner may share liability for creating or permitting the dangerous condition.

What to Do After a Dog Bite in Los Angeles

1. Get medical attention the same day. Dog bites carry serious infection risk. Rabies exposure, bacterial infections from oral flora, and deep tissue damage require professional evaluation regardless of how the wound looks at the scene. Same-day medical care creates the documentation link between the bite and your injuries.
2. Photograph the wounds before treatment begins. Before bandaging, before cleaning, before sutures. Initial wound photographs are the most critical evidence of severity. Continue photographing throughout healing to document scarring progression at one month, three months, six months, and twelve months.
3. Identify the dog and the owner. Name, address, phone number, and the owner’s homeowner’s or renter’s insurance information if they will provide it. Breed, age, and vaccination history. If the bite occurred at a rental property, identify the landlord.
4. Report the bite to Los Angeles County Animal Control. California requires reporting of dog bites to public health authorities. The animal control report creates an official record and may identify prior incidents involving the same dog or owner.
5. Photograph the location and any relevant conditions. Was the dog off leash? Was a gate open? Was fencing inadequate? Was there a “Beware of Dog” sign present or absent? Document all of it.
6. Preserve your clothing in post-bite condition. Torn or bloodied clothing documents the severity of the attack. Do not wash or discard anything from the day of the bite.
7. Get witness contact information. Other adults present, anyone who saw the bite or the dog’s behavior before the bite.
8. Contact a Los Angeles dog bite lawyer before giving any statement to the owner’s insurer. The first call from the homeowner’s carrier is built to extract admissions about provocation or your conduct that will be used to reduce or deny the claim.

California Laws That Apply to Your Los Angeles Dog Bite Case

Strict liability statute. California Civil Code Section 3342 imposes strict liability on dog owners for bites regardless of the dog’s prior history or the owner’s knowledge of aggressive tendencies. The statute applies when the victim was in a public place or lawfully on private property. It does not apply to trespassers or to victims who provoked the dog, but both of these defenses are narrow and frequently overstated by insurers.

Statute of limitations. Under California Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1, you have two years from the date of the bite to file a personal injury lawsuit. For minor children, the statute is tolled until the child turns 18, but waiting that long is almost never the right strategy because evidence degrades and the medical record built early supports the strongest claim.

Pure comparative fault. California is a pure comparative fault state. If the victim contributed to the incident through provocation or other conduct, damages are reduced by the victim’s percentage of fault but not eliminated. Insurers routinely exaggerate provocation arguments. Witness testimony, animal control records, and the circumstances of the bite defeat overstated provocation defenses.

Landlord liability. California case law establishes that landlords may be liable for tenant-owned dog attacks when the landlord had actual knowledge of the dog’s dangerous propensities and had the ability to remove the dog or require the tenant to do so. Evidence of prior incidents reported to management, prior complaints from neighbors, and building records supports landlord liability claims in LA multi-unit housing cases.

Insurance Tactics Used Against LA Dog Bite Victims

• The provocation argument. The first response from the homeowner’s carrier is almost always that the victim provoked the dog. This argument gets asserted regardless of what actually happened. Witness testimony, animal control records, and the circumstances of the bite defeat it.
• The breed exclusion denial. Some homeowner’s and renter’s policies in Los Angeles exclude coverage for specific breeds. Carriers cite these exclusions aggressively, sometimes incorrectly or against policy language that does not actually support the exclusion. Pedram Law challenges improper coverage denials as part of every dog bite case.
• The early settlement push. Insurers offer fast settlements before scarring matures and before reconstructive surgery options are assessed. Dog bite scars take 12 to 18 months to stabilize. Early settlement closes the case before the full extent of disfigurement is known.
• Disputing scarring severity. Adjusters argue scarring will fade further, is less visible than claimed, or can be addressed with minor cosmetic procedures. Independent medical exams with insurer-friendly doctors reinforce these opinions.
• Social media surveillance. Defense investigators monitor accounts for photographs showing the victim with other dogs, at parks, or anywhere that contradicts psychological trauma claims.

Why Los Angeles Dog Bite Victims Choose Pedram Law

Nima Pedram and Silvia Gonzalez represent dog bite victims across Los Angeles County including adults and children. They pull animal control records and prior incident history for the dog and the owner, identify every available insurance source including homeowner’s, renter’s, landlord, and commercial coverage, challenge improper breed exclusion denials, coordinate with plastic surgeons to document scarring progression, and wait to settle until scarring has matured and the full damages picture is clear.

Children’s cases receive particular attention to long-term reconstructive surgery needs and psychological treatment requirements. Silvia Gonzalez represents Spanish-speaking clients regularly and brings specific strength to cases involving families navigating the California legal system for the first time. The firm handles dog bite cases on contingency. No fees unless we win. Free case evaluation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Serving Dog Bite Victims Across Los Angeles

Pedram Law represents dog bite victims throughout Los Angeles County, including Hollywood, Silver Lake, Echo Park, Koreatown, Boyle Heights, Venice, Culver City, Inglewood, the San Fernando Valley, and the San Gabriel Valley.

Pedram Law, PC
8383 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1024
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
(844) 344-4444

If you or your child was bitten by a dog anywhere in Los Angeles County, Pedram Law is ready to evaluate the case at no cost and identify every available insurance source. Free case evaluation. No fees unless we win.

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This content has been reviewed by the attorneys at Pedram Law, PC, licensed to practice law in the State of California.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship.