Los Angeles Dog Bite Lawyer – Top-Rated Injury Attorneys LA
Our attorneys exclusively represent injury victims.
For years we have fought on behalf of clients who were hurt in accidents due to the negligence of another party.
A dog bite can turn an ordinary day into a traumatic experience, leaving you with physical injuries, emotional scars, and financial stress.
Unfortunately, dog bites are incredibly frequent in California. Emergency room visits across the state for dog-bite-related injuries increased by 70% from 2005 to 2022, a record high in nearly two decades.
In California, dog owners are held strictly liable for injuries their pets cause, regardless of the dog’s history or breed. At MKP Law Group, LLP, our experienced attorneys are here to help you navigate your legal options and seek the compensation you deserve.
Have You Been Bitten? Everything You Need to Know
Local Los Angeles Entities to Consult
Local Medical Facilities:
- PIH Health Good Samaritan Hospital
- MLK Community Healthcare
- LA Downtown Medical Center
- Adventist Health White Memorial
Animal Control Services:
- Los Angeles Animal Services is a primary resource for reporting dog bites and obtaining incident reports.
- Los Angeles County Animal Care is another critical resource for reports.
Local Legal Resources:
- Request assistance from local bar associations like the Los Angeles County Bar Association to locate specialized legal assistance.
Community Resources:
- Community peer support groups may be good places to share your experience and get more input.
At MKP Law, we routinely work with dog bite victims from all across Los Angeles. From Venice to Hollywood, Downtown to West L.A., or Koreatown to Little Tokyo, we work with neighbors from all areas. Trust our experienced attorneys to walk you through the legal process after a dog bite incident. We understand city and county laws and want to assist you in securing compensation for your injuries while you recover.
Don't hesitate to reach out to us for a free consultation immediately following a dog bite injury to help understand if you have a case.
What You Need to Know About Dog Bites
Dog attacks and dog bites can occur without any provocation. Seemingly gentle dogs can turn aggressive in an instant.
Dog bites can occur near your home or in your own backyard. It might be a dog that escaped their yard or that is allowed to roam free or that was unleashed by the pet owner. Other dog bites occur in public spaces like in parks or on sidewalks.
California Dog Bite Laws
Each state has its own specific laws in place for handling personal injury cases. In California, it’s important to know there is a two-year statute of limitations for filing a dog bite personal injury claim from the date of the incident. Our injury lawyers have dealt with numerous dog bite claims and have the knowledge to decipher the complexities posed by insurance companies and California laws in order to maximize our clients’ recoveries.
Important! You should not accept any settlement offer made by the liable party without first consulting with a trusted lawyer.
Who is Liable?
In California, the dog owner is liable for the dog bite on what is known as a “strict liability” basis.
This means that the owner of the dog is responsible for a bite from the dog, even if the owner was not negligent and even if the dog had never attacked anyone else in the past.
Strict liability places blame on the dog’s owner even if they had no reason to know the dog was dangerous and regardless of whether the owner failed to protect others from the attack. It is the owner’s responsibility to take care of their pet and ensure it does not attack other people.
Under California Dog Bite Law, Civil Code § 3342, the owner of any dog is liable for damages if:
- the injury is caused by a dog bite; and
- the bite occurs while the injured party is in a public place or lawfully in a private place, including the private property of the dog owner
Other entities that may be liable for a dog bite, besides the owner, include anyone responsible for the care or custody of the dog including kennels or animal shelters. Additionally, landlords can also be held liable for dog bites if they allowed the dog onto the property or permitted a tenant to house a dangerous pet. Most of the time, these cases are covered by the homeowner’s insurance policy.
Exceptions to the rule:
- A government agency, such as the police and military, cannot be held liable for dog bites that occur when the agency uses a dog while carrying out official duties. This exception only applies if the dog bite victim was a suspect or participant in acts that prompted the use of the dog in the police or military work.
- California law provides an exception to the strict liability of dog owners for dog bites that occur when the injured person is trespassing or otherwise unlawfully on the property. This is an exception to the rule that dog owners are 100% at-fault for a dog bite attack. Generally, property owners are not obligated to maintain a safe property for trespassers. A trespasser is someone who enters someone else’s property without the property owner’s consent.
- Even here, there are exceptions. If you have been bitten by a dog while voluntarily working with it, the owner may still be liable if they knew or suspected that the dog was aggressive but failed to warn you.
- California also makes exceptions for personal injury victims who assumed the risk of being bitten, i.e. that they understood the risk of being bitten but proceeded anyway. This rule usually applies to veterinarians who are bitten while treating a dog. (See Nelson v. Hall, 211 Cal. Rptr. 668 (Cal.App.1985)).
Why Hire a Los Angeles County Dog Bite Attorney?
Because dog bite cases can be complex, it is imperative that you are represented by an experienced and knowledgeable dog bite attorney right from the beginning. There is much more that goes into dog bite claims beyond negotiating a settlement with the dog’s owner or their homeowner’s insurance carrier. Some of the things that need to be done as soon as possible after a dog bite include:
- Seek medical attention (Call 911 or go directly to the emergency room)
- Take photographs of the injuries
- Contact witnesses and obtain statements
- Report the attack to animal control services
- Investigate the dog’s owner
- Contact insurance companies and establish claims
Having a skilled and knowledgeable Los Angeles dog bite lawyer will ensure that your claim is handled properly from the outset. The attorneys at MKP Law Group, LLP have handled dozens of dog bite cases and are here to help dog bite victims win the maximum compensation they deserve.
MKP Law Group, LLP’s experienced dog bite attorneys understand how traumatic a dog bite injury can be, and want you to know that you are not alone. Our team also uses skilled investigators to determine the dog’s owner, the dog’s history, and the facts of the attack. We will deal with the insurance company claims and obtain your medical records and bills so that you can focus on recovering from your injuries.
Average Dog Bite Settlement Amounts
Settlement amounts for dog bite cases can vary widely. Factors like injury severity, medical expenses, and pain and suffering, make each case unique and will determine how much a Los Angeles dog bite injury victim may receive as compenation.
| Location/Measure | Settlement Amount |
| United States | $58,545 |
| California | $68,125 |
| Average range | $10,000 - $100,000 |
| Median range | $75,000 - $80,000 |
Working with a local dog bite attorney ensures you're equipped to navigate the complexities of your claim, maximizing your settlement by countering low-ball offers and advocating for the compensation you deserve.
Talk to a Los Angeles Dog Bite Attorney for Free
Navigating the law is challenging, even if you are not already dealing with medical issues, bills, and missed time from work. Most importantly, a dog bite and related injury easily snowballs into a host of secondary legal worries. Mounting medical bills may lead to collection agency calls. Taking time off work easily results in missed promotion opportunities.
The pain and suffering in the aftermath of this type of animal-related injury is difficult for others to understand. You may encounter relationship problems. Maybe you need counseling. The insurance company is pressuring you to accept their offers, which is very likely a lot less than what you actually need to just break even.
With so much going on, confusion is normal. Meeting with a compassionate legal representative from a local law firm who understands what you are going through is valuable. It may actually help you chart a course out of many of the issues you currently struggle with.
If you or your loved one has suffered injury from a dog bite, please don't hesitate to contact a Los Angeles County dog bite lawyer. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries.
Remember, our dog bite lawyers in Los Angeles work on a contingency fee basis. You won’t pay us unless we win your case.
FAQs
Free Consultation
We Make the Process Easy to Get the Results You Deserve
323-524-9619
info@mkplawgroup.com
3701 Wilshire Blvd, Ste. 870
Los Angeles, CA 90010
Free Consultation
We Make the Process Easy to Get the Results You Deserve
323-524-9619
info@mkplawgroup.com
3701 Wilshire Blvd, Ste. 870
Los Angeles, CA 90010
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