solano county dog attack liability | Northern California Personal Injury Blog

Dog Bite Liability: What are the California Laws Regarding Dog Bites?

By Kelly Balamuth on December 10, 2012

A dog bite, or dog attack, can unfortunately leave a person with severe injuries, including permanent scarring, loss of extremities, or catastrophic injuries, such as nerve damage. As such, the dog bite attorneys in Solano County of Balamuth Law know that as a victim you may be wondering what your rights are and what laws may apply to your case. In the state of California, dog bite laws are defined under Civil Code Section 3342, which is a law that helps legally protect the public in the event a person is the victim of a dog bite or attack.

The law states that if a dog attacks another person, it is the responsibility of the dog owner. Essentially, this means if an accident does occur, the canine owner will generally be held responsible as it is up to the owner to take full responsibility for his or her pet and prevent the dog from biting anyone. The law indicates that the owner is liable “regardless of the former viciousness of the dog or the owner’s knowledge of such viciousness.”

As the California dog bite statute explicitly places the burden of dog bite upon those who choose to own pups, the liability is automatic, which can also benefit the public by reducing the conflict that may follow a dog attack. This is beneficial because in a majority of dog bite cases, the victim is a neighbor, family member, or friend of the dog owner and this “automatic” liability can allow both parties to maintain their personal relationship.

Being involved in a dog attack is likely the last thing a person expects, but if it does happen to you it is very important to understand your legal rights in the situation, which include obtaining compensation from the liable party. As a dog bite injury can leave you with costly medical bills as well as other expenses, please contact a member of the Balamuth Law legal team for help receiving the money you need to heal and pay for your accident-related losses.

Call (888) 254-1234 to schedule a complimentary consultation regarding your case.