Orange County Dog Bite Attorneys

Seek medical attention right away — even a small puncture can cause a serious infection, and some bites require a tetanus shot or rabies evaluation. Report the bite to the police and animal control and request copies of those reports. Get the dog owner’s name and contact information along with the dog’s vaccination history, collect the names of any witnesses, and take photos of the animal, the scene, and your injuries. Then call an Orange County dog bite attorney before speaking with the owner’s insurance company.

California is a strict liability state. Under California Civil Code Section 3342, a dog’s owner is automatically responsible for a bite — regardless of whether the dog had ever shown aggression before. The owner cannot escape liability by claiming they didn’t know the dog was dangerous. In most cases the owner’s homeowners or renters insurance policy covers the damages, and we will identify every policy that may apply to your claim.

It doesn’t matter. Unlike many states, California does not follow a “one bite rule” — owners are liable from the very first bite. As long as you were lawfully in a public place or on private property (including the owner’s home as an invited guest) and did not provoke the dog, you can pursue a claim even if the animal had a perfectly clean history.

Yes, and it is more common than you might think. A dog bite claim is almost always paid by the owner’s homeowners or renters insurance — not out of their personal savings — so pursuing compensation rarely means your friend or relative pays out of pocket. We handle these situations with sensitivity while making sure your medical bills and other losses are fully covered.

Every case is different. The value depends on the severity of the bite, the cost of medical care and any plastic or reconstructive surgery, permanent scarring or disfigurement, lost wages, and the emotional trauma you or your child experienced. Cases involving children, facial injuries, or lasting scars often carry higher value. During a free case review, our Orange County dog bite attorneys evaluate all of these factors to estimate what your claim may be worth.

In most cases you have two years from the date of the bite to file a personal injury lawsuit under California’s statute of limitations. If a government entity is involved — for example, a police K-9 or a dog owned by a public agency — the deadline can be as short as six months. Evidence such as the dog’s history and witness memories fade quickly, so it is best to contact an attorney as soon as possible.

Filing an injury claim does not automatically mean the dog will be euthanized. Compensation in a dog bite case typically comes from the owner’s insurance policy, and whether an animal is quarantined or declared dangerous is a separate decision made by animal control based on the circumstances — not by your lawsuit. We can explain how the two processes work so you can make an informed choice.

Children between the ages of one and six are the most common dog bite victims, and California law gives them strong protection. A young child generally cannot be blamed for “provoking” a dog, because adults are responsible for supervising both children and their pets. Because bites to children often cause facial scarring and lasting emotional trauma, these cases deserve special care — and we have an extensive network of surgeons and therapists we can refer your family to.

You may be entitled to recover your medical expenses, the future cost of plastic or reconstructive surgery, lost wages, and compensation for pain, suffering, scarring, disfigurement, and emotional distress. Many dog bite victims experience lasting fear and anxiety long after the wounds heal, and California law allows recovery for that psychological harm as well. We document every loss to pursue the full value of your claim.

There are zero upfront costs. Leslie Law Firm handles every dog bite case on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing unless we win. We advance all the costs of investigating your claim, and our fee is simply a percentage of the compensation we recover. If we don’t win, you owe us nothing — and your initial consultation is always free.

For over 40 years, Leslie Law Firm has helped dog bite victims across Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Irvine, Santa Ana, and all of Orange County recover after serious attacks. We know California’s dog bite laws, we work closely with the local medical community to connect you with top surgeons and therapists, and we’ve recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for injured clients. We’re fluent in English, Spanish, and Farsi, and we work on a contingency fee basis with no fee unless we win. Call (949) 752-7474 for a free consultation.