California is a strict liability state for dog bites — the owner is responsible regardless of whether the dog has bitten before. If you or your child was bitten or attacked by a dog in Glendale or Los Angeles, attorney Anand Desai fights to recover full compensation for your medical bills, scarring, and emotional trauma.
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Dog bite injuries range from minor puncture wounds to catastrophic disfigurement. Children are the most frequent victims and suffer the most severe injuries because bites often target the face, head, and neck. The physical injuries are only part of the story — dog attack victims frequently develop post-traumatic stress, fear of animals, anxiety, nightmares, and lasting emotional scars that require professional treatment.
At Anand Desai Law, we have represented dog bite victims throughout Glendale and Los Angeles for 20+ years. Attorney Anand Desai understands California's strict liability dog bite statute and knows how to maximize compensation through homeowner's insurance claims, renter's insurance policies, and direct liability actions. With 50+ jury trials and over 5,000 clients served, he brings proven courtroom experience to every dog bite case.
• Deep Local Knowledge — We know Glendale's neighborhoods, parks, and public spaces where dog bite incidents most commonly occur. From the heavily trafficked Verdugo Park and Brand Park to the residential neighborhoods of Adams Hill, Montrose, and La Crescenta, we understand local animal control procedures and the Glendale Police Department's approach to dangerous dog investigations.
• Multilingual Support — Our firm serves Glendale's diverse community in 11 languages: English, Spanish, Hindi, Punjabi, Gujarati, Thai, Tagalog, Russian, Armenian, Farsi, and Korean. Dog bite cases often involve sensitive conversations with families of child victims, and we ensure that every family member can communicate with us in the language they are most comfortable speaking.
• 24/7 Availability — Dog attacks are traumatic emergencies. Call us from the hospital, from the scene, or any time after the incident. We respond immediately and can begin investigating the dog's history, the owner's insurance coverage, and the circumstances of the attack right away.
• No Win, No Fee — Every dog bite case is handled on a 100% contingency basis. You pay nothing upfront, nothing during the case, and nothing at all unless we recover compensation for your injuries. We front all investigation costs, expert fees, and litigation expenses.
Call us or fill out the form. We’ll review your case, explain your options, and answer all your questions — at no cost.
We gather evidence, work with experts, handle the insurance companies, and build your claim for maximum compensation.
We don’t get paid unless you win. 100% contingency fee — no upfront costs, no hidden charges, no risk to you.
California Civil Code Section 3342 establishes strict liability for dog owners when their dog bites someone. This is one of the strongest dog bite laws in the country and works heavily in favor of bite victims. Under strict liability, the dog owner is legally responsible for the bite regardless of whether the dog has ever bitten anyone before, regardless of whether the owner knew the dog was aggressive, and regardless of whether the owner took precautions to restrain the dog.
This is fundamentally different from the "one bite rule" that exists in many other states. In states following the one bite rule, the victim must prove that the owner knew or should have known the dog was dangerous — typically by showing a history of prior bites or aggressive behavior. California eliminated this requirement entirely. If the dog bites someone who is lawfully on public property or lawfully on private property (including the dog owner's property), the owner is liable. Period.
The only two requirements under Section 3342 are: (1) the injury was caused by a dog bite (as opposed to a dog knocking someone over, which is handled under general negligence), and (2) the victim was in a public place or lawfully in a private place at the time of the bite. A person is lawfully on private property if they are there at the express or implied invitation of the owner — this includes guests, delivery workers, mail carriers, repair technicians, and anyone else with a legitimate reason to be on the property.
The strict liability standard means that dog bite cases in California are generally strong for the victim. The primary legal questions become the extent of damages and the available insurance coverage, not whether the owner is liable.
The vast majority of dog bite claims in California are paid through the dog owner's homeowner's insurance or renter's insurance policy. According to the Insurance Information Institute, homeowner's insurance pays out more than $1 billion annually in dog bite claims nationwide, with California accounting for the largest share.
Standard homeowner's insurance policies typically include liability coverage ranging from $100,000 to $300,000, which covers injuries the policyholder or members of their household cause to others — including dog bites. Some policies include higher limits, and many homeowners carry umbrella policies that provide an additional $1 million or more in liability coverage.
However, insurance companies have become increasingly aggressive about excluding dog bite coverage. Some insurers refuse to cover households with certain breeds they consider high-risk. Others include breed-specific exclusions or require the policyholder to sign a liability waiver for their dog. Some policies exclude coverage entirely after a first bite incident.
Our firm investigates every available source of insurance coverage in dog bite cases. We review the dog owner's homeowner's or renter's policy, any umbrella policies, and the policies of any other potentially liable parties — including landlords, property management companies, and businesses where the bite occurred. When insurance coverage is insufficient to cover the full extent of damages, we pursue the dog owner's personal assets. In cases where the owner intentionally harbored a known dangerous animal, punitive damages under Civil Code Section 3294 may also be available.
Children are the most common victims of dog bites and suffer the most severe injuries. According to the Centers for Disease Control, children between the ages of 5 and 9 are bitten at the highest rate of any age group. Because of their small stature, children are bitten most frequently on the face, head, and neck — areas that produce the most devastating scarring and disfigurement.
A child's face is still growing and developing, which means that a dog bite scar on a child's face will change shape and potentially worsen as the child grows. Many child dog bite victims require multiple reconstructive surgeries over the course of their childhood and adolescence, with additional revision surgeries possible in adulthood. The total cost of reconstructive treatment can reach hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Beyond the physical injuries, children who are attacked by dogs frequently develop severe psychological trauma. Post-traumatic stress disorder, fear of animals, nightmares, sleep disturbances, anxiety, and regression in developmental milestones are all well-documented consequences of childhood dog attacks. These psychological injuries often require years of therapy and can affect a child's social development, academic performance, and overall quality of life.
California law provides additional protections for child dog bite victims. Any settlement of a minor's claim must be approved by a court under California Probate Code Section 3500, ensuring that the settlement is in the child's best interest. Settlement funds are typically placed in a blocked account or structured settlement until the child reaches age 18. Our firm works closely with pediatric specialists, plastic surgeons, and child psychologists to fully document the current and future impact of every child dog bite injury.
In addition to the dog owner, landlords can also be held liable for dog bite injuries under certain circumstances. While California's strict liability statute (Civil Code §3342) applies only to the dog's owner, landlords can be held liable under general negligence principles if they knew or should have known that a tenant's dog was dangerous and failed to take reasonable steps to protect others.
A landlord may be liable if they received complaints from other tenants about the dog's aggressive behavior, if they witnessed the dog acting aggressively, if the dog had previously bitten someone on the property, or if the landlord was aware that the tenant was violating a lease provision prohibiting certain breeds or requiring dogs to be kept on a leash. The key legal question is whether the landlord had actual knowledge of the dog's dangerous propensities.
Landlord liability is especially important in cases where the dog owner lacks adequate insurance coverage. Landlords typically carry commercial liability insurance with substantially higher coverage limits than residential homeowner's policies. In multi-unit apartment buildings and rental properties throughout Glendale and Los Angeles, the landlord's insurance can provide a critical additional source of recovery for dog bite victims.
Our firm investigates landlord liability in every dog bite case that occurs on rental property. We review lease agreements for pet restrictions, interview other tenants about the dog's history, obtain animal control records showing prior complaints, and determine whether the landlord breached their duty of care by allowing a known dangerous dog to remain on the property.
Despite California's strict liability statute, dog owners and their insurance companies frequently raise defenses to reduce or eliminate liability. Understanding these defenses is important because they affect the strategy we use to build your case.
The most common defense is provocation. If the dog owner can prove that the victim provoked the dog — by hitting, teasing, tormenting, or deliberately agitating the animal — the owner may be partially or fully excused from liability. However, the provocation must be significant enough to cause a reasonable dog to bite. A child petting a dog, reaching toward a dog, or even pulling a dog's tail does not typically constitute legal provocation sufficient to excuse an owner from liability. Courts apply an objective standard: would a reasonable dog of similar temperament have been provoked to bite by the victim's conduct?
Another common defense is trespassing. Under Civil Code Section 3342, the victim must have been lawfully on the property where the bite occurred. If the victim was trespassing — on the property without the owner's express or implied permission — the strict liability statute does not apply. However, even trespassers may recover under general negligence if the owner knew trespassers frequented the property and failed to take reasonable precautions.
Insurance companies also attempt to argue comparative negligence — that the victim's own carelessness contributed to the bite. While California does apply comparative fault principles, the arguments are usually weak in dog bite cases because the dog owner has strict liability. Our firm aggressively challenges provocation, trespassing, and comparative fault defenses using witness testimony, video evidence, and the dog's documented behavioral history.
California law allows dog bite victims to recover comprehensive compensation for both economic and non-economic damages. The damages available in a dog bite case often extend far beyond the initial emergency room visit.
Economic damages include all medical expenses: emergency treatment, wound cleaning and closure, tetanus shots, rabies prophylaxis if indicated, surgical repair of deep tissue damage, plastic surgery and reconstructive procedures, physical therapy, and ongoing scar treatment including laser therapy and silicone sheeting. For severe bites that damage tendons, nerves, or bones, the medical costs can be substantial and extend over years of treatment. Lost wages for time missed from work during treatment and recovery are also recoverable, as are any future medical costs for planned surgeries or ongoing care.
Non-economic damages in dog bite cases are often significant because of the disfiguring nature of the injuries. Pain and suffering, emotional distress, anxiety, PTSD, fear of dogs, scarring and disfigurement, loss of enjoyment of life, and the social and psychological impact of visible facial scars are all compensable. California does not cap non-economic damages in personal injury cases, allowing juries to award amounts that reflect the true impact of the injuries on the victim's life.
In cases where the dog owner knew the dog was dangerous and failed to take adequate precautions — for example, an owner who repeatedly allowed a known aggressive dog off-leash in public — punitive damages may be available under Civil Code Section 3294. Punitive damages are designed to punish the owner and deter others from similar reckless behavior. Our firm evaluates every dog bite case for punitive damage potential. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
No. California does not follow the one bite rule. Under California Civil Code Section 3342, dog owners are strictly liable for bite injuries regardless of whether the dog has ever bitten anyone before. This means you do not need to prove that the owner knew the dog was dangerous or had a history of aggression. As long as you were bitten while lawfully on public or private property, the owner is legally responsible for your injuries. This strict liability standard makes California one of the most favorable states in the country for dog bite victims. The owner cannot argue that they had no reason to believe their dog would bite — liability attaches automatically.
Seek immediate medical attention — dog bites carry a high risk of infection from bacteria in the dog's mouth. Wash the wound with soap and water if possible. Call 911 if the injuries are severe. Report the bite to Glendale Animal Control or your local animal control agency — this creates an official record and triggers a quarantine investigation. Photograph your injuries, the dog, and the location where the bite occurred. Get the dog owner's name, address, phone number, and homeowner's or renter's insurance information. Ask witnesses for their contact information. Do not sign any documents or accept any payment from the dog owner. Contact a dog bite attorney before speaking with any insurance company.
Absolutely. Children are the most common victims of dog bites, and California's strict liability law (Civil Code §3342) fully protects child victims. The dog owner is liable for your child's injuries regardless of the dog's history. You can recover compensation for all medical expenses, reconstructive surgery, future scar treatment, pain and suffering, emotional trauma, therapy costs, and the impact on your child's quality of life. Any settlement of a minor's claim must be approved by a California court under Probate Code Section 3500 to ensure the child's interests are protected. Our firm works with pediatric specialists and child psychologists to fully document the current and future impact of the bite on your child.
A landlord can be liable if they knew or should have known that the tenant's dog was dangerous and failed to take reasonable action. While California's strict liability statute applies only to the dog owner, landlords face liability under general negligence principles. If the landlord received complaints about the dog, witnessed aggressive behavior, knew the dog had bitten before, or was aware that the tenant was violating a lease provision about pets, the landlord may share responsibility. Landlord liability is important because landlords typically carry commercial liability insurance with higher coverage limits than the dog owner's homeowner's policy. Our firm investigates landlord liability in every rental property dog bite case.
Provocation is a defense under California law, but the bar is high. The dog owner must prove that you engaged in conduct that would cause a reasonable dog to bite — such as hitting, kicking, or deliberately tormenting the animal. Simply petting a dog, reaching toward it, walking past it, or being near its food or toys does not constitute legal provocation. For children, the standard is even more protective: courts recognize that young children interact with dogs differently than adults and do not hold children to an adult standard of behavior. Insurance companies frequently raise the provocation defense to reduce settlements, but our firm has extensive experience defeating this argument using witness testimony and behavioral expert opinions.
The value of a dog bite case depends on the severity of your injuries, the location of the bite, whether scarring or disfigurement resulted, the cost of medical treatment including reconstructive surgery, lost wages, emotional trauma, and the insurance coverage available. Facial bites typically have higher values because of the visible disfigurement. Children's cases are often valued higher because scars change as the child grows and the psychological impact can last a lifetime. California does not cap non-economic damages in personal injury cases, so there is no artificial limit on pain and suffering awards. Our firm evaluates every case individually, consulting with medical experts and economists to calculate the full value of your claim. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
In most cases, yes. Standard homeowner's insurance policies include liability coverage that pays for injuries the policyholder's dog causes to others. Coverage limits typically range from $100,000 to $300,000 or more. However, some insurance companies exclude coverage for certain breeds or impose breed-specific restrictions. Some policies exclude coverage after a first bite. Renter's insurance policies also typically include liability coverage for dog bites. Our firm investigates every available insurance policy — homeowner's, renter's, umbrella, and landlord's insurance — to identify the maximum available coverage for your dog bite claim.
The statute of limitations for a dog bite personal injury claim in California is two years from the date of the bite, under Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1. If the victim is a minor (under 18), the statute is tolled until they turn 18, giving them until age 20 to file. If the bite occurred on government property or involved a government-owned animal, you must file a government tort claim within six months under the Government Claims Act (Government Code §910). Even within these time limits, we recommend contacting an attorney as soon as possible. Early investigation allows us to document your injuries while they are fresh, obtain animal control records, interview witnesses, and identify insurance coverage before the owner changes policies.
Yes. California law recognizes emotional distress as a compensable damage in dog bite cases. Dog attack victims commonly experience post-traumatic stress disorder, fear of dogs and other animals, anxiety, nightmares, sleep disturbances, depression, and social withdrawal — particularly when the bite causes visible scarring. These psychological injuries are compensable as non-economic damages. Our firm works with psychologists and psychiatrists to document the emotional impact of the attack and present compelling evidence of your psychological suffering. For children, the emotional trauma of a dog attack can be particularly severe and long-lasting, often requiring years of professional therapy. California does not cap non-economic damages, so full compensation for emotional trauma is available.
If the dog was off-leash in violation of a local leash law — such as Glendale Municipal Code provisions requiring dogs to be leashed in public areas — the owner's negligence is even more clearly established. While California's strict liability statute does not require you to prove the owner was negligent, a leash law violation provides additional evidence of fault and can support a claim for punitive damages if the owner knowingly and repeatedly violated leash laws. Off-leash violations also help defeat any provocation defense, because a dog running freely toward a victim is not being provoked by the victim's presence. Our firm obtains animal control records, prior citations, and witness statements to document the owner's history of leash law violations.
Anand Desai is a dedicated personal injury attorney serving Glendale and the greater Los Angeles area. A graduate of Loyola Law School with an undergraduate degree from USC, Anand has been a member of the California State Bar (#249768) since 2007, bringing 20+ years of legal experience to every case he handles.
Anand specializes in personal injury law, with particular expertise in car accidents, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, and catastrophic injury cases. His deep understanding of California personal injury law, combined with his tenacious negotiation skills, has helped him secure millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for his clients.
What truly sets Anand apart is his commitment to his community. His firm is one of the only law offices in Glendale that offers services in 11 languages, including Spanish, Armenian, Hindi, Gujarati, Korean, Tagalog, Farsi, Mandarin, Japanese, Vietnamese, and English — reflecting the rich diversity of the communities he serves.
“I fight for every client like they’re family. When you hire me, you’re not just getting a lawyer — you’re getting someone who genuinely cares about your recovery and your future.”
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