Injury from a Dog Bite in San Diego?

San Diego County receives over 2,500 reports of Dog Bites every year. Unfortunately, many of these bite victims sustain serious injuries, and occur most often to children. California has specific laws in place to protect people that have been injured by a dog. Our attorneys at Ray Padilla Law APC explain the process of reporting a dog bite and the potential injury claim.

What Do I Do?

If you or a loved one have suffered from a dog attack in San Diego, immediately seek medical attention if you are injured, then call San Diego Animal Services at (619) 236-2341 to report the incident.

When you report the incident, provide as much information as possible, including owner and dog information, any witnesses, video footage, and a detailed location. Ensure that you take down the unique report number that they create for the incident and obtain any medical records from treatment.

California Law

Under California law, dog owners are strictly liable for damages if their dog bites someone in public, or lawfully in a private place, per Civil Code 3342. This means that the injured party does not need to prove negligence of the dog owner, the owner automatically assumes liability for the dog by law.

Dog Bite Injury Claim

Dog bite victims that have sustained injuries may be entitled to compensation. This could include economic damages for past and future medical costs as well as compensation for pain and suffering. Compensation in dog bite claims typically comes from the insurance company of the dog owner, such as a homeowner’s or renter’s policy, though there may be other avenues as well.

Are you a victim of a dog bite? Let us discuss your legal options in a free consultation. If you have a valid claim, we are ready to conduct an investigation and help you determine the best course of action. Our law office is ready to help, contact Ray Padilla Law, APC today at (619) 431-1187 (San Diego) to speak with Attorney Ray Padilla directly.  Please call even if it’s simply to ask, “what should I do?”