According to the CDC, there are about 4.5 million dog bites every year. While the majority of these incidents involve dogs biting members of their own households, sometimes dogs do bite other individuals due to their owners’ negligence. When this happens, dog bite victims can and should take legal action against the dog’s owner or handler.

A dog bite attack can be a traumatic experience that may cause severe and long-lasting injuries. If you or a loved one is the victim of a dog bite you should seek immediate medical assistance and contact an experienced California dog bite lawyer without delay.

The dog bite laws vary from state to state, but all states generally hold dog owners liable for a dog attack if they knowingly kept a dog that had previously bitten someone, or that had shown a dangerous tendency to bite someone. This has come to be known as the “one-free bite” rule because dog owners are shielded from liability if the dog had never bitten anyone or shown any tendency to do so. Almost all states place liability on someone who orders or makes a dog attack another person. In that case the person could also be charged criminally with a battery.

Many states, including California, have enacted statutes (laws that are passed by the legislature), which hold a dog owner liable for a dog bite attack even if the dog has never bitten anyone. This is called strict liability. These types of statutes effectively eliminate the one-free bite rule because liability is based upon ownership. It is irrelevant whether the dog bit someone previously or whether the owner knew the animal could be vicious. Under this California law the victim of an attack only needs to show that:

• The dog was owned by the defendant
• The attack occurred on public property or while the victim was lawfully on private property
• The victim was injured by an actual bite during the dog attack
• The dog caused the injury

At Joel Johnson, we have handled thousands of personal injury cases successfully, including numerous dog bite cases and achieved exceptional results for its clients.

Take the first step towards full and fair compensation for your injuries now by calling 760-346-7660.