How to Report a Dog Bite in California

You should typically report a dog bite to your local animal control agency, as they will need to be aware of the dangerous dog. For your own sake, you should also report your injuries to the dog owner’s insurance company. You may need to focus on recovery, so allow a California dog bite accident lawyer to report your bite and demand fair compensation for you.

Sometimes, dog bite victims sometimes need to take legal action in order to receive the compensation they deserve. Hiring a lawyer ensures that you can file a personal injury lawsuit without delay.

Two Important Ways to Report the Dog Bite After Suffering Injuries in California

It’s important to note that the circumstances of each dog bite are unique. When you hire an attorney, you ensure that you’ll properly report your injuries—and that you’ll pursue compensation in the manner that’s most appropriate for your circumstances.

That said, most dog bite victims should:

Report the Bite to the Local Animal Control Agency

de California Department of Public Health (CDPH) explains that dog bite victims should report the dog bite to the local animal control agency, and you may do so because:

• Reporting the aggressive animal establishes an official record of the dog bite
• The aggressive animal may have a pattern of attacking innocent people, and the animal control agency may need to take appropriate action
• You may protect others from future attacks by alerting animal control to the dangerous dog

You should feel no guilt or hesitation in reporting a violent animal. 

Report Injuries and File a Claim With the Dog Owner’s Insurance Company

It is critical that dog bite victims report their injuries to any liable insurance companies. This generally requires:

• Obtaining the dog owner’s name, address, and contact info (the insurance company may require these details)
• Obtaining insurance provider and policy information from the dog owner
• Contacting the insurance company and providing details about the dog bite

It’s typically smart to have a California dog bite attorney deal with insurance companies. These companies may try to lowball you purely to save money.

You may not have long to report your dog bite, as there can be deadlines for both insurance claims and personal injury lawsuits. Under PCCh § 335.1, you may only have two years to file your lawsuit. Do not wait to hire a lawyer so they can report your injuries and take over the claims process right away.

A Dog Bite Accident Lawyer Will Help You Report Your Injuries and More

Your attorney will want you to focus on your health. They will take over all responsibilities related to your insurance claim, as well as any lawsuit you decide to file.

In the immediate term, your attorney will:

• File your insurance claim if you have not already
• Report the dog bite to the local authorities if you have not already
• Help you communicate your account of events to these parties
• Address any bad-faith insurance tactics used against you
• Form a strategy for securing fair compensation for you, whether through an insurance claim or lawsuit

A dog bite accident case is a multi-step process, and it’s a process that your lawyer will be familiar with. Dog bite accident lawyers generally help their clients by:

• Documenting why the dog bite happened and establishing who is liable: A dog biting you is likely not grounds for you to receive compensation. It’s the dog owner’s negligencia that generally entitles dog bite victims to compensation. Therefore, your lawyer will document the negligence that caused you to be bitten—whether it was an off-leash animal, defective fence, or other circumstance. 
• Detailing the client’s recoverable damages: Your California dog bite lawyer will secure photographs of visible injuries, medical bills, mental health experts’ testimony, and all other documentation of bite-related harm. 
• Seeking a settlement from the liable insurance company: Your attorney will demand fair compensation from the company that provides the dog owner’s insurance. Renters insurance and homeowners insurance are the two most common policies that cover the cost of dog bites.
• Filing a lawsuit, if the bite victim elects to: If the dog owner’s insurance provider does not offer you a fair settlement, filing a lawsuit may become the right decision for your case. Your lawyer will explain what a lawsuit entails, and they will lead any legal case you elect to pursue.
• Going to trial, if the bite victim elects to: Filing a lawsuit does not mean your case will go to trial. Your lawyer will continue to seek a settlement after filing the suit. If the responsible dog owner or their insurer still does not offer a fair settlement, your attorney can represent you in court.

Our attorneys are very experienced in proving fault for dog bites. We never hesitate to take dog bite lawsuits to trial when our clients want us to.

What to Do if You Were a Delivery Driver Attacked by a Dog

As a delivery driver, you are frequently asked to approach homes to fulfill your job, but proceeding on private property comes with certain dangers. If you are a delivery driver, you will need to report the dog bite to the local animal control as well as your employer. Since the incident happened while you were working, you may need to file a reclamo de compensación para trabajadores. Our firm regularly represents delivery workers injured by aggressive dogs.

Damages Many Dog Bite Victims Receive Compensation For

Dog bites can be nasty injuries that require a long recovery period. The psychological and emotional trauma of being attacked can be just as devastating as physical injuries. Some common damages among dog bite survivors include:

• Dolor físico
• angustia emocional
• Trastorno sicologico
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (which may include an acute fear of dogs)
• ingresos perdidos
• Disminución de la capacidad de ganancia
• Gastos médicos
• The cost of mental health treatment
• The cost of being permanently disabled

Negligent owners make all kinds of excuses for why their animal bit an innocent victim. The owner liable for your bite-related damages, as well as their insurance company, may choose not to be accountable for the harm they have caused you. Allow a dog bite accident lawyer to demand fair compensation for you, forcing these parties to acknowledge their financial responsibility.

Call KJT Law Group Today for Your Free Consultation About Hiring a California Dog Bite Attorney

KJT Law Group has obtained more than $100 million for our clients. Since we opened our doors more than ten years ago, dog bite victims have been important to us—we know how traumatizing and expensive dog bites can be.

Our firm wants to hear from you. More importantly, we want to fight for you. Call KJT Law Group today for your free consultation about hiring a California dog bite lawyer.