Bay Area Dog Bite Attorney

CALIFORNIA DOG BITE LIABILITY-

NO "FREE BITE"

Man and women's best friend bites more than 4.7 million people a year. According to the Centers of Disease and Control, every 40 seconds, someone in the United States seeks medical attention for a dog bite-related injury. Between 1979 and 1998, dog attacks killed more than 300 Americans. Each year nearly 800,000 people seek medical care for dog bites; half of them are children under 18. From 1997 to 1998, 27 people died from dog bites; 19 of them were children under 15.

The old adage, "Every dog gets one free bite" DOES NOT apply in California. California Civil Code § 3342 imposes strict liability on dog owners when their dog bites a person.

In part the California Dog Bite Statute provides:

§ 3342 (a) The owner of any dog is liable for the damages suffered by any person who is bitten by the dog while in a public place or lawfully in a private place, including the property of the owner of the dog, regardless of the former viciousness of the dog or the owner's knowledge of such viciousness...

If you have been attacked by a dog, seek medical assistance, report the incident, and then talk with an attorney who can explain your rights.