Glendale Dog Bite Lawyers Fighting for Your Rights
After a dog bite, you may be worried about medical bills, missed work, scarring, or feeling safe around dogs again. At Noravian Law Firm, our Glendale dog bite lawyers help you understand your options and pursue compensation for the harm you have suffered. We investigate the attack, review available insurance, and handle negotiations so you can give your recovery the attention it needs.
Call Noravian Law Firm at 818-548-8000 for a free consultation about your injury. Bring any contact details you have for the owner and any letters from an insurer; you do not need a completed investigation to speak with us.
California Dog Bite Laws Explained
Under California Civil Code section 3342, an owner can be responsible for a dog bite even if the dog has never bitten anyone before and the owner was unaware of any aggression. This is known as strict liability. To bring a claim under this law, you generally need to show that:
- The person you are bringing the claim against owned the dog that bit you
- You were in a public place or lawfully on private property when bitten, and the bite caused your injuries
The owner or insurer may dispute these facts or raise a defense. Our lawyers review what led to the bite and explain how the law applies to your situation, including whether the circumstances fall within the statute’s requirements.
Common Injuries Resulting from Dog Attacks
A dog attack can leave lasting physical and emotional injuries. These may include:
- Deep puncture wounds and lacerations
- Nerve damage and loss of sensation
- Facial injuries requiring reconstructive surgery
- Infections and other complications requiring medical evaluation
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Broken bones or fractures from being knocked down
- Emotional trauma including PTSD and anxiety
Some injuries need ongoing treatment, rehabilitation, or psychological counseling. We consider the recovery ahead as well as the bills you have already received when pursuing your claim.
What to Do After a Dog Bite Incident
If you are attacked or bitten by a dog, taking the right steps immediately after the incident can protect your health and strengthen your legal claim:
- Seek prompt medical care to assess the wound, discuss infection risks, and find out what treatment you need
- Identify the dog and its owner, and get contact information without approaching an uncontrolled dog; ask for license and vaccination details
- Report the incident to local animal control or law enforcement
- Take photographs of your injuries, the dog, and the location of the attack
- Collect names and contact information for any witnesses
- Talk with our lawyers before giving a recorded statement to the owner’s insurer or signing a settlement release. We can also help you understand any notice your own policy requires
- Contact Noravian Law Firm at 818-548-8000 as soon as possible for a free case evaluation
For a bite that breaks or punctures the skin, California Penal Code section 398 requires an owner or person with custody or control who knows, or has reason to know, of the bite to provide identifying information as soon as practical and no later than 48 hours thereafter. Required rabies-vaccination information must also be provided within 48 hours of the bite. If the handler refuses or leaves, write down the dog’s description, the direction they went and any witness information.
Once your immediate medical needs are addressed, contact us with the information you have. We can help seek additional records, identify witnesses, and review the time you have to bring a claim.
Compensation Available in a Dog Bite Lawsuit
The cost of a dog bite can extend beyond the initial medical visit. Depending on the injury and circumstances, Noravian Law Firm may pursue compensation for:
- Past and future medical expenses, including surgeries and therapy
- Lost wages and future loss of earning capacity
- Pain and suffering caused by the injury
- Psychological counseling for emotional trauma
- Costs associated with plastic or reconstructive surgery
- Permanent scarring, disfigurement, and disability
- Loss of enjoyment of life due to physical or emotional injuries
We use medical records, evidence of missed work, and your account of daily life to explain the losses caused by the attack.
Liability in Dog Bite Cases
The dog owner is usually the starting point for a bite claim under California’s strict-liability law. Someone else may also be responsible if their own negligence contributed to the injury. Depending on the facts, these parties may include:
- Landlords, if what they knew about the dog and their ability to address the danger support a separate negligence claim
- Property owners whose own negligent conduct contributed to the injury
- Dog handlers, such as pet sitters or dog walkers, who failed to control the animal
We review each party’s role and any available insurance, then explain who may be responsible and the options for pursuing your claim. A person walking the dog may be a sitter rather than its owner, so identifying both can matter. The owner’s homeowners or renters liability coverage may respond even when a bite happens away from home; the actual policy, insured person and exclusions need to be checked.
Special Considerations for Child Dog Bite Victims
When a child is bitten, parents may be concerned about both immediate treatment and how the injury will affect the child over time. A child’s injuries may involve:
- Severe facial trauma requiring reconstructive surgery
- Deep psychological scars resulting in long-term anxiety or fear of animals
- Prolonged recovery periods and rehabilitation
Our attorneys handle claims involving children with care and sensitivity. We listen to the family’s concerns and use medical recommendations to assess future treatment needs and the emotional effects of the attack.
Save photographs through healing and notes about changes in sleep, school attendance or willingness to go outside. A wound closing does not answer every question about a visible scar or future treatment. Those records help explain the difference between the initial injury and the lasting effect on your child.
Common Defenses Raised in Dog Bite Cases
A dog owner or insurer may dispute responsibility by:
- Claiming the victim provoked the dog
- Arguing the victim was trespassing at the time of the attack
- Asserting the victim assumed the risk by interacting with the dog
Our lawyers examine these arguments against witness accounts and other evidence. We help you understand their significance and respond when blame is unfairly placed on you.
Dog Bite Evidence in Glendale Neighborhoods and Shared Spaces
A neighborhood walk, a delivery, or a visit to someone’s home can become frightening when a dog attacks. In Glendale’s shared courtyards and public spaces, the injured person may know little about the dog or the person responsible for it. Our attorneys help identify the owner and understand how the encounter happened, including whether you were on public property or had permission to be on private property.
Pasadena Humane provides animal control services for Glendale. Its animal-control dispatch is listed at 626-792-7151, extension 998. Give the location in Glendale, the nearest cross street and any apartment or gate details so the animal and address can be identified.
If you reported the attack, bring the report number or any correspondence to your consultation so we can seek the available records. Keep the report separate from your photos and witness contacts: each may answer a different question about ownership, access or how the attack unfolded. When a dog causes a fall without biting, a negligence claim may still need to be evaluated. Our premises liability page explains related questions about responsibility for injuries on someone else’s property.
Why You Need a Glendale Dog Bite Lawyer
An insurer may offer a settlement before you know whether you will need more treatment or how scarring will affect your life. Our lawyers can review that offer with you and explain whether it accounts for your medical needs, missed income, and other losses.
We use medical opinions and financial evidence suited to your case to evaluate the impact of the injury. The time needed depends on whether ownership or coverage is disputed, whether further scar treatment is recommended, and whether negotiation resolves the claim or a lawsuit is needed. Noravian Law Firm handles negotiations and helps you weigh your options, including whether to pursue a lawsuit if a fair settlement cannot be reached.
Call 818-548-8000 today to speak with an experienced Glendale dog bite attorney.
Frequently Asked Questions
Many dog-bite injury lawsuits have a two-year filing period, usually measured from the injury. Under CCP section 352, minority generally pauses the clock for a child’s ordinary claim against a private defendant. A claim involving a public entity may require government claim presentation within six months; minority does not pause that requirement. Contact our attorneys early so we can review the dates and begin gathering evidence while the details are fresh.
Under California’s comparative-fault rule, you may still recover compensation if you were partly responsible, but your recovery may be reduced by your share of fault. For a simple example, proven damages of $100,000 reduced by 20% responsibility would leave $80,000 before other deductions. This illustrates the calculation, not a prediction of case value. We examine how the incident happened, review any defenses, and challenge blame that the evidence does not justify.
You may still have a claim. Our attorneys can look at whether the owner could pay a judgment and whether another party shares responsibility. We also check any homeowners or renters policy carefully, because coverage depends on the policy and the incident. Without applicable insurance, collecting compensation can be more difficult, and we will explain that practical issue when discussing your options.
The amount depends on the severity of your injuries, the treatment you need, missed work, and the physical and emotional effects on your daily life. We review those losses with you and consider any lasting limitations before assessing the value of your claim or a settlement offer.
Serving Glendale and Nearby Communities
Noravian Law Firm also helps dog bite victims in Burbank and Pasadena. Contact us if an attack happened in a nearby community and you would like to discuss your options.
Contact Our Glendale Dog Bite Injury Lawyers Now
If a dog bite or attack has left you injured in Glendale or elsewhere in Los Angeles County, Noravian Law Firm can help you understand what to do next. Tell us about your treatment, your concerns, and any contact you have had with the owner or insurer. Call our Glendale dog bite lawyers at 818-548-8000 for a free, confidential consultation. Accepted cases are handled on a contingency-fee basis: attorney fees are owed only if we recover compensation. Case costs are separate, and the written agreement explains how both fees and costs are handled.
Nuestro personal de habla hispana puede ayudarle a conversar sobre lo ocurrido y sus próximos pasos. Visite también nuestra página de Abogados de Mordeduras de Perro en Glendale para obtener información en español.