Santa Monica Dog Bite Lawyer

The damage from a dog attack goes further than the physical injury and can include an emergency room visit, risk of infection, permanent changes to your appearance, loss of wages, and ongoing fears that extend long beyond the initial wound. As a personal injury attorney in Santa Monica, the Law Offices of Adrianos Facchetti take on dog bite cases for clients injured in Santa Monica, California, as well as surrounding areas including Venice, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, Mar Vista, and Culver City, offering free consultations available 24/7.

A Santa Monica dog bite lawyer can help sort out who is responsible, which insurance may apply, and what your injury may cost over time, including future treatment for scarring.

Legal Assistance Following Dog Attack in Santa Monica

A dog attack takes place in normal locations, while walking along Main Street, in the park, at a friend’s house, or in the hallway of an apartment complex. Legal assistance is needed for:

• Individuals attacked by a dog anywhere within Santa Monica
• Parents whose children were attacked
• Individuals attacked within parks, on sidewalks, at the beach, or in apartment complexes
• Delivery men, guests, or tenants attacked on the premises of a property
• Individuals attacked by a dog under the supervision of a dog walker, dog sitter, or application such as Rover or Wag

Highly trafficked streets, including Palisades Park, Ocean Avenue, Montana Avenue, and the surrounding Santa Monica Pier, have many dogs and people. It does not mean that any location is dangerous, but it may be relevant when seeking out witnesses or video evidence.

How the Law of California Dog Bites Operates

Dog bites in California are the owner’s strict liability. According to California Civil Code § 3342, the owner is responsible if the dog bit somebody who was:

• In a public place or
• Lawfully on private property (including the owner’s own)

To say it simply, the owner is rarely able to escape liability for dog bites by arguing that the animal had never bitten anybody or looked friendly before. The owner does not need to prove any aggressive behavior of the dog to be liable.

However, certain facts are still important:

• Place. People who were trespassers may not be protected by the statute.
• The nature of injury. If you did not get any bites, just being pushed or chased by the dog without being bitten will mean ordinary negligence rather than dog bite.
• Control over the dog. If your dog walker or pet sitter was at fault, the issue may fall within ordinary negligence liability.
• Potential defenses. Provocation is one such defense.

Please read our article on whether you can sue for dog bites in California for additional details on the subject.

Common Injuries and Consequences of Dog Bites

Dog bites usually result in:

• Punctures
• Lacerations
• Infections
• Nerve damage
• Scar formation and deformities
• Injuries to the facial area
• Hand and arm injuries due to defending against the dog
• Psychological impact
• Fear of dogs

Bite wounds on children frequently occur on their face, head, and neck area since they stand lower compared to adults. They might be affected by growth, and some treatments, such as scar revision, can be delayed until several years later. In this regard, the opinion of a medical expert on further treatment is of crucial importance in children’s claims.

Sometimes, certain consequences become visible over time. Nerve damage may result in numbness and weakness, which will become apparent only after several weeks.

Steps to Follow after a Dog Bite in Santa Monica

1. Seek treatment. Dog bites are a serious threat of infection. Your doctor will assess the extent of your wound, clean it, and take care of rabies.
2. File a report if necessary. Santa Monica offers its own city’s animal control services. The report creates an official record of the incident and ensures that you get to know whether the dog is vaccinated.
3. Learn who the dog belongs to. Make sure that you have the names and phone numbers of the owner and anyone else responsible for the dog.
4. Ask for insurance information. It is possible that the dog bite was covered by homeowners or renters insurance.
5. Take pictures of your injuries, torn clothes, and surroundings, including the dog, if possible.
6. Save medical reports, bills, and receipts related to the loss of work.
7. Collect the contact information of witnesses.
8. Be cautious when making calls to the insurance company; you don’t have to make a recorded statement immediately.

Take photographs of the wound as it heals. The appearance of the wound after several weeks is often much more indicative of the damage done.

Evidence that May Be Helpful in a Dog Bite Case

This can be comprised of:

• Medical documentation and bills
• Pictures of injuries sustained over time
• Incident report by animal control
• Witness testimony
• Contact information for dog owner
• Information regarding the renter’s or homeowner’s insurance policy
• Lease documents or property records, if the incident took place in an apartment
• Prior complaints, if any
• Any texts or emails relating to the dog
• Booking document or messages from dog walker, pet sitter, Rover, or Wag

Prior complaints will not be required in strict liability cases but can be significant in negligence cases where the defendant is someone other than the dog owner, like a landlord aware of the danger posed by a dog.

Dog owners interested in understanding their situation may find our piece on what happens if your dog bites someone helpful.

Compensatory Damages in a Santa Monica Dog Bite Case

Depending on the circumstances of the case, your damage claim could include:

• Emergency treatment
• Subsequent treatment
• Treatment of infection
• Surgery or scar repair
• Therapy if appropriate
• Lost wages
• Diminished earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Expenses

The value of your case will depend on the seriousness of the injury, the presence of scarring, the treatment received, and the available insurance coverage. There is no guaranteed figure.

Punitive damages are rarely awarded, not only because you were bitten by the dog. The details about punitive damages in our California dog bite case article will provide further information.

California Deadlines and Insurance Issues

Deadlines. Many California personal injury claims generally must be filed within two years under California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1. Exceptions can apply, including rules that may extend timing for injured children. If a government entity or public property is involved, a formal claim may be required much sooner, often within six months.

Insurance. Dog bite claims are often paid through homeowner’s or renter’s insurance, not the owner’s personal savings. But coverage isn’t guaranteed. Some policies exclude certain dogs or have low limits, and questions about who owns the dog or where it lives can affect coverage.

Insurers may dispute:

• How serious the injury is
• Whether scarring is permanent
• Whether treatment was necessary
• Whether the owner is liable at all

Early review helps. Witnesses move, memories fade, and insurance details can be harder to find later. Worried about cost? Our article on how much a dog bite lawyer may cost explains typical fee arrangements.

Free Consultation for a Dog Bite Case in Santa Monica

Are you or your child the victim of a dog attack in Santa Monica? The Law Offices of Adrianos Facchetti provides a complimentary review to discuss the circumstances, potential parties at fault, and possible insurance policies available.

We will examine your pictures, medical documents, and animal control report, as well as any documentation sent to you by the insurance companies. Our firm handles dog bites on a contingent fee basis, which means that we do not charge any fees unless we win your case.