Dog Bites · Animal Attacks · Scarring · Injuries to Children
Dog bites and animal attacks can cause serious physical injuries, scarring, emotional trauma, and lasting medical needs. Golde Law Firm helps injured people pursue claims against responsible dog owners, property owners, insurers, and other liable parties.
California treats dog-bite liability differently from most injury claims. An owner can be responsible for a bite even without any prior history of aggression, which changes what has to be proven and where the disputes tend to land — usually on the extent of the injury rather than on fault.
Those injuries are frequently underestimated. Puncture wounds carry a real infection risk, facial and hand bites often need revision surgery, and permanent scarring is common. Children are bitten at close range and are far more likely to be injured on the face and head, and the psychological effects — fear of animals, sleep disruption, avoidance of ordinary places — can last well past the point the wound has healed.
Recovery may come from more than one source. A homeowner’s or renter’s policy often applies, and in some situations a landlord or property owner who knew about a dangerous animal on the premises may also bear responsibility.
Bite wounds are treated urgently because of infection risk, and the treating record documents the injury while it is fresh.
A report to animal control or the local health department creates an official record and may reveal earlier incidents involving the same animal.
Get the owner’s name, address, and insurance information, and photograph the injury as it heals rather than only once.
Scarring is evaluated on how it looks after it has matured, which can take many months. Resolving a claim before the long-term picture is clear can leave future medical needs unaccounted for.