We Hold Dog Owners Accountable, No Fee Unless We Win
California law holds dog owners strictly liable for bite injuries. That means you only need to prove the dog bit you while you were lawfully on the property. You don’t have to prove the owner was careless or knew the dog was dangerous. This is different from many other states, which give a dog owner a “free pass” for a first bite. A skilled Riverside dog bite lawyer at Kohan & Bablove Injury Attorneys uses this law to build a strong case on your behalf.
Getting a fair settlement still isn’t simple. Insurance companies fight hard to pay victims as little as possible, and they often use aggressive tactics to reduce or deny valid claims. We handle that fight for you, working to recover full compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, future care, and pain and suffering. Most claims are paid through the owner’s homeowner’s insurance, not their personal savings, so pursuing a claim rarely creates financial hardship for the person you may know.
We handle every case on a contingency fee basis. You pay nothing upfront, and you owe us nothing unless we win. Your time to file is limited under California law, so don’t wait to get help. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss what happened to you.
Why Choose Kohan & Bablove Injury Attorneys for Your Dog Bite Claim?
The attorney you choose after a dog attack matters. You need a firm with a proven track record and a personal approach, especially while you’re dealing with pain, medical appointments, and stress. At Kohan & Bablove Injury Attorneys, we’ve secured seven-figure results for our clients and earned recognition as top trial attorneys in Southern California. That reputation means insurance companies take your claim seriously from day one, which often leads to faster, fairer settlement offers.
Despite our results, we keep our approach personal. You’ll work directly with your attorney, not a paralegal, and get a strategy built around the specific facts of your case. Our clients’ testimonials speak to the results and care we deliver, and they reflect the same dedication you can expect from our team. When you choose our firm, you get a partner who fights for your full recovery, from your first phone call through the final settlement.
What to Do Immediately After a Dog Bite in Riverside
The moments after a dog bite are painful and stressful. What you do next can protect both your health and your legal claim.
Step 1: Get to a Safe Location and Seek Immediate Medical Treatment
Move away from the dog right away to avoid further injury. Then get medical care, even if the wound looks minor. Dog bites carry a high risk of infection, rabies, and tetanus, so a doctor should examine and clean the wound properly. Prompt treatment also creates a medical record linking your injury directly to the attack, which becomes important evidence later.
Step 2: Identify the Dog and Its Owner
If it’s safe, get the owner’s name, address, and phone number. Politely ask for their homeowner’s or renter’s insurance details, since that policy usually covers the claim. Note the dog’s breed, color, and size, and where the attack happened. This information matters for your report and your claim.
Step 3: Report the Bite to Riverside County Animal Control
File a formal bite report with Riverside County Animal Control as soon as you can. This creates an official, third-party record of the attack that can support your claim later. Animal control will also check whether the dog is properly vaccinated, and the dog may be placed under a short quarantine period to confirm it doesn’t carry rabies or pose a further risk to others in the community.
Step 4: Document Everything
Take clear photos of your injuries right after the bite and as they heal. Photograph the location of the attack and the dog itself, if it’s safe to do so. Get contact information from any witnesses, since their account can support your version of events. Keep every medical bill and record tied to your injury in one place.
Step 5: Contact Our Lawyers Before Speaking to Any Insurance Company
Before giving any statement to the owner’s insurance adjuster, call a Riverside dog bite lawyer. Adjusters are trained to look for ways to minimize your payout, and they may pressure you to accept a lowball offer early. We handle all communication with the insurance company so you don’t have to worry about saying the wrong thing.
Riverside Dog Bite Lawyer: Determining Who Is to Blame for a Dog Bite
California follows a “strict liability” rule for dog bites under Civil Code § 3342. Unlike states with a “one-bite rule,” California holds owners responsible even for a dog’s first bite. The owner can’t claim they didn’t know the dog was dangerous, and they can’t use a lack of prior incidents as a defense. This gives victims a real advantage when pursuing a claim.
This law makes it easier to hold an owner accountable, but building a strong claim still takes real investigation. Your Riverside dog bite lawyer will gather evidence to prove:
- The defendant owned the dog that bit you
- You were bitten in a public place or lawfully on private property
- You were actually injured by the bite
- The bite directly caused your injuries and damages
We also dig deeper to strengthen your case and counter the insurance company’s defenses, asking questions like:
- Was the dog leashed or fenced in at the time?
- Did the owner try to control the dog during the attack?
- Has the dog bitten anyone before?
- Had the dog received any training?
A history of aggression isn’t required to win a strict liability claim, but it can still strengthen your case and support a higher settlement.
Strict liability does have limits. If you were trespassing, provoked the dog, or were bitten while working as a veterinarian or groomer handling the animal professionally, the owner may raise a valid defense. Even in these situations, you may still have a claim based on ordinary negligence if the owner failed to control a dog they knew could be dangerous. An experienced attorney can evaluate which legal theory best fits your situation.
Breed Could Be Important
Some dog breeds are bred or trained for intimidation, and owners sometimes encourage aggressive behavior instead of correcting it. Riverside’s municipal codes define what makes a dog “potentially dangerous” or “vicious,” and a dog that meets that definition may be removed by local authorities for public safety. Even chasing other animals can count as a warning sign under these codes, since it may point to tendencies that grow more dangerous over time. Your lawyer may use depositions, sworn statements given under oath, to determine whether the dog showed these tendencies before the attack.
Common Injuries After a Dog Bite
Contact our office regardless of how serious your injuries seem at first. Generally, the more medical care you need, the more compensation you may recover. Common injuries include:
- Cuts and lacerations
- Puncture wounds from teeth
- Broken bones
- Internal bleeding
- Head trauma
- Loss of fingers or hands
- Infection at the bite site
These injuries often require surgery, wound care, and a long recovery. Facial bites, in particular, can cause permanent scarring or disfigurement that affects a victim well beyond the physical healing process. The at-fault owner, through their insurance, should cover these costs, not you.
Who Pays for Your Damages?
Most victims worry about how they’ll pay for their injuries, or about filing a claim against someone they know. In most cases, compensation doesn’t come out of the owner’s personal pocket at all.
-
Filing a Claim Against Homeowner’s or Renter’s Insurance
Most dog bite claims are paid through the owner’s homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy, which typically includes liability coverage for injuries like these. Your claim goes against the insurance company, not the owner’s personal assets or savings. We know how to build and negotiate these claims to secure a fair settlement that covers your full losses.
-
What if the Owner Is a Friend or Family Member?
This is a common and understandably difficult concern. Remember, you’re not taking money from your loved one’s savings. You’re using insurance coverage they already pay for, and that exists for exactly this kind of situation. Filing a claim protects your relationship while still getting your medical bills paid. We handle all communication with the insurer so you never have to have an uncomfortable conversation yourself.
-
What if the Owner Has No Insurance?
Some owners don’t carry homeowner’s or renter’s insurance, which can complicate your claim. In these cases, we explore other options, including the owner’s personal assets, umbrella policies, or your own insurance coverage if it includes relevant protection. We review every possible avenue to make sure you aren’t left without a path to compensation.
Compensation for All Your Injuries, Physical and Emotional
A dog bite causes more than a physical wound. California law lets you recover compensation for the full impact of the attack on your life.
Medical Expenses
We fight to recover every medical cost tied to your injury, including emergency care, stitches, infection treatment, and follow-up visits. This also covers the cost of plastic surgery to reduce scarring, which can help restore both your appearance and your confidence after the attack.
Lost Wages and Future Earning Capacity
If you missed work during recovery, we fight to recover that lost income in full. If your injury or scarring permanently affects your ability to work or advance in your career, we also pursue compensation for your reduced future earnings, so you aren’t left with a long-term financial burden. We also account for smaller out-of-pocket costs, like transportation to medical appointments and replacement of torn or damaged clothing.
Pain, Suffering, and Emotional Trauma
The emotional toll of a dog attack is often the hardest part to overcome. A dedicated personal injury attorney pursues compensation for your pain, PTSD, anxiety, nightmares, and any lasting fear of dogs, known as cynophobia. This compensation reflects the real impact the attack has had on your daily life, not just your medical bills.
Common Mistakes That Can Hurt Your Riverside Dog Bite Claim
Certain missteps after a dog attack can seriously hurt your claim, even if you make them with the best intentions. Here’s what to avoid.
- Delaying Medical Treatment
Waiting to see a doctor gives the insurance company room to argue that your injury wasn’t serious, or that something else caused it. Get treatment right away to protect both your health and your claim.
- Giving a Recorded Statement to the Insurance Company
Politely decline to give a recorded statement until you’ve spoken with an attorney. Adjusters ask carefully worded questions designed to get you to downplay your injury, suggest you provoked the dog, or accept partial blame.
- Accepting the First Settlement Offer
Early offers are usually lowball and rarely account for long-term costs like future surgery or therapy. Once you accept an offer, you generally can’t ask for more later, even if your condition worsens over time.
- Settling Out of Court
Many claims settle without a trial. By building a strong case backed by solid evidence, we can often convince the insurer to pay fairly without you ever having to step into a courtroom.
- Waiting Too Long to Get Legal Help
Evidence disappears quickly. Witnesses forget details, surveillance footage gets deleted, and the dog’s history can become harder to trace the longer you wait. Reaching out to a lawyer early preserves your evidence and protects your right to file before California’s two-year deadline passes.
Schedule a Free Consultation with Our Riverside Dog Bite Lawyers
You don’t have to face this alone. Contact Kohan & Bablove Injury Attorneys today for a free, no-obligation consultation. We’ll listen with compassion, explain your rights under California’s strict liability law, and outline a clear path toward the compensation you deserve.
We work on a contingency fee basis, so you pay nothing upfront and owe us nothing unless we win your case. There’s no financial risk in reaching out, only the risk of waiting too long and losing evidence or your right to file. Call our Riverside dog bite lawyers today at 949.506.4511 or fill out the contact form to get started.
Address: 20371 Irvine Ave, Suite 110, Newport Beach, CA 92660 Phone: 949.506.4511
