Dog Bites matters in Chico
Dog Bites in Chico Neighborhoods
Dog attacks happen across Chico, in the residential neighborhoods around Bidwell Park, on the sidewalks and bike paths where people walk their dogs, in apartment complexes near Chico State, and during deliveries to homes throughout Butte County. Children are bitten most often and tend to suffer the most serious facial and hand injuries because of their size. Beyond the physical wounds, a serious bite can leave permanent scarring, nerve damage, and a lasting fear of dogs.
Many victims hesitate to file a claim because the dog's owner is a neighbor, friend, or relative. In most cases, though, the recovery comes from the owner's homeowner or renter insurance, not out of their pocket, so pursuing a claim does not have to mean a personal confrontation.
California's Strict Liability Rule
California is a strict liability state for dog bites. Under Civil Code section 3342, a dog owner is generally responsible for bites that occur in public or when the victim is lawfully on private property, even if the dog never bit anyone before and the owner had no reason to think it was dangerous. This is more favorable to victims than the old one-bite rule used in some states.
Attorney Ghazaryan documents the attack, identifies the owner and the applicable insurance, gathers any prior complaints or animal-control records, and ensures your care at Enloe Medical Center and other providers is fully recorded, including any plastic-surgery or scar-revision needs. Injury lawsuits from Chico dog bites are generally filed in the Butte County Superior Court, subject to the two-year deadline under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1. He handles the insurer directly and pursues compensation for your medical bills, scarring, and emotional harm.
Protecting Children and Families After a Dog Attack
When a child is bitten, the harm goes beyond the immediate wounds. Facial scarring can require multiple reconstructive surgeries over the years as the child grows, and the psychological effects, including anxiety and a lasting fear of dogs, are real injuries the law recognizes. A claim for a child is handled with particular care, and a court approval process protects the settlement so the funds are preserved for the child's benefit.
Attorney Ghazaryan documents the full extent of the injuries, works with treating physicians and, where needed, plastic surgeons to project the future care a young victim will need, and accounts for the emotional harm alongside the physical. He identifies the homeowner or renter policy that applies and deals with the insurer directly so the family is not put in the position of confronting a neighbor. Dog bite claims in Chico are pursued in the Butte County Superior Court when a fair settlement cannot be reached, and he prepares each case thoroughly so the insurer takes it seriously.
Our attorney
How Mihran M. Ghazaryan helps with dog bites
California holds dog owners strictly liable, and Mihran M. Ghazaryan works directly with the owner's homeowners or renters insurer so families aren't put in the position of suing a neighbor out of pocket. He documents the bite, the medical treatment, and any scarring with the seriousness these injuries — especially to children — deserve.
Types of dog bite injuries we handle
Children's dog bites
Scarring on a child has a long arc. We document the injury carefully and, when appropriate, hold the recovery in a court-supervised account.
Postal carrier and delivery worker bites
Workers' compensation and the homeowner's policy can both apply. We coordinate to maximize total recovery.
Multi-dog incidents and provocation defenses
Strict liability has narrow exceptions. We address provocation defenses head-on with witness work and documentation.
Damages
What compensation can cover
Every dog bite injury claim is different, but California law allows injured plaintiffs to seek several categories of damages. We build each one with documentation — medical records, wage statements, expert opinions — so nothing is left on the table.
Medical expenses
Emergency care, hospitalization, surgery, rehabilitation, and the future treatment your providers say you'll need.
Lost wages
Income you lost while recovering — and, where the injury affects your ability to work, diminished future earning capacity.
Pain and suffering
Compensation for physical pain, emotional distress, and the ways the injury has changed how you live day to day.
Property damage
Repair or replacement of your vehicle and other property damaged in the incident.
Out-of-pocket costs
Transportation to appointments, medical equipment, household help, and the other expenses an injury forces on you.
How we work
- 1
Free, no-pressure consultation
We listen first. We answer your questions. There is no fee for the initial conversation — and you decide whether to engage us at the end of it.
- 2
Investigation and evidence preservation
Police reports, scene photos, witness statements, vehicle data, surveillance video, medical records. The earlier we collect, the harder it is for the other side to reshape the story later.
- 3
Treatment, demand, and negotiation
We coordinate with your providers, document the full extent of damages — medical, lost income, pain — and present a demand backed by evidence. We push back firmly when an insurer lowballs.
- 4
Litigation when necessary
Most matters settle. When an insurer refuses to be reasonable, we file. Preparing every case as if it will be tried is what makes the settlement number move.
What to do right away
- Get medical attention; rabies and infection risk drive immediate care.
- Report the bite to animal control and request a copy of the report.
- Photograph wounds at intake and during healing — scarring damages depend on documentation.
- Get the owner's homeowners or renters insurance information.
- Call us before signing anything.
The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.
Deadlines that matter
Most California personal-injury claims must be filed within two years of the injury (Code of Civil Procedure §335.1). Miss the window and the court will almost always dismiss the case, no matter how strong it is.
Claims against government entities are much shorter — generally a written claim within six months (Government Code §911.2). Crashes involving city vehicles, public buses, or dangerous public-road conditions can fall under this rule.
Exceptions exist in both directions — discovery rules, minors, continuing violations, out-of-state defendants — so don't assume your deadline has passed or that you have time to spare. Call (818) 539-7969 and we'll tell you exactly where you stand.