Dog Bites matters in Crescent City
California holds dog owners to a strict standard, and a person bitten in Del Norte County usually does not have to prove the dog had ever bitten anyone before. MMG Law Firm represents people hurt by dogs in Crescent City and the surrounding communities, helping them recover for injuries that are often deeper and more lasting than they first appear.
California's strict-liability rule
Under California Civil Code section 3342, a dog owner is generally liable when their dog bites someone in a public place or while the person is lawfully on private property, even if the dog had never shown aggression before. This is different from the rule in many other states, and it works in a victim's favor. The owner cannot escape responsibility simply by saying the dog had always been friendly. There are limits, such as for trespassers or for people who provoked the dog, and we evaluate how these rules apply to your specific situation.
Where bites happen in Crescent City
Dog bites occur in the places where people and animals cross paths. That includes the trails and parks near the redwoods and the coast, the beaches and the Crescent City Harbor where visitors and locals walk their dogs, neighborhood streets and yards, and front porches during deliveries. Children are bitten more often than adults and tend to suffer facial and head wounds because of their height. Postal carriers, delivery drivers, and utility workers are also frequently injured while doing their jobs in local neighborhoods.
The injuries are more than the wound
A serious bite can cause puncture wounds, torn tissue, nerve damage, and infection, and many victims are treated at Sutter Coast Hospital, sometimes needing reconstructive care for scarring. Beyond the physical harm, dog attacks often leave lasting anxiety, especially in children. After a bite, get medical care, identify the dog and its owner if you can, photograph the wounds and the location, report the incident to animal control, and gather witness information. These steps protect both your health and any future claim.
How MMG Law Firm helps
We identify the dog's owner and any applicable homeowner or renter insurance, which commonly covers dog-bite claims, document the full extent of the physical and emotional injuries, and account for future care such as scar revision. When a fair settlement is not offered, suit is filed at the Del Norte County Superior Court in Crescent City. We cannot guarantee any outcome, but we will prepare your case carefully and keep you informed, in your own language, at every step. Insurers often try to settle bite claims quickly and cheaply before the full extent of scarring or a child's emotional recovery is known, and we work to make sure your claim reflects the long-term reality of the injury, not just the first hospital visit.
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.