Dog Bites matters in Alturas
Dog attacks are a real concern in a rural ranching county like Modoc, where working and guard dogs are common and properties are large and open. A serious bite can cause deep wounds, infection, nerve damage, and permanent scarring, and California law gives victims strong protection.
Why Bites Happen Around Alturas
In and around Alturas, dogs are kept for ranch work, livestock protection, and security, and many roam large unfenced properties along county roads and the U.S. 395 and SR-299 corridors. Encounters happen when a dog ranges onto a roadway or neighboring land, when a delivery driver or meter reader enters a property, or when a loose dog confronts a person walking or cycling on a rural shoulder. Children are especially vulnerable, and bites to the face and hands are sadly common in younger victims.
California's Strict Liability Law
California is a strict-liability state for dog bites. Under Civil Code section 3342, a dog's owner is generally liable when their dog bites someone who is in a public place or lawfully on private property, even if the dog never bit anyone before and the owner had no reason to think it would. This is far more favorable to victims than the old one-bite rule used in some states. Separate negligence claims may also apply where an owner let a dangerous dog run loose. We identify every theory that fits your case.
Building the Case in Modoc County
We work with Modoc County animal control records, the owner's homeowner or ranch liability insurance, medical records from Modoc Medical Center, and photographs documenting the wounds and scarring over time. Because scarring evidence develops as healing progresses, we document it carefully for the full value of the claim. We handle everything remotely from Glendale, and if a lawsuit is needed it is filed in the Modoc County Superior Court in Alturas.
Why Prompt Care Matters Out Here
In a remote county, a dog bite raises practical concerns beyond the wound itself. Modoc Medical Center in Alturas handles emergency treatment, but serious facial wounds or injuries needing reconstructive or specialist care may require a transfer to Redding or Reno. Rabies risk is also a real consideration when a roaming ranch or stray dog cannot be located and observed, sometimes making a course of preventive shots necessary. These added burdens, the travel, the follow-up, and the trauma of the attack, are part of the harm, and we make sure they are reflected in the claim rather than overlooked.
After an Attack
Get medical care promptly, since bite wounds carry a high infection risk, and report the bite to county animal control so there is an official record and the dog can be identified. Identify the dog's owner and any witnesses, photograph the injuries as they heal, and speak with a lawyer before accepting any settlement from the owner's insurer.
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.