Dog Bites matters in Anaheim
Dog bites happen in the ordinary places where people and pets cross paths, and Anaheim has plenty of them. A walk through a neighborhood park, a jog on a trail, or a visit to a friend's apartment complex can turn into a serious injury when an owner fails to control their dog. The good news for victims is that California law strongly favors the person who was bitten.
MMG Law Firm represents dog bite victims throughout Anaheim and the rest of California. We work out of Glendale, roughly 30 miles from Anaheim, and while we do not maintain a local office, we handle Anaheim cases fully.
Where Dog Attacks Happen in Anaheim
Bites tend to cluster where dogs and people share tight or open space:
- Neighborhood and city parks, where off-leash and poorly controlled dogs encounter families
- Residential streets and apartment communities, where dogs escape yards or lunge during walks
- The Santa Ana River Trail, where joggers and cyclists pass leashed and unleashed dogs in close quarters
- Sidewalks and front yards during deliveries and casual visits
Children are frequent victims because they are at face level and may not read a dog's warning signs.
California's Strict Liability Rule
California Civil Code section 3342 imposes strict liability on dog owners. This means an owner is generally responsible for a bite that happens in a public place or while the victim is lawfully on private property, including the owner's property, regardless of whether the dog had ever bitten anyone before. California does not follow a so-called one-free-bite rule for this statute, so the owner cannot escape liability simply by claiming the dog had never been aggressive. The key questions are usually whether the victim was lawfully present and was actually bitten, rather than whether the owner knew the dog was dangerous.
Injuries and Case Types We Handle
Dog attacks produce wounds that can require surgery and leave permanent marks. We handle cases involving:
- Puncture wounds, tearing, and crush injuries
- Nerve and tissue damage
- Permanent scarring and disfigurement, especially facial injuries in children
- Infections from bite wounds
- Psychological trauma, including fear of dogs and anxiety
Compensation You May Recover
California allows dog bite victims to seek economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages include medical treatment, reconstructive or scar-revision surgery, and lost income. Non-economic damages cover pain, emotional distress, and the impact of permanent scarring or disfigurement. Because California uses pure comparative negligence, any share of fault assigned to the victim reduces but does not necessarily eliminate recovery. We cannot guarantee a particular outcome, but we work to capture the full extent of the harm.
Deadlines and Where Anaheim Cases Are Heard
California dog bite claims generally must be filed within two years under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1. Acting early helps preserve evidence such as photos of wounds, medical records, and the dog's ownership and history. Anaheim dog bite cases are generally handled by the Orange County Superior Court, with many filed at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana.
How MMG Law Firm Helps
MMG Law Firm and attorney Mihran M. Ghazaryan represent bite victims in Anaheim and statewide from our Glendale office. We identify the dog owner, locate any homeowner or renter insurance that may apply, document the injuries and scarring, and deal with the insurer on your behalf. Consultations are free and available in English, Armenian, and Russian, and we work on contingency, so there is no fee unless we win.
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.