Dog Bites matters in Quincy
Dogs are part of rural mountain life around Quincy. Many Plumas County households keep dogs for companionship, property protection, ranch work, or hunting, and dogs roam more freely on large rural parcels than they do in dense cities. That freedom can lead to attacks. A bite may happen on a neighbor's land, on a trail or county road, in a Quincy yard, or during a visit to someone's home near Lake Almanor or in the surrounding forest communities. Children are bitten more often than adults and tend to suffer the most severe facial and head injuries.
California's strict-liability dog bite law
California is a strict-liability state for dog bites. Under Civil Code section 3342, a dog owner is generally liable when their dog bites someone who is in a public place or lawfully in a private place, even if the dog had never bitten before and showed no prior signs of aggression. The injured person usually does not have to prove the owner was careless. There are limits, such as for trespassers or for people who provoked the dog, but the law gives bite victims a strong path to recovery. Beyond bites, an owner can also be responsible under ordinary negligence when a dog knocks someone down or causes other harm.
Particular concerns in Plumas County
Rural attacks bring their own challenges. The nearest emergency care is Plumas District Hospital in Quincy, and deep puncture wounds carry a high risk of infection that requires prompt treatment. Identifying the dog and confirming its rabies vaccination status matters for your health and your claim. Large guard and working dogs can inflict serious damage. We move to document the attack, identify the owner, and determine what insurance, often a homeowner or renter policy, may cover your injuries.
How MMG Law Firm helps bite victims
We gather the evidence that supports your claim: photographs of the wounds, medical and animal-control records, witness statements, and any history of the dog's behavior. We document your treatment, including any surgery or scar revision, the lasting physical and emotional effects, and lost income, coordinating with your Plumas County providers from our Glendale office. We deal with the owner's insurance company so you do not have to. Plumas County cases are filed in the Superior Court in Quincy, and we prepare each one for trial. You pay nothing up front and owe no fee unless we recover for you.
Infection, scarring, and the long recovery
In a remote area like Quincy, a dog bite is not just an immediate wound. Deep punctures from a large working or guard dog can damage tendons and nerves and frequently become infected, and the distance to specialty care means follow-up appointments and possible reconstructive or scar-revision surgery often involve travel out of the county. Children who are bitten in the face may carry permanent scarring and lasting anxiety around animals. We make sure the full arc of recovery is documented, from the first visit to Plumas District Hospital through every follow-up, and we account for the emotional toll, not just the stitches. When the same dog has a history of aggression or prior incidents reported to animal control, we obtain those records to strengthen your claim and protect others in the community.
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.