Dog Bites matters in Sacramento
Sacramento's love of the outdoors means people and dogs share a lot of space, and that is where many bites happen. Neighborhood parks, trails along the American River Parkway, sidewalks in residential neighborhoods, and apartment courtyards are common settings for attacks, often when an owner lets a dog off-leash or fails to control it. Children are bitten most often, and facial and hand injuries are especially common.
The good news for victims is that California law is unusually protective. You generally do not have to prove the owner was careless or that the dog had bitten before.
Where Sacramento dog bites happen
- Off-leash dogs on the American River Parkway and bike trails
- Encounters at neighborhood and city parks
- Bites in residential yards, driveways, and on sidewalks
- Apartment-complex courtyards and shared common areas
- Deliveries and service visits to a dog owner's home
California's strict-liability dog-bite law
Under Civil Code §3342, a dog owner is strictly liable for a bite that occurs in a public place or while the victim is lawfully on private property, including the owner's. "Strict liability" means there is no free first bite in California: the owner can be responsible even if the dog never bit anyone before and showed no signs of aggression. The victim does not have to prove the owner was negligent. There are limits, such as bites to trespassers or certain situations involving working police and military dogs, and we will explain how they apply to your case.
California's pure comparative negligence rule can reduce recovery if the victim provoked the dog or was somewhere they had no right to be, but it does not automatically bar a claim.
Injuries we help with
- Puncture wounds, deep lacerations, and crush injuries
- Facial injuries and permanent scarring or disfigurement
- Nerve and tendon damage to the hands and arms
- Infections, including from puncture wounds
- Emotional trauma, anxiety, and PTSD, especially in children
Compensation for bite victims
Victims may recover economic damages such as emergency care, surgery, reconstructive and scar-revision procedures, and lost income, along with non-economic damages for pain, suffering, disfigurement, and emotional distress. Scarring and trauma in children are taken seriously. Every case is different and we never promise a specific outcome.
Deadlines and the Sacramento courthouse
The deadline to file a California dog-bite lawsuit is generally two years from the date of the bite under Code of Civil Procedure §335.1. Evidence such as photos of the wounds, the dog and owner's identity, and any animal-control report fades quickly, so it helps to act early. Sacramento dog-bite lawsuits are filed in the Sacramento County Superior Court at the Gordon D. Schaber Courthouse.
How MMG Law Firm helps from Glendale
We are based in Glendale and represent dog-bite victims throughout California, including Sacramento. We gather the records, identify the owner's homeowner or renter insurance, handle negotiations remotely, and appear in Sacramento County court when needed. Consultations are free 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.
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