Dog Bites matters in San Bernardino
Dog bites in San Bernardino happen in the everyday places where people and dogs cross paths. Neighborhood parks, residential streets, and the Santa Ana River Trail draw walkers, joggers, and families, and an unleashed or poorly controlled dog can turn a routine outing into a serious injury. Attacks also occur at front doors and in yards when delivery workers, mail carriers, and visitors encounter a dog the owner failed to restrain.
California law is unusually protective of bite victims, and that works in your favor. Unlike many states, California does not give owners a free first bite — liability can attach the very first time a dog bites. We use that strict-liability rule to build a clear path to recovery for our clients.
Why dog bites happen here
- Off-leash dogs at neighborhood parks and open green spaces
- Encounters on the Santa Ana River Trail and other shared paths
- Residential streets where dogs escape yards or break free of leashes
- Front-door and porch attacks on delivery and service workers
California's strict-liability dog-bite statute
California Civil Code section 3342 imposes strict liability on dog owners. If a dog bites someone who is in a public place or lawfully on private property, the owner is liable for the resulting damages regardless of whether the dog had ever bitten anyone before and regardless of whether the owner knew the dog might be dangerous. This means you generally do not have to prove the owner was careless — the bite itself, in a lawful location, is enough to trigger liability. The rule applies to bites; other dog-caused injuries, like being knocked down, may fall under ordinary negligence instead.
Injuries we see in bite cases
- Deep puncture wounds and torn tissue
- Permanent scarring and disfigurement, often requiring plastic surgery
- Nerve damage and loss of function in the hand or arm
- Infections, including from bacteria in a dog's mouth
- Emotional trauma, anxiety, and fear of dogs, especially in children
Compensation in a San Bernardino dog-bite case
Under California law you may recover economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages cover medical treatment, wound care, reconstructive or plastic surgery, and any lost income while you recover. Non-economic damages address pain, scarring, disfigurement, and the emotional toll an attack leaves behind. Because California applies pure comparative negligence, your recovery could be reduced if you provoked the dog or were somewhere you had no right to be, but partial fault does not bar a claim. We never guarantee a result; we work to document every aspect of your harm.
Deadlines and the courthouse
California dog-bite claims must generally be filed within two years of the attack under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1. Waiting can cost you evidence, witness memory, and ultimately the right to sue. San Bernardino dog-bite cases are filed in the San Bernardino County Superior Court, with civil matters handled at the San Bernardino Justice Center downtown. Contacting a lawyer early helps preserve photographs of the wounds and the scene and lets us identify the owner and any applicable insurance.
How MMG Law Firm helps from Glendale
MMG Law Firm operates out of Glendale, an easy drive to San Bernardino along the 210, and represents bite victims throughout San Bernardino and across California. Attorney Mihran M. Ghazaryan offers free consultations in English, Armenian, and Russian and takes dog-bite cases on contingency — no fee unless we win. We deal with the owner, the insurer, and the paperwork so you can focus on healing.
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.