Dog Bites matters in Santa Barbara
Dog Bite Incidents in Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara is a dog-loving community with busy parks, beaches, and trails, including the popular waterfront paths along Cabrillo Boulevard and the foothill and Douglas Family Preserve routes, where dogs and people share space. Most bites happen close to home, in a neighbor's yard, on a walk through a residential street, at a park or beach, or when a delivery or service worker enters a property. Children are bitten more often than adults and tend to suffer facial and head injuries because of their smaller stature.
A serious dog attack can cause puncture wounds, nerve and tissue damage, infection, and permanent scarring, along with significant emotional trauma. Reconstructive treatment can be lengthy and costly, and the fear that follows an attack can be lasting.
California's Strict Liability Rule
California is a strict liability state for dog bites. Under Civil Code section 3342, a dog owner is generally responsible when their dog bites someone in a public place or while the victim is lawfully on private property, even if the dog never bit anyone before and the owner had no reason to expect it. This differs sharply from the one-bite rules in many other states and means you usually do not have to prove the owner was careless, only that the bite happened and you were lawfully present.
Compensation typically comes from the owner's homeowners or renters insurance. Attorney Ghazaryan documents the injuries, gathers the animal control report and witness statements, and deals with the insurer so the focus stays on healing. These claims are generally filed in the Santa Barbara County Superior Court, and the general two-year deadline under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1 applies, with a shorter six-month deadline if a government entity is involved.
What a Dog Bite Claim Can Recover
A serious bite often requires emergency care, sometimes at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, followed by wound treatment, antibiotics, and in many cases reconstructive or plastic surgery to address scarring. The compensation available can include all of those medical costs, both past and future, along with lost income, the emotional distress that frequently follows an attack, and pain and suffering. For children left with facial scars, the long-term impact is taken seriously in valuing a claim.
One concern that keeps people from filing is the worry about suing a neighbor or friend. In most cases the claim is paid by the owner's homeowners or renters insurance, not out of their pocket, which is exactly what that coverage exists for. Attorney Ghazaryan handles the conversation with the insurer so you do not have to, gathers the animal control and medical records, and pursues a fair recovery. There is no fee unless he wins, and the consultation is free.
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.