Practice Areas / Dog Bites
Riverside Dog Bite Lawyer
California holds owners strictly liable. We hold them to it.
California Civil Code section 3342 is blunt: a dog’s owner is liable for bite injuries in public places or where the victim is lawfully present — no “one free bite,” no requirement to prove the owner knew the dog was dangerous.
Dog bite claims are usually paid by homeowner’s or renter’s insurance, not out of the owner’s pocket — which matters when the owner is a neighbor or family friend. Singh Law HQ handles these cases with exactly that sensitivity, while making sure medical care, scarring, and trauma are fully accounted for.
What a consultation looks like
You talk to a real person at Singh Law HQ — not a call center — in English, Spanish, Punjabi, or Hindi. We’ll tell you honestly whether you have a case and what it may be worth. It’s free, and if the firm takes your case, you pay nothing unless you win.
Case files
Common injuries in dog bite cases
Ordered from most common to most severe. Dog bite claims are usually paid by homeowner’s or renter’s insurance — and California holds owners strictly liable.
Puncture wounds & lacerations
A dog’s bite drives bacteria deep under the skin. Even a wound that looks small can damage nerves and tendons and carries a real infection risk — medical care the same day matters.
Symptoms
- Deep punctures, often in pairs
- Torn skin needing stitches
- Swelling, redness, warmth — signs of infection
- Numbness near the wound
What moves the value
- Location — face and hands are valued higher
- Visible scarring after healing
- Nerve or tendon involvement
- Infection and complications
Proof you need
- Same-day medical treatment records
- Photos of the wound as it heals
- Animal control or police report
- Identification of the dog and its owner
The insurer’s playbook.The homeowner’s insurer minimizes scarring — a “minor cosmetic issue.” Photos over time, and a plastic surgeon’s opinion where warranted, show what a jury would see.
Scarring & disfigurement
Facial bites — most common in children — can leave scars that no amount of healing fully erases. California juries treat permanent disfigurement, especially in kids, as a major element of damages.
Symptoms
- Raised or discolored scar tissue
- Tightness where scarring crosses joints
- Visible marks on face, neck, or hands
What moves the value
- Visibility and size of scarring
- The victim’s age — children carry scars longest
- Cost of revision or laser surgery
- Psychological effect of disfigurement
Proof you need
- Photo record from injury through healing
- Plastic surgeon evaluation and cost estimate
- Counseling records where applicable
The insurer’s playbook.Insurers push to settle before scars mature — they often look worst a year in. Singh Law HQ doesn’t value a scar case until the scarring can be fully assessed.
Psychological trauma
Especially in children, the fear outlasts the wound: nightmares, fear of dogs, anxiety about going outside. California law recognizes emotional distress as real, compensable harm.
Symptoms
- Nightmares or flashbacks
- Fear of dogs or of the location of the attack
- Anxiety, clinginess, or regression in children
- Avoiding walks, parks, or friends’ homes
What moves the value
- A diagnosis such as PTSD
- Duration of counseling needed
- How daily routines changed
Proof you need
- Therapy or counseling records
- A treating psychologist’s evaluation
- Family accounts of behavioral changes
The insurer’s playbook.Adjusters treat emotional harm as an add-on to be zeroed out. A treating therapist’s records make it a documented injury, not an asking-price.
Crush injuries & fractures
Large breeds bite with enough force to break bones in a hand or forearm — and knockdowns cause hip and head injuries, particularly in older victims. The fall is part of the claim, not a separate accident.
Symptoms
- Broken bones in hands, arms, or from falls
- Deep tissue damage under intact skin
- Head injuries from being knocked down
What moves the value
- Surgery and hardware
- Age and fragility of the victim
- Lasting loss of grip or mobility
Proof you need
- X-rays and surgical records
- Scene evidence of the knockdown
- Witness statements
The insurer’s playbook.When the dog didn’t bite — it lunged, chased, or knocked someone down — insurers argue strict liability doesn’t apply. Negligence law still does, and we plead both.
Not sure where your injury fits? Describe what happened — the consultation is free, and so is an honest answer.