Are there laws in California that specifically cover dog bite injuries & damages?
Yes. Many animal injury and damages cases are covered under general personal injury laws of California, but there are also specific references in the California Civil Code that refer to dog bites, referred to as California strict liability dog bite laws. The statistics on Dog Bites and Animal Attacks in America are alarming. Dog bite statistics have shown that almost 2% of the population suffers from dog bites annually. Each year the number of innocent children and adults seriously injured or killed by dogs increases dramatically. California is first in the nation in fatal dog attacks and dog bite injuries. With the popularity of different dog breeds changing so frequently among dog owners, it is sometimes difficult to determine which dogs have a higher likely hood of biting or attacking people. Actually, even though in recent years certain dog breeds have been labeled as “aggressive” and “dangerous,” people of all ages are at risk for dog bites and dog attacks by ANY type of dog.
Yes. A dog owner is liable for injuries inflicted by his dog upon a human being, even if the owner was not negligent and the dog had never bitten anyone before.California Civil Code section 3342 provides as follows:
3342. (a) The owner of any dog is liable for the damages suffered by any person who is bitten by the dog while in a public place or lawfully in a private place, including the property of the owner of the dog, regardless of the former viciousness of the dog or the owner’s knowledge of such viciousness.Source: Dog Bite Law
