California Dog Bite Lawyer: Common Strict Liability Defenses

This week, we have been discussing California’s strict liability dog bite statute. Simply put, the law states that the owner of a dog which bites another person is liable for injuries and damages, even if the dog in question doesn’t have a history of aggression or viciousness. Of course, no law is that simple. There are numerous ways a dog owner may not be liable for the actions of his or her pet. Here are a few examples:

• The dog bite victim was trespassing. California law states that a pet owner is not responsible for an attack which occurred when a victim was trespassing on private property. A dog bite victim also may not be able to sue if he or she was breaking the law at the time of the attack.
• The dog bite victim provoked the dog. In some cases, a dog bite victim assumes a risk of injury in some way. For example, if the victim caused the dog to attack, he or she might not have a dog bite case.
• The dog bite victim was unreasonably careless. If the dog bite victim was careless, he or she may have more difficulty collecting damages. For example, if her or she ignored a Beware of Dog sign on the property.

It is extremely important to remember that each dog bite case is unique, and that California dog bite laws can be complicated. Even if you believe you may not be able to collect damages after a dog bite injury, you may wish to speak with an experienced California dog bite lawyer about the details of your case. At Russell & Lazarus, we offer dog bite victims free case evaluations for this purpose. Call us today at (949) 851-0222 to see how we can help.