San Diego
Dog Bite
Attorney
A dog bite can leave you dealing with painful wounds, infection risk, scarring, and lasting anxiety—often after an ordinary moment like walking through your neighborhood, visiting a friend, or passing a dog on a leash. California takes dog bites seriously, and in many cases the law allows victims to pursue compensation even if the dog has never bitten anyone before.
If you or your child was bitten in San Diego County, Hulburt Law Firm represents dog bite victims in serious injury and wrongful death cases throughout California.
We handle dog bite cases involving:
- Attacks on children and bites to the face or head
- Off-leash incidents in neighborhoods, parks, and sidewalks
- Bites in apartment complexes, HOAs, and common areas
- Delivery drivers, visitors, and other lawful guests bitten on private property
- Severe scarring, infection complications, and nerve damage
Our Approach
Throughout your dog bite case, we keep you informed, answer your questions, and explain each step in clear, practical terms. Because we limit the number of serious injury matters we accept, we can move quickly to preserve key evidence—photos of the wounds and healing over time, witness information, medical records, and any Animal Services reports or vaccination documentation when available.
Dog bite claims are often uncomfortable because the owner may be a neighbor, friend, or family member. In many cases, compensation is paid through homeowners or renters insurance, not out of the person’s pocket. Our role is to handle communications with insurers, push back against blame-shifting, and make sure your injuries are taken seriously—especially when scarring, infection, nerve damage, or emotional trauma is involved.
We also look beyond the dog owner when the facts support it, such as cases involving apartment complexes, HOAs, or prior incidents where a property manager failed to address a known risk. With Hulburt Law Firm handling the legal process, you can focus on medical care and moving forward while we pursue full and fair compensation under California law.
Navigate the Law
Understand and manage the complexities of your case with an expert legal team on your side.
Gather Crucial Evidence
Our legal team collects crucial evidence to present a compelling case.
Negotiate Settlements
We handle negotiations with insurance companies and opposing parties in order to achieve the highest settlements possible.
Representation in Court
Our experienced attorneys provide skilled representation if your case goes to trial.
Case Results
Our attorneys have a proven track record of achieving extraordinary results.
A sudden tire failure caused an SUV to fishtail and crash into a tree on the side of a San Diego County highway, killing a beloved husband and father.
A San Diego I-5 freeway collision resulted in brain and spine injuries.
A passenger seatback collapsed in a rear-end collision, causing the occupant life-changing spinal injuries and paralysis.
Campus security was speeding and collided with a student’s vehicle, killing her.
The driver's head restraint broke off when he was rear-ended at high speed on the 15 freeway, causing the driver to suffer a spinal cord injury and paralysis.
Adults served minors alcohol at a party. A minor then drove drunk and crashed, killing a passenger.
The Harm
A young girl was bitten on the face by a dog, leaving visible facial scarring and deep emotional distress. As her family focused on medical care and healing, the insurance company treated the case like a minor incident—arguing the scar would “fade” and making low settlement offers that didn’t reflect what the child had been through.
The Truth
Facial scarring isn’t just a medical issue—it can be a lifelong experience. The reality was that the scar was likely to remain visible as she grew, and because of where it was located, she would see it every day in the mirror. Beyond the physical mark, the attack created fear and anxiety that can follow a child for years. Her family knew this wasn’t just about early treatment bills—it was about the long-term impact on confidence, self-image, and childhood.
Justice
Attorney Conor Hulburt built a comprehensive demand package using medical documentation, photographs over time, and a clear narrative that showed the real, lasting harm caused by the attack. After sustained negotiation and pushing back against efforts to minimize her injuries, the case resolved for an amount significantly greater than the insurer’s initial offers.
If you or your child was seriously injured in a dog attack in San Diego County, you don’t have to handle the insurance company alone. Request a free dog bite case review to talk with a San Diego attorney about what happened and your legal options.
How It Works
Dog Bite Case Review
During your free case review, we listen to what happened, where the bite occurred, and what medical treatment you’ve needed. We review any information you already have—photos, medical records, witness details, Animal Services paperwork, and insurance letters—and give an honest assessment of whether a dog bite claim may be available under California law. This conversation is confidential and there’s no obligation to move forward.
Early Investigation
If you decide to work with us and the scope of representation is signed, we move quickly to document the incident and preserve evidence. That may include obtaining photographs of the injuries and the location, identifying and contacting witnesses, and collecting any video footage from nearby homes, businesses, or apartment common areas before it’s overwritten. Because wounds and scarring change over time, we also help ensure the injury is documented consistently as it heals.
Medical Evaluation
Next, we gather and organize the medical evidence needed to prove the full impact of the bite. That can include urgent care/ER records, follow-up visits, antibiotics and infection treatment, plastic surgery or scar management recommendations, and mental health care when trauma is involved—especially for children. When appropriate, we consult with medical experts to evaluate permanency, scarring, and future treatment needs.
Legal Strategy
We identify all potentially responsible parties and insurance coverage. In many cases, that includes the dog owner and the owner’s homeowners or renters insurance. In other cases—such as bites in apartment complexes, HOAs, or common areas—we also evaluate whether a property owner or manager may share responsibility, especially if there were prior incidents or known safety issues. Our goal is to ensure no viable source of coverage is overlooked.
Demand Package
We prepare a clear demand package that explains liability and documents damages, including medical costs, lost income, scarring/disfigurement, and the emotional impact of the attack. We handle all communications with insurers and push back against common defenses such as “provocation,” “you assumed the risk,” or “the injuries weren’t that bad.” Throughout negotiations, we keep you updated, explain offers in plain language, and help you evaluate whether a proposed resolution is fair.
Litigation and Trial Representation
If the insurance company will not resolve the case fairly, we are prepared to file a lawsuit and take the case through litigation. That can involve written discovery, depositions, and testimony from medical experts and other witnesses. If the case goes to trial, we present the evidence clearly—how the bite happened, why the defendant is responsible under California law, and what the injury has meant for you or your child now and in the future.
California Dog Bite Law: Liability, Compensation & Deadlines
California generally holds dog owners strictly liable when their dog bites someone who is lawfully in a public place or on private property. In many cases, you don’t have to prove the dog had bitten before or that the owner knew the dog was dangerous.
California’s Strict Liability Rule for Dog Bites
When a Dog Bite Claim Is More Complicated
Who Can Be Liable Besides the Dog Owner?
Compensation in California Dog Bite Cases
Deadlines to File a Dog Bite Claim in California
The Hulburt Law Difference
In-Depth Investigations
Forget surface-level research and mediocre inquiries. We dive deep to conduct extensive investigations and gather evidence in order to build your strongest case.
Tech-Forward Approach
We use technology to your advantage. By using video and photography, scene recreations, and graphics, we tell your story in a visually-compelling way that other law firms cannot match.
Maximum Compensation
Defense attorneys and insurance companies know us and respect us. We assess the full extent of your damages and pursue all responsible parties in order to maximize the compensation you deserve.
The Right Experience
Catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases are rarely simple. We have taken on the largest corporations, insurance companies, and defense firms in the country and won.
Genuine Care
We understand how important it is to have a compassionate and considerate lawyer. From providing regular case updates to ensuring clients are adequately prepared for each step of the case, we continually demonstrate our care for all of our clients.
Dog Bite
FAQs
What should I do immediately after being bitten by a dog?
Do I have a valid case for a personal injury lawsuit?
Who can be held liable for my dog bite injuries?
What types of compensation can I seek in a dog bite lawsuit?
How long do I have to file a dog bite lawsuit?
What evidence is important in a dog bite case?
How long does it take to resolve a dog bite lawsuit?
Do I need an attorney to pursue a dog bite lawsuit?
How much will it cost to hire an attorney for my dog bite case?
What should I expect during the legal process?
Request a Free Case Review
Simply fill out the form or call 619.821.0500 to receive a free case review. We’ll evaluate what happened, your injuries, and potential defendants to determine how we can best help you.
The Hulburt Law Firm specializes in catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death cases in San Diego, California.
