When it comes to dog bites, the State of California uses the strict liability rule. Therefore, if you sustain an injury in a dog attack, including a bite injury, you do not have to prove negligence on the part of the dog owner. Rather, the dog owner is strictly liable for the attack and your injuries.
The types and amounts of damages for which you may be eligible in a dog attack case depending upon a variety of factors, including the amount of insurance coverage available and the nature and extent of your injuries.
If you have suffered one or more injuries because of a dangerous or vicious dog, you should not go it alone. Instead, it is important that you have knowledgeable legal representation in your corner from the beginning of your case to the end. An Orange County dog bite lawyer can assist you with pursuing the compensation that you deserve for your injuries.
Amount of Insurance Coverage Available
The amount of damages that you can pursue and recover following a dog attack depend, in part, upon the amount of insurance coverage that is available. In many cases, homeowner insurance coverage will come into play if a person is injured as a result of a vicious dog. The amount of coverage under the homeowner policy will serve as a cap on the amount of compensation that you can pursue and recover for your injuries.
It is important to keep in mind that just because there is a large cap on the applicable homeowner insurance policy does not necessarily mean that your personal injury case is worth that much. Rather, the cap on the policy serves as a limit for what you are eligible to recover by way of a settlement or jury verdict.
What Dog Bite Claims Are Worth on Average
National insurance data gives a rough benchmark. According to the Insurance Information Institute and State Farm, insurers paid $1.86 billion on 28,450 dog bite and dog-related injury claims in 2025, an average of $65,450 per claim. California had more claims than any other state (2,830), with an average of $81,789 per claim.
These are averages across every kind of injury, from minor bites to severe attacks, so they don’t predict what any one case is worth. Homeowners and renters insurance policies usually cover dog bite liability up to the policy limit, which is typically $100,000 to $300,000. Above that limit, the dog owner is personally responsible.
Nature and Extent of Your Injuries
The types and amounts of damages you are eligible to recover following a dog attack also depend upon the nature and extent of your injuries. There is no doubt the dog attacks and dog bites can lead to serious and debilitating injuries and other conditions. Victims of dog attacks could sustain:
● Puncture wounds on their skin
● Bite marks and lacerations
● Broken bones and fractures
● Soft tissue injuries
● Infections
● Rabies exposure
These injuries might require hospitalization, stitches, surgeries, and physical therapy to correct. All of these types of medical treatment can cost a significant amount of money.
In California, dog owners are strictly liable for the acts of their pets. Moreover, dog owners can be negligent for allowing their pets to run at large and injure people. If you are able to prove that your injury or injuries resulted from the dog attack, you may be eligible to pursue and recover monetary compensation for those injuries. For example, you could pursue and recover compensation for your medical treatment, lost earnings, pain and suffering, inconvenience, and loss of enjoyment of life.
In rare cases where an owner acted with malice, for example by deliberately setting a dog on someone, California law also allows punitive damages. These are meant to punish rather than compensate, and they require clear and convincing evidence of malice, oppression or fraud (Civil Code section 3294).
A knowledgeable California dog bite lawyer near you will be able to assess your eligibility for various damages and will pursue the compensation that you need.
