If you were bitten by a dog in Beverly Hills, California law is strongly on your side. Under California Civil Code § 3342, the dog’s owner is strictly liable for your injuries regardless of whether the dog has ever bitten anyone before. You do not need to prove the owner was negligent or knew the dog was dangerous.
The Injury Partners, led by founding attorney Omeed Hakimianpour, a Super Lawyers Rising Star for both 2025 and 2026, handles dog bite claims on a full contingency fee from our Beverly Hills office. You pay nothing unless we win, and you can reach us anytime at (310) 220-0066 for a free 24/7 consultation.
California Civil Code § 3342 makes California one of the most protective states in the country for dog bite victims. Under this statute, a dog’s owner is strictly liable for injuries caused by a bite, meaning you do not need to prove the owner was negligent, reckless, or even aware the dog had aggressive tendencies. The first bite creates full legal liability.
Many states follow the “one-bite rule,” which requires victims to show that the owner already knew the dog was dangerous. California explicitly rejected that standard. Under § 3342, a dog owner cannot escape responsibility by claiming the animal had never shown aggression before.
Under CACI No. 463, the California Judicial Council civil jury instruction for § 3342, a Beverly Hills dog bite victim must prove four elements:
No proof of negligence, prior aggression, or owner knowledge is required.
Beverly Hills Municipal Code § 5-2-111 provides an additional layer of protection beyond the state statute. Under this local ordinance, any person who owns, controls, or has care or custody of any animal is liable for any injury that animal causes and any resulting property damage.
| California Civil Code § 3342 | Beverly Hills Municipal Code § 5-2-111 | |
| What It Covers | Dog bites only | Any injury caused by any animal |
| Who It Applies To | Dog owners | Anyone who owns, controls, or has custody of the animal (including dog walkers, pet sitters, and boarding facilities) |
A dog does not have to bite you for you to have a claim. When a dog knocks over an elderly pedestrian or scratches a child’s face, the case may proceed under the Beverly Hills Municipal Code or under negligence rather than § 3342. These non-bite injuries are common in dog-dense neighborhoods like Beverly Park, Trousdale Estates, and the streets near Coldwater Canyon, as well as public spaces like Beverly Gardens Park.
In 2024, U.S. insurers paid $1.57 billion in dog-related injury claims, according to the Insurance Information Institute and State Farm. California led all states with 2,417 claims and an average payout of $86,229 per claim, 21.2% above the national average of $69,272. Over 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs annually, and more than 50% of severe injuries involve children.
No. Under Civil Code § 3342, the dog’s owner is strictly liable the very first time the dog bites someone. You do not need to prove the owner knew the dog was dangerous or that the animal had any prior history of aggression.
Strict liability means the dog’s owner is legally responsible for your injuries regardless of fault or prior knowledge. Under California Civil Code § 3342, you must only prove the defendant owned the dog, the bite occurred in a public place or lawfully on private property, and the bite caused your injuries.
Yes. Beverly Hills Municipal Code § 5-2-111 covers any injury caused by any animal, not just dog bites. It also applies to anyone who owns, controls, or has custody of the animal, including dog walkers, pet sitters, and boarding facilities.
Dog bite claims in Beverly Hills frequently involve affluent homeowners carrying $300,000 to $1 million in personal liability coverage, backed by experienced insurance defense counsel. The Injury Partners was founded to meet that level of opposition with equal preparation and greater commitment to the people who were harmed.
Omeed Hakimianpour earned his degree from UCLA and his J.D. from USC Gould School of Law before joining Kirkland & Ellis, where he managed multimillion- and billion-dollar transactions.
Daniel Sabet completed the SCALE accelerated J.D. program at Southwestern Law School in two years and built his career entirely on the plaintiff side representing injury victims. Every client works directly with a founding attorney from the first phone call through case resolution.
The firm’s verified 5.00 Google rating reflects a documented pattern of clients feeling personally prioritized throughout their case. That level of care is especially meaningful for dog bite victims dealing with trauma and the stress of seeking representation on behalf of an injured child.
A dog bite can cause far more damage than the wound suggests. Beverly Hills’ residential profile, where large-breed dogs are common among affluent households, contributes to the severity of local attacks.
Physical injuries commonly seen in Beverly Hills dog bite cases include:
Psychological and emotional injuries are frequently undercompensated but equally real:
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center serves as the primary acute care facility for Beverly Hills dog bite victims. Plastic surgery specialists practice along the Beverly Hills medical corridor on Wilshire Blvd and S. Beverly Drive, licensed trauma therapists are accessible throughout the area, and all of these treatment costs are recoverable as economic damages in your claim.
The injuries that drive the highest claim values are those requiring multiple surgeries, producing visible permanent scarring, or causing lasting functional impairment. Facial disfigurement in children, severed tendons that reduce hand function, and infections requiring hospitalization all generate significant economic and non-economic damages.
Cases involving documented PTSD or cynophobia add a psychological damages layer that many insurance adjusters attempt to minimize.
Yes. California law allows dog bite victims to recover for emotional distress, PTSD, anxiety, and cynophobia as non-economic damages. Child victims who develop long-term psychological conditions may recover significant compensation for ongoing therapy and diminished quality of life.
Immediately. Even minor-looking bites can introduce bacteria deep into tissue and cause nerve damage not visible without examination. Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is the primary trauma facility serving Beverly Hills. Delaying treatment increases the risk of serious infection and allows wound progression that could have been prevented with early intervention.
The steps you take in the first 24 to 72 hours after a dog bite directly affect the strength of your legal claim.
Yes, and it is legally required. Failing to report can weaken your claim because there will be no official government record of the attack, no documented investigation into the dog’s vaccination or bite history, and no quarantine determination. Insurance adjusters may use the absence of an animal control report to question whether the attack occurred as you described it.
Provocation is the most common defense adjusters use to reduce dog bite payouts. Under California’s pure comparative negligence system, even if you were found partially at fault, your recovery is reduced proportionally rather than eliminated. This is why you should never give a recorded statement before consulting a dog bite attorney in Beverly Hills.
Yes. Under California Civil Code § 3342, the dog owner is strictly liable for bites that occur while the victim is lawfully on private property, including the owner’s own home. The claim is filed against the homeowner’s insurance policy, not against the friend personally.
Dog bite claims in Beverly Hills often carry higher recovery potential than the statewide average because of the insurance coverage levels carried by affluent homeowners. California law allows victims to pursue economic, non-economic, and in rare cases punitive damages.
California Food & Agricultural Code § 31603 defines what constitutes a dog with a documented history of dangerous behavior. In rare cases where the owner knew about that history and deliberately concealed it or failed to restrain the animal, punitive damages under California Civil Code § 3294 may be available.
Most Beverly Hills dog bite claims are paid through the owner’s homeowners or renters insurance, and many local homeowners carry coverage well above standard limits. Your attorney’s job is to identify every applicable policy layer and pursue the maximum recovery available under each one.
The Injury Partners Beverly Hills personal injury attorneys have the experience to uncover umbrella policies and additional coverage that insurance adjusters will never voluntarily disclose.
Minor bite cases requiring limited treatment may settle in the low five figures. Severe disfigurement, tendon damage, or PTSD cases can exceed six figures depending on the available coverage and the extent of the injuries.
In 2024, the average dog bite claim payout in California was $86,229, according to the Insurance Information Institute and State Farm. Beverly Hills claims may exceed that average because of higher coverage limits, access to specialist care, and the severity of injuries common in large-breed attacks.
Yes. Most claims are paid through the owner’s homeowners or renters insurance. Standard policies carry $100,000 to $300,000 in liability coverage, and many high-net-worth residents carry umbrella policies providing $1 million to $5 million or more.
Child victims frequently recover higher non-economic damages, particularly when the attack causes facial scarring the child will carry for life. PTSD, developmental impacts, and long-term anxiety also increase the claim’s value, and California law requires court approval for any settlement on behalf of a minor.
Dog bite victims in Beverly Hills are often up against high-limit insurance policies and defense teams that deploy provocation arguments, comparative fault claims, and injury minimization tactics.
Under California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1, dog bite victims have two years to file a personal injury lawsuit. That statute of limitations deadline may feel distant, but evidence begins degrading immediately. Wound photographs lose impact as injuries heal, and witness memories fade. The sooner you have an attorney protecting your claim, the stronger your case will be.
The Injury Partners was built to help victims like you, combining Omeed Hakimianpour’s Kirkland & Ellis preparation with genuine personal accountability. You work with the same attorney who will negotiate your settlement and, if necessary, take your case to trial. The firm handles every dog bite case on a strict contingency fee. If we do not recover compensation for you, you pay nothing.
Call The Injury Partners today at (310) 220-0066 or email info@theinjurypartners.com to schedule your free consultation. You can also submit a free case review online or visit our office at 499 N. Canon Dr., Suite B1, Beverly Hills, CA 90210, where we are available 24/7 for free, confidential consultations.
