Do I Need a Lawyer After a Dog Bite in Westlake Village?

Curt Brown, Esq. — Founding Partner

Local Westlake Village Injury Attorney · UCLA Law

Curt Brown is a founding partner at L&F Brown. He grew up in Thousand Oaks, just over the hill from Westlake Village, attended Thousand Oaks High School, graduated from UCLA Law School, and has spent his career handling injury cases on both sides of the LA/Ventura County line.

Dog bites are more serious than people often realize. In addition to immediate pain, wounds, and potential infection, dog bites can cause severe lacerations, nerve damage, permanent scarring, and lasting psychological trauma, especially in children. If you were bitten by a dog in Westlake Village, California law gives you a powerful legal tool to hold the owner accountable: strict liability.

California Civil Code Section 3342 imposes strict liability on dog owners for bites that occur in public places or in private places where the victim was lawfully present. This means you do not have to prove the owner knew their dog was dangerous or that the dog had ever bitten anyone before. The bite happened, the owner is liable. Working with a Westlake Village dog bite attorney ensures you recover full compensation without the legal pitfalls that trip up unrepresented victims.

Why a Lawyer Makes a Difference in Dog Bite Cases

Despite California's favorable strict liability law, dog bite claims present real challenges. The dog owner's homeowners or renters insurance handles these claims, and those insurance companies are experienced at minimizing payouts. Common tactics include disputing the severity of injuries, claiming you provoked the dog, arguing you were trespassing, or pressuring you to settle before your injuries are fully treated.

An attorney builds a comprehensive claim that counters all of these tactics. They document your injuries with medical records from Los Robles Regional Medical Center (215 W Janss Rd, Thousand Oaks) and your treating physicians, engage plastic surgery experts if scarring is a significant issue, document the psychological impact of the bite through mental health treatment records, and negotiate aggressively with the insurer to reach a fair settlement. If the insurer refuses to settle fairly, your attorney files suit and takes the case to trial.

California's Strict Liability Law: What It Means for You

Under California's dog bite statute, you do not need to establish prior dangerous behavior, called the "one bite rule" in some states. You were lawfully somewhere, the dog bit you, the owner is responsible. Period. This makes California one of the strongest states in the country for dog bite victims. Your lawyer uses this statutory foundation to prevent the owner and their insurer from raising defenses that do not apply under California law.

Identifying the Right Insurance Coverage

Most homeowners and renters insurance policies in Westlake Village cover dog bite liability. The average homeowners policy in the area carries $100,000 to $300,000 in liability coverage, and many affluent Westlake Village homeowners carry umbrella policies with additional millions in coverage. Your attorney identifies every applicable policy and pursues the maximum available coverage for your claim.

If the dog owner does not have homeowners or renters insurance, or if their coverage is insufficient for serious injuries, your attorney explores alternative recovery options including the owner's personal assets.

The Jurisdiction Issue for Westlake Village Dog Bites

Westlake Village straddles the LA/Ventura county line. A dog bite that occurs on the LA County side would be handled by the Chatsworth Courthouse if it results in a lawsuit. One on the Ventura County side goes to Ventura County Superior Court. The LASD Lost Hills Station responds to animal control incidents on the LA County side and the Ventura County Sheriff's Office handles the Ventura side. Both can document bite incidents in ways that support your civil claim.

Animal Control Reports

Always report a dog bite to animal control. An animal control report documents the incident officially, may trigger an investigation of the dog's history, and in some cases leads to quarantine or other measures that protect the community. It also creates a public record that supports your civil claim and demonstrates that you took the incident seriously from the start.

Time Limits to File

California gives dog bite victims two years from the date of the bite to file a personal injury lawsuit. However, the sooner you act, the better. Evidence of the attack, the dog's history, and the location where it occurred are best gathered immediately. Contact L&F Brown for a free consultation if you were bitten by a dog anywhere in Westlake Village. Visit our Westlake Village personal injury page to learn more about your rights.