California dog bite law in San Juan Capistrano
In San Juan Capistrano, as everywhere in California, the owner pays for any bite in public or where you were lawfully, with no proof of past viciousness needed. The rule is Cal. Civ. Code 3342(a).
The time to sue is 2 years, set by Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 335.1. Insurers know the date too, so do not let it slip.
One more California rule to know. Claim against a public agency: present it within 6 months (Cal. Gov. Code 911.2).
Read the full California dog bite laws for the exceptions and the rules on shared fault.
Reporting the bite and filing in Orange County
Report the bite to OC Animal Care, report an animal bite. Give the date, the place, the dog and the owner's name if you know it. The report also becomes a record for your claim.
Every civil case in the county, small claims included, goes to the Superior Court of California, County of Orange. California requires a dog that bites a person to be quarantined for 10 days, at home or at the OC Animal Care Center, as the county's bite page explains.
If the claim does not settle, it is filed with the Superior Court of California, County of Orange.
Dog bite lawyer in San Juan Capistrano: what the free call covers
- Whether California's rule fits what happened and what the owner knew about the dog.
- Whose policy pays, usually the owner's home or renters insurance.
- Your own last day to file, which comes sooner against a public body.
Want a rough number first? The settlement calculator asks three questions.
