Dog Bite Evidence Checklist
For a dog bite, the first evidence problem is often identity: which dog bit whom, who owned it and where the person was. California’s dog-bite statute addresses bites by an owner’s dog in a public place or while a person is lawfully in a private place. A chase, scratch or fall may present a different legal question, so record what happened rather than applying the bite rule to every animal incident.
Hurt Advice editorial guide. Source review: . This guide does not state that the attorney authored, reviewed or approved it. Visit the profile for public licensing and background records.
Review the attorney’s public background, then confirm experience and availability directly.
Raffi Naljian
Founder, Civil Litigation, Personal Injury & Criminal Defense Attorney
Raffi Garabed Naljian is the founder of Naljian Law Offices and an active California attorney under State Bar #238919. A Los Angeles Times profile says he founded the firm in 2008 after beginning his legal career in 1997, and the State Bar lists personal injury, litigation, criminal law, and business law among his self-reported practice areas.
View Raffi Naljian's full verified profilePrimary identity record
Learn more about Raffi Naljian
This is a focused supporting page. Use Raffi Naljian's full sourced attorney profile as the primary identity record for biography, role, languages, office information, and public-record links. Review that profile alongside the issue-specific preparation and public sources below.
The State Bar record lists Raffi Garabed Naljian as an active California attorney, State Bar #238919. Hurt Advice is a separate referral and legal information service, not the attorney's law firm.
How to Evaluate Attorney Fit for This Issue
Use the worksheet to separate dog identity, location and injury records. A lawyer can review whether the owner-bite statute applies or another theory needs investigation; local animal control and a clinician handle public-health questions. This page does not claim the attorney reviewed this incident.
Consultation worksheet
Dog bite identity and location worksheet
For each source, record its custodian, what it can answer and any gap. Public-health records may have access limits. Avoid posting personal medical or animal-owner details here.
There is no submit or save action. Copy your notes before leaving this page.
Who saw or safely photographed the animal and handler? Do the description, address and report identify the same dog and legal owner?
Who holds a delivery, invitation or property record? Was the place public or was the person lawfully present, and what boundary is uncertain?
Which witness or clinical note distinguishes a bite from a chase, scratch or fall? What was observed firsthand?
Which clinician recorded the wound and date? Are follow-up findings documented or only anticipated?
Which animal-control office has the case number? What can it lawfully release, and is owner or vaccination information still unconfirmed?
Sources for this guide
- California Civil Code section 3342
Owner liability provision for covered bites in public or while lawfully in a private place; not a general rule for all animal-caused injuries.
- California Department of Public Health: Animal bites
Public-health guidance on animal-bite response and reporting to local authorities.
- California Department of Public Health: Rabies
Exposure and health-department context; an individual clinician or public-health authority evaluates the particular exposure.
- California Courts: Personal injury cases
The court lists scene and injury photos, medical records, witness statements and police reports as possible evidence; admissibility and the legal elements still depend on the case.
What to Do Next
- 1Seek appropriate medical assessment and follow local public-health directions about possible exposure; report the bite to local animal control.
- 2Record the dog’s distinguishing features and the handler’s and witnesses’ contact details without approaching or handling an unsafe animal.
- 3Photograph the location and injuries when safe, keeping original files and the date of each image.
- 4Save the animal-control case number, clinical records and any written explanation of why you were at that location.
Evidence Checklist
- Animal-control case number, agency and report request status
- Dog and handler identification from safe photographs, witnesses or written communications
- Location photos, invitation or delivery record if lawful presence could be disputed
- Dated injury photos and medical notes describing the bite and treatment
Keep your unanswered questions handy when comparing the attorney’s public profile with your needs.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Assuming that any injury near a dog proves that the animal bit the person
- Assuming vaccination or ownership records are automatically public or available from the handler
- Relying on a neighbor’s description without identifying whether that person saw the bite
How the Process Typically Works
Health and identification
Address care and public-health reporting; capture dog, owner and witness identifiers safely.
Location and event
Record the precise setting, how the person was there and what physical contact occurred.
Record follow-up
Request available animal-control and clinical records through authorized channels and mark restricted or unavailable items.
Frequently Asked Questions
Must I prove the dog bit someone before?
California Civil Code section 3342 does not require proof of a prior vicious history for an owner’s covered bite. Dog identity, ownership, location, lawful presence, injury and causation still matter.
Does this rule cover being knocked down by a dog?
Section 3342 is written for bites. A non-bite incident may require a different legal theory and different evidence; describe the actual contact to an attorney rather than assuming the same rule applies.
How do I get the animal-control record?
Keep the agency and case number and ask that office about its records process. Availability and privacy limits depend on the record and local rules.
Use the attorney’s public background as a starting point for a direct conversation about fit.
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