Dog Bite Lawyer in San Jose

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California holds dog owners strictly liable for the injuries their dogs cause, which means you don’t have to prove the owner knew the dog was dangerous. Insurance companies still fight these claims hard, and understanding how the law applies to your situation matters before you say anything to an adjuster.

James Hann handles dog bite cases at Hann Law Firm personally, reviewing the facts, applying California’s strict liability statute to your circumstances, and pursuing the compensation the law allows for your injuries.

Why James Hann Handles Dog Bite Cases in San Jose

A dog attack can leave you with medical bills and lost income while you’re unable to work. California Civil Code Section 3342 imposes strict liability on a dog’s owner, meaning you don’t have to prove the owner was careless, only that the dog caused your injury and you were lawfully present.

James Hann focuses his practice on personal injury claims, including dog bite cases, and is ready to begin working on your case once you decide to move forward.

How James Hann Investigates Your Dog Attack Case

James Hann investigates every dog attack claim before pursuing compensation. Resources reviewed typically include:

  • Police report
  • Medical report
  • Accounts from witnesses
  • Any video evidence from doorbell cameras or smartphones

Because California imposes strict liability under Civil Code Section 3342, proving negligence is not required. The investigation instead confirms that you were lawfully present when the attack happened and that the dog caused your injury. Evidence about how the dog was restrained, or wasn’t, still matters for identifying every source of insurance coverage and building the fullest picture of the incident.

San Jose requires owners to keep their dogs under control. A dog running loose, leashed or not, can cause serious, permanent injury. 

Even a leashed dog can cause an attack if the leash breaks or is too long. James Hann’s investigation looks at all of this to build the fullest possible picture of what happened and where the compensation should come from.

dog bite lawyer san jose

Steps James Hann Takes for Dog Bite Clients

James Hann begins by investigating your claim and opening negotiations with the insurer on your behalf. Once you hire him, he handles all correspondence with that insurer directly, so you don’t have to negotiate on your own.

He reviews your medical records and talks with your treating providers to understand the full scope of your injuries. He also asks you directly about the pain and emotional impact you’re dealing with after the attack. 

That information helps establish the lingering physical or emotional effects you’re dealing with, such as trouble sleeping or avoiding activities you used to enjoy, which can factor into a pain and suffering claim. If the attack happened because a landlord failed to restrain a tenant’s dog, James Hann’s premises liability practice may also come into play.

What You Should Do After a Dog Bite Attack

If a dog attacks you, get to a safe location first, such as inside a building or a vehicle, and yell for help. Call 911 so first responders can secure the dog and treat your injuries.

Get medical care even if you don’t go until several hours after the attack. A doctor’s diagnosis supports both your recovery and any injury claim you later file.

A dog bite claim doesn’t require broken skin. A dog can knock you down and cause a fracture or soft tissue injury just by making contact. James Hann can help you determine whether you have a viable case.

Contact Hann Law Firm Today

When you need a dog bite lawyer in San Jose, James Hann is ready to evaluate what happened and pursue the compensation California law allows. He investigates the attack, handles negotiations with the insurance company, which in most dog bite cases is the homeowner’s or renter’s insurer rather than the dog owner personally, and advises you at each stage. The firm’s service areas include San Francisco County, Santa Clara County, San Jose, and other areas in Northern California.

Call today at (408) 755-9793 for a free case evaluation.

Areas of Law Practice in San Jose, CA at Hann Law Firm

Hann Law Firm handles several areas of law practice. The Law Firm in San Jose, CA page covers all the areas James Hann serves.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Dog attack victims in San Jose usually arrive with the same questions. The short answers are below.

Yes. A dog can knock you down, cause a fracture, or cause soft tissue damage without ever biting through skin, and those injuries can still support a claim.

California Civil Code Section 3342 holds a dog’s owner strictly liable for a bite, regardless of the dog’s history or how carefully the owner normally restrains it. This applies whether the bite happened in a public place or while you were lawfully on private property, including the owner’s own property as an invited guest.

Yes. Strict liability generally doesn’t apply if you were trespassing at the time, if the dog was a police or military dog reacting to provocation or assisting in an arrest or investigation, and even then, bites to bystanders outside that encounter are still covered by strict liability, or if you were a veterinarian or kennel worker bitten while professionally caring for the dog. If you provoked the dog, that doesn’t automatically bar your claim. It’s treated as comparative fault, meaning it can reduce your compensation but usually won’t eliminate it entirely.

Yes. Strict liability under California law doesn’t depend on your relationship with the dog’s owner or on proving they were negligent. Many people worry about pursuing a claim against a neighbor or friend, but in most cases their homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy is what pays the claim, not the owner personally.

Yes, reporting matters for public safety and for your claim. San Jose Animal Care and Services handles bite response for San Jose, Cupertino, Milpitas, and Saratoga residents. Bites should be phoned in directly, not submitted through the online form, at (408) 794-7297. Field operations run daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. The report creates an official record that can support your case.