Local office in Fresno, CA1401 Fulton St, Suite 905Directions

Dog bite in Fresno?Talk to a lawyer for free.

California holds a dog's owner responsible from the first bite. In Fresno, every bite must be reported to the County's rabies control program, and the dog is watched for at least 10 days.

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Call our Fresno office(559) 238-022324/7 line: (800) 985-9565

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Insurance companies have a team.You should have one too.

A dog bite claim is usually paid by the owner's homeowners or renters insurance, and insurers bring adjusters and lawyers to every serious claim. Whether you were bitten on a walk near Blackstone Avenue, at a neighbor's home in Clovis or out in the county, an adjuster may call within days, and what you say can shape the rest of your claim.

Before you sign anything, ask yourself:

  1. Do you know who owns the dog, and whether they have homeowners or renters insurance?
  2. Were you in a public place, or lawfully on the property, when the dog bit you?
  3. Will the settlement cover scars, follow-up care and lost income months from now, not just today?

From one of our car accident cases

The insurer's best offer$410,000

What we won for our client$4.4M

A car accident that left our client with a neck injury. Most people would have taken the offer. We won more than ten times as much.

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Our office in Fresno

Local dog bite lawyers,right here in Fresno.

Not every firm that advertises in Fresno has an office here. We do.

Our office is downtown on Fulton Street, the same street as the County's rabies control program at 1221 Fulton, and under a mile from Community Regional Medical Center. Come in, or we'll come to you anywhere in Fresno and Madera Counties.

Nearby officesModestoBakersfieldStockton

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Thank you, Valero Law Group, for getting me paid after I got bit by my neighbor's dog!
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What you can recover aftera dog bite in California.

The dog's owner can be held responsible for a bite. In narrower cases, so can someone who kept or controlled a dog they knew was dangerous, or a landlord who knew about the dog and had the right to have it removed.

Economic damages

The costs you can add up

  • Emergency care, stitches and hospital bills
  • Rabies shots and follow-up care, if your doctor orders them
  • Corrective or cosmetic surgery for scars
  • Lost wages while you heal

Non-economic damages

The harm that has no receipt

  • Pain and physical suffering
  • Scarring and disfigurement
  • Emotional distress after the attack
  • Lost enjoyment of life
  • 1st biteThe owner is responsible from the first biteCalifornia's dog bite law makes the owner responsible for a bite in a public place, or on private property where you were lawfully, even if the dog never bit anyone before (Civil Code §3342).
  • 10 daysThe dog is isolated and watchedEvery California county is a declared rabies area, so a dog that bites someone must be isolated and observed for at least 10 days in a place the health officer approves (17 CCR §2606).
  • 2,830Dog-related injury claims in California in 2025More than in any other state, according to the Insurance Information Institute and State Farm. A dog bite claim is usually paid by the owner's homeowners or renters insurance, up to the policy's limit.

After a dog bite in Fresno,what comes next.

Care, the bite report, the dog's quarantine, evidence and deadlines, explained.

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  • Wash it, then get it checked
    Wash the bite with soap under running water for five minutes, and get medical care if it's serious or later shows pain, redness, swelling or discharge (CDPH). A doctor decides whether rabies shots are needed. Community Regional Medical Center downtown is a Level I trauma center, and seriously injured children may be taken to Valley Children's Hospital, a Level II pediatric trauma center just north of Fresno.
  • Report the bite to Fresno County Public Health
    Every bite must be reported to the County's Rabies Control and Animal Services Program, online at any hour or at (559) 600-3200 on weekdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Your doctor or clinic reports it too. Keep the report number.
  • Who comes out depends on where it happened
    Inside Fresno city limits, animal control is the City's Fresno Animal Center, (559) 621-7387; staff answer certain emergency calls after hours. In unincorporated Fresno County, it's the County's provider, Fresno Humane Animal Services, (559) 600-7387. Elsewhere, such as Clovis, call your city. If the dog is still loose and dangerous, call 911.
  • The dog is watched for at least 10 days
    Under state rules, it's isolated and observed for at least 10 days, at the owner's home, a shelter or a vet, as the health officer approves (17 CCR §2606). Ask the owner for proof of the dog's rabies vaccination: the law keeps a dog's licensing and vaccination information confidential to its owner and vet.
  • Write down the owner and the dog
    The owner's name, address and phone, a description of the dog and its license tag, where it happened, and witnesses' names; ask neighbors whether a camera caught it. Take dated photos of your injuries as they heal, and ask for copies of your medical and billing records, which you have a right to.
  • Deadlines, and who usually pays
    A lawsuit is generally due within two years. A claim against a public agency, such as for a police dog's bite, is usually due within six months. Claims are usually paid by the owner's homeowners or renters insurance (Triple-I).
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Organizations we support

Sponsor of the 2024 Share the Road Scholarship

Our community outreach
  • Al Barro Foundation
  • EUNIME por Tijuana, A.C.

Common questionsafter a Fresno dog bite.

Who is responsible for a dog bite in Fresno?
The dog's owner, under California's dog bite law, if you were bitten in a public place or while lawfully on private property, including the owner's. It doesn't matter whether the dog ever bit anyone before or whether the owner knew it could. Someone else, such as a landlord, can be responsible only in narrower cases, for example when they knew about the dangerous dog and had the right to have it removed.
Where do I report a dog bite in Fresno?
To Fresno County Public Health's Rabies Control and Animal Services Program, online at any hour or at (559) 600-3200 on weekdays. For a dog loose inside Fresno city limits, call the City's Fresno Animal Center at (559) 621-7387; in unincorporated Fresno County, call Fresno Humane Animal Services at (559) 600-7387.
The dog knocked me down but didn't bite me. Do I have a claim?
Maybe. The strict dog bite law covers bites. If a dog knocked you down, chased you into traffic or injured you some other way, a claim usually depends on showing the owner was careless, or knew the dog had a dangerous nature. It depends on what happened, so talk to us.
The bite didn't break the skin, or I was partly at fault. Does it still count?
The bite doesn't have to break the skin for the dog bite law to apply. Owners can still argue that you share the blame, but under California's comparative fault rule, that reduces an award rather than erasing it.
Who pays for a dog bite?
Usually the owner's homeowners or renters insurance, up to the policy's liability limit, not the owner's own pocket. If the claim is worth more than the limit, the owner is responsible for the rest (Insurance Information Institute). Policies differ, so finding out what coverage the owner has is an early step.
How long do I have after a dog bite in Fresno?
A dog bite lawsuit generally must be filed within two years of the bite. For a child bitten by a privately owned dog, the two years generally don't start running until the child turns 18. A claim against a public agency, such as the City of Fresno or Fresno County, is usually due within six months, and the pause for children doesn't apply to it. Call us early so no deadline slips by.
Do you have an office in Fresno?
Yes. Our office is at 1401 Fulton St, Suite 905, Fresno, CA 93721, downtown. Come in if you like, or we'll come to you, at home or in the hospital. Call (800) 985-9565 any time, 24/7.
What does a dog bite lawyer cost?
Nothing upfront. Your consultation is free, and no attorney's fees are owed unless we recover compensation for you. You may be responsible for case-related costs and expenses; we'll explain them before you sign.
Attorney Kyle Valero
Kyle ValeroAttorney, Valero Law Group

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Have a question about a potential case?Talk to a Fresno dog bite lawyer today.

Your consultation is always free, with no obligation. We're happy to answer any questions and walk you through your options. No pressure, just honest answers.

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