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

In Oakland, report the bite to Oakland Animal Services at (510) 535-4884, get it treated, and talk to us before you talk to the dog owner's insurer.

  • No fee unless we winWe only get paid when you get paid.
  • Zero upfront costYour consultation is free, with no obligation.
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Call our San Jose office(408) 516-428324/7 line: (800) 985-9565

No attorney's fees unless we recover compensation. Clients may be responsible for case costs. Read the disclaimer

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Mrs. Romero was extremely helpful! Grateful for the support I received.
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Results that speak.Millions won for injured clients.

We've won over $500 million in verdicts and settlements for our clients.

Recognized for excellence

Avvo Rating: Excellent, Top Rated Personal InjuryTop Rated by Super Lawyers
  • $6.25MPersonal injuryA confidential personal injury settlement.
  • $5MAuto accidentFor a husband and wife after the husband suffered a brachial plexus injury.
  • $2.34MAccident claimA win for a client injured in an accident.
  • $1.5MAuto accidentA win for a client injured in an auto accident.

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes, and each case is different.

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Here to protect your interests, not the insurance company's

The owner's insurer has a team.You should have one too.

After a dog bite, the claim usually goes to the owner's homeowner's or renter's insurance, not to the owner personally, and that insurer has adjusters and lawyers of its own. An adjuster may call within days, and what you say can shape the rest of your claim.

Before you sign anything, ask yourself:

  1. Did the dog bite you, or knock you down?
  2. Does the owner have homeowner's or renter's insurance, or a landlord who knew about the dog?
  3. Will the settlement cover your scars and treatment 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.

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes, and each case is different.

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Our nearest office

Dog bite lawyersfor Oakland and the East Bay.

Our office is in San Jose, about 40 miles south on I‑880. We'll come to you.

Call us from home or from the hospital. We'll meet you anywhere from Berkeley to Fremont, so you don't have to make the drive to San Jose.

Other offices nearbyStocktonModestoSalinas

Why choose Valero Law Group?

We champion every case,big and small.

Whether your case is worth $5,000 or $5 million, we bring the same skill, attention and determination to every client we represent.

So don't let the size of your case keep you from seeking justice: every injury deserves serious representation. Let us fight for the compensation you're owed while you focus on what matters most, your recovery.

They made me feel like a priority, and they put my needs first as a client.

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Real reviews fromour clients.

  • Samuel M. smiling in the Valero Law Group office with his $881,000 settlement check
    Samuel M.$881,000
  • Victoria M. smiling in front of the Valero Law Group logo wall with her $625,000 settlement check
    Victoria M.$625,000
  • Karina C. smiling in the Valero Law Group office with her $625,000 settlement check
    Karina C.$625,000
  • Angela M. smiling and pointing to her $625,000 settlement check
    Angela M.$625,000
  • Destiny H. smiling with her $500,000 settlement check
    Destiny H.$500,000
  • Javier P. smiling in the Valero Law Group office with his $375,000 settlement check
    Javier P.$375,000
Thank you, Valero Law Group, for getting me paid after I got bit by my neighbor's dog!
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Letty R.! Always helpful. She was on top of everything during my case. Always available for any questions I had.
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Ask for Leticia R. She helped me with my father's case and did an outstanding job. Very reputable and reliable.
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What you can recover aftera dog bite in California.

In California, a dog's owner is responsible for what a bite cost you when it happened in a public place, or while you were lawfully on private property, including the owner's own home or yard (Civil Code §3342).

Economic damages

The costs you can add up

  • Emergency care, stitches and hospital bills
  • Follow-up care, including reconstructive or scar surgery
  • Physical therapy and rehabilitation
  • Lost wages and lost earning capacity

Non-economic damages

The harm that has no receipt

  • Pain and physical suffering
  • Scarring and disfigurement
  • Anxiety and emotional distress
  • Lost enjoyment of life
  • 1st biteThe owner is responsible from the first biteThere's no "one free bite" in California. It doesn't matter that the dog never bit anyone before or that the owner didn't know it was dangerous, and a bite counts even if it didn't break the skin.
  • $81,789The average dog bite insurance claim in California in 2025California had 2,830 dog bite and other dog-related injury claims that year, more than any other state, according to the Insurance Information Institute and State Farm. It's an average, not what any one case is worth.
  • 80%What you keep if you were 20% at faultIf the owner blames you, say for reaching over a fence, California's pure comparative fault rule reduces your award by your share of the blame instead of erasing it.

After a dog bite in Oakland,what comes next.

The bite report, the quarantine, the owner's details and insurance, and deadlines, explained.

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  • Report the bite
    California requires every dog bite to be reported. Your report gets the record started and lets officers check the dog's rabies vaccination. In Oakland, call Oakland Animal Services at (510) 535-4884; its shelter is at 1101 29th Avenue. If the dog is still loose and dangerous, call Oakland police's non-emergency line, (510) 777-3333, or 911 in an emergency.
  • Was the dog on a leash?
    In Oakland, a dog in a public place must be on a leash no longer than six feet, held by a responsible person, except in the City's off-leash dog areas. If a loose dog knocked you down or chased you into the street, the owner can be responsible even without a bite. Note whether the dog was loose, and photograph the place and your wounds as they heal.
  • Get medical care
    Get any bite checked, even a small one: dog bites can spread germs that cause infection, and your doctor can tell you whether you need rabies shots. Rabies is found in bats throughout Alameda County, so follow that advice.
  • The 10-day quarantine
    After a bite, the dog is watched for 10 days for signs of rabies, usually at its owner's home. If the owner can't or won't keep it confined, Oakland Animal Services can take it to the shelter. Follow your doctor's advice on rabies shots in the meantime. We can request a copy of the bite report for you.
  • Get the owner's details and insurer
    In California, the owner of a dog whose bite broke the skin must give the person bitten, within 48 hours, their name, address and phone number, the dog's name and license tag number, and its rabies vaccination status. Ask for their insurance company too: a homeowner's or renter's policy typically covers dog bites up to its limits, often $100,000 to $300,000. If the owner rents, note the landlord's name.
  • Police or shelter dog? Shorter deadline
    Most dog bite lawsuits must be filed within two years. If a public agency is responsible, for example for a police dog or a dog in a public shelter's care, a written claim is usually due within six months: to the City of Oakland, through its City Attorney, by email or mail, for Oakland police or Oakland Animal Services, and to Alameda County for its own agencies. Other public agencies, such as BART, have their own claim forms. We can file it for you.
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Al Barro Foundation: supporting over 400 orphans in Mexico

From the community, for the community.

Hablamos español.

We're a Hispanic-focused firm with native Spanish-speaking attorneys. We understand your family's needs, walk you through every step in your language, and fight to get you every dollar you deserve.

Organizations we support

Sponsor of the 2024 Share the Road Scholarship

Our community outreach
  • Al Barro Foundation
  • EUNIME por Tijuana, A.C.
…they speak excellent Spanish, know how to help, and look out for their clients' best interests.
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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 dog bite in Oakland.

Who do I report a dog bite to in Oakland?
To Oakland Animal Services, at (510) 535-4884. If the dog is still loose and dangerous, call Oakland police's non-emergency line, (510) 777-3333, or 911 in an emergency. Bitten in a neighboring city? Report it there: Berkeley Animal Care Services at (510) 981-6600, Alameda police dispatch at (510) 337-8340, or San Leandro police at (510) 577-2740.
The owner won't give me their information. What can I do?
If the bite broke the skin, California law requires it. Within 48 hours of the bite, the owner, or whoever had the dog, must give you their name, address and phone number, the dog's name and license tag number, and its rabies vaccination status (Penal Code §398). Every Oakland dog over four months old must be licensed and wear its tag, so the license tag can help identify the owner. Report the bite to Oakland Animal Services, and call us: we can help find the owner and their insurer.
Will the dog be put down?
Reporting a bite doesn't mean the dog will be put down: it's watched for 10 days for signs of rabies. After a serious bite, the City of Oakland can hold a hearing and declare the dog "potentially dangerous" or "vicious". A vicious dog must be muzzled off its property, and its owner must carry at least $100,000 in liability insurance. That's a public-safety process, separate from your injury claim.
The dog belongs to a friend, a neighbor or a landlord's tenant. Will they have to pay out of pocket?
Not necessarily. Dog bite claims are often made against the owner's homeowner's or renter's insurance policy, which exists for exactly this. A landlord usually isn't responsible for a tenant's dog, but California courts have held that a landlord can be when the landlord actually knew the dog was dangerous and could have had it removed, for example by ending the lease. Talk to us about who may be responsible.
My child was bitten. What should I know?
Children are more likely than adults to be bitten, and their injuries tend to be more severe, so get even a small bite checked. For a child, the two-year limit usually doesn't start until they turn 18, but a claim against a public agency still has the six-month deadline. Any settlement for a child has to be approved by a judge.
How long do I have after a dog bite in Oakland?
Most dog bite lawsuits must be filed within two years of the bite (Code of Civil Procedure §335.1). If a public agency is responsible, such as the City of Oakland for a police dog or a dog in a public shelter's care, a written claim is usually due within six months. Call us early so no deadline slips by.
Do you have an office in Oakland?
No. Our nearest office is in San Jose, at 45 E Julian St, about 40 miles south of downtown Oakland. You don't have to come in: call us 24/7 at (800) 985-9565 and we'll meet you at home or in the hospital, anywhere from Berkeley to Fremont.
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 dog bite lawyer about your Oakland case 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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