In California, a dog-bite injury action generally must be filed within two years under Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1. If a public entity owns or controls the dog, a written claim generally must be presented within six months under Government Code § 911.2.
Key Takeaways
- Most dog-bite injury actions have a two-year limit under CCP § 335.1.
- A government-owned or controlled dog may trigger a six-month written claim under Gov. Code § 911.2.
- A written public-claim rejection generally starts a six-month lawsuit deadline under § 945.6(a)(1).
- Minors generally have until their 20th birthday under the verified facts; seek advice promptly.
A dog bite near Hollywood Boulevard, at a Los Angeles park, or inside a private home can lead to different questions about the owner and filing clock. This guide helps victims and families protect a potential claim. It explains the general two-year period, public-entity claim process, and the verified note for minors. The facts files do not supply every exception or agency filing instruction, so use the dates as a starting point for prompt legal review.
The ordinary dog-bite deadline is two years
California’s general personal-injury statute provides two years for an action for injury to an individual caused by another’s wrongful act or neglect (Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1). The verified facts apply that deadline to dog-bite injuries. The date of injury is the ordinary reference point provided in the source facts.
This filing period is separate from whether the dog owner is liable. Civil Code § 3342(a) covers a dog owner’s strict liability for a qualifying bite, but meeting a deadline does not prove ownership, a qualifying location, harm, or causation. Evidence and the statutory conditions still matter. Do not wait for an insurance decision or for treatment to end before asking a lawyer to confirm the dates.
A public dog can require an earlier written claim
If a public entity owns or controls the dog, a written claim generally must be presented within six months under Government Code § 911.2. The verified facts identify cities, counties, Metro/LA Metro, LAUSD, Caltrans, and the State of California as potential public entities. Police and military dogs also raise the special rule in Civil Code § 3342(b)–(d), so identify both the agency and the dog’s role early.
Do not assume a handler’s presence proves government ownership, or that a dog in a public place is privately owned. Identify the person or entity that owned or controlled it from witnesses, records, and communications. The facts do not list agency addresses, claim forms, or delivery methods; check the correct entity’s current instructions and keep the claim and proof of submission. An incident report is not identified as a substitute.
What happens after a government claim
A written rejection generally starts a six-month deadline to file a lawsuit (Government Code § 945.6(a)(1)). Save the complete notice and record its arrival date. A routine acknowledgment or request for more information should not be assumed to be a formal rejection; have counsel review the communication.
If no written rejection was ever sent, the general two-year limit applies under Government Code § 945.6(a)(2). Keep all agency letters, emails, and delivery records together. If the six-month presentation period was missed, a late-claim application may be made within a reasonable time, but no later than one year after injury, under Government Code § 911.4. It is not automatic relief.
Special timing note for minors
The verified facts state that minors generally have until their 20th birthday under separate tolling rules, but they caution not to cite a specific minor-tolling statute number without re-verification. This is not a reason to delay. A public-entity dog bite may require an earlier claim step, and the facts of the minor’s age and responsible parties should be reviewed promptly.
A parent or guardian should preserve the injury date, dog-owner information, witness details, photographs, treatment records, and any claim or response. Ask counsel to verify the minor-specific period based on the actual age, event, and defendants. This guide does not provide a statute number or promise that the general description applies to every situation.
Deadlines are different from liability defenses
California Civil Code § 3342(a) generally imposes strict liability on a dog owner for a bite in a public place or while a person is lawfully in private property, regardless of prior viciousness or the owner’s knowledge. The verified facts also identify trespass, certain police or military work, and comparative fault or assumption of risk as relevant defenses or exceptions.
Those issues do not automatically change the calendar. Record where you were, whether you were lawfully present, who owned the dog, and what happened immediately before the bite. If an official dog was involved, preserve the agency and assignment details. A timely filing does not resolve a defense, and a possible defense is not a reason to miss a deadline.
What to do now
Write down the bite date, location, dog description, owner or handler’s name, and witnesses. Photograph visible injuries and the scene, preserve treatment records and bills, and save communications identifying the dog or person responsible. If a report was created, note the report number and request a copy; the verified facts do not say a particular report is mandatory.
Determine promptly whether a public entity owned or controlled the dog. Calendar the six-month written-claim date under Government Code § 911.2 separately from the general two-year injury period under Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1. Keep proof of every submission and response and have a lawyer verify the dates and any minor-specific rule.
A practical calendar and document checklist
Create a timeline with the bite date, age of the injured person, dog and owner identity, any public agency, the written-claim due date if applicable, submission date, and any rejection notice. Keep the actual notice rather than relying on a summary. The dates should be reviewed against the governing statutes, not just entered into a phone calendar.
The legal facts provide a one-year outer window for a late-claim application under Government Code § 911.4, but not an automatic right to file late. If the six-month date is close or has passed, act immediately. A lawyer can assess the agency, the claim documents, and the interaction with the ordinary deadline without guessing at a tolling rule.
It can take time to learn who owned or controlled a dog, especially when a handler or another household member was present. Start that investigation immediately while separately tracking the injury date. A dispute about identity does not itself establish an extension. Preserve names, contact information, communications, and any report that actually exists, then ask counsel to verify the proper defendant and deadline.
The public-entity period is an initial claim-presentation deadline, not simply the same two-year lawsuit period with a shorter date. If a claim is rejected in writing, Government Code § 945.6(a)(1) generally starts a separate six-month period to sue. If no written rejection was ever sent, subsection (a)(2) provides the two-year general limit. Save the original notice so the correct path can be determined.
If an agency is involved, verify its current written instructions rather than relying on a general online address or a police report. The facts file does not provide submission addresses, forms, or methods. Keep a copy of the actual claim, proof of delivery, and all responses. A request for records or an insurance discussion should not be assumed to count as a claim presentation.
The minor timing note is deliberately general. The verified facts say minors generally have until their 20th birthday under separate tolling rules, but do not supply a statute number and caution against adding one without verification. A family should not postpone advice on that basis, particularly if a government dog or other public entity may be involved.
The merits and the deadline can be investigated at the same time. Section 3342(a) describes strict liability for a dog owner in a qualifying bite, but defenses and exceptions can be raised. Do not wait until every witness has been interviewed or medical care is finished before confirming the filing date. Preserve the facts and ask a lawyer to assess both issues together.
Write all relevant dates in one chronology: injury, any notice to an agency, claim submission, agency acknowledgment, written rejection, and suit deadline. Keep the words “claim presented,” “claim rejected,” and “lawsuit filed” distinct. They describe separate steps. A simple timeline, backed by original documents, makes it easier to spot an approaching deadline and avoid relying on a remembered date.
An owner’s strict-liability status does not determine whether the dog was owned by a public entity. Separate those inquiries: identify who owned or controlled the dog, then check whether the claim is against a public agency and whether the special government-dog rule may apply. Preserve the handler’s details and the entity’s identity even if the bite appears straightforward. Those facts can affect both which defendant is considered and which filing path must be followed.
Use caution with a “deadline calculator” that asks only for an injury date. The public-entity process includes presenting a written claim and may involve a separate deadline after a written rejection; a minor may also have a different rule. The verified sources give these rules but not every circumstance or exception. Gather the actual dates and notices and ask counsel to verify them before relying on an online estimate.
Los Angeles County context
Most personal-injury cases arising in Los Angeles County are filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court; the exact courthouse assignment should be confirmed for each case; Los Angeles County Superior Court; the exact courthouse assignment should be confirmed for each caseis one example named by the firm. A private dog-bite claim generally has two years under Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1. A dog owned or controlled by a public entity generally requires a written claim within six months under Government Code § 911.2; a written rejection generally starts six months to sue under § 945.6(a)(1). Record the exact location and identify whether the dog was privately owned or connected to a public agency.