(323) 879-9777

Hancock Park Dog Bite Lawyer

If you were hurt in a dog bite in Hancock Park, you are dealing with medical appointments, missed work and an insurance adjuster who started building a file the same day. I am Brandon Aminpour, a California attorney (State Bar #340927), and I handle these claims myself from my office at 6404 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1111 in Los Angeles. When you call, you speak with me — not an intake department that hands your file to someone you never meet.

Where these dog bites cases happen in Hancock Park

Hancock Park is largely residential, with wide parkways, mature street trees and long blocks that people walk daily — often with dogs. Larchmont Boulevard functions as the neighborhood main street, where leashed dogs sit outside cafés a few feet from the sidewalk. Many of the historic lots have low hedges and gates that open directly onto the parkway, so a dog can reach a passerby before anyone sees it coming. LAPD Wilshire Division covers the area, and animal incidents are also reported to Los Angeles Animal Services.

Locations that come up repeatedly in Hancock Park dog bite claims:

  • Larchmont Boulevard village blocks
  • Rossmore Avenue and Beverly Boulevard
  • 3rd Street between Highland and Rossmore
  • Wilshire Boulevard at the southern edge

What to do after a dog bite in Hancock Park

Report the incident so there is an official record — in Hancock Park that normally means the LAPD Wilshire Division. Get checked by a doctor the same day if you can; a gap between the incident and the first medical visit is the argument an adjuster reaches for first.

Then preserve what will disappear. Camera footage in this area is typically overwritten within days, and businesses will not hold it without a written request.

Evidence worth securing immediately:

  • photographs of every wound before and during healing, dated
  • the animal control report number and the quarantine record
  • the owner's name, address and any license or vaccination information
  • names of witnesses and anyone who has seen the dog behave aggressively before
  • all treatment records, including any plastic surgery consultation

The California rules that decide these claims

These rules apply statewide, and they are what an insurer for a Hancock Park claim will be applying to your file:

  • California imposes strict liability on a dog owner for bite injuries in a public place or where the person was lawfully on private property (Civil Code § 3342). You do not have to prove the dog had bitten before.
  • Strict liability covers bites. Injuries from a dog knocking someone down or chasing them into traffic are handled under ordinary negligence instead.
  • Report the bite to the local animal control agency — in the City of Los Angeles, that is Los Angeles Animal Services. The report documents the animal, the owner and the quarantine.
  • California is a pure comparative fault state (Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975) 13 Cal.3d 804); provocation or trespass can reduce or defeat recovery.
  • Homeowner or renter insurance frequently provides the coverage, so identifying the owner and the address early matters.

Deadlines that apply to a Hancock Park claim

Missing a deadline ends a claim regardless of how strong it is. Three separate clocks matter in Los Angeles County:

  • Two years from the date of injury for most personal injury claims against a private person or business (Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1).
  • Six months to present a written claim to a public entity — a city, the County, Metro, a school district or a state agency — before you can sue (Government Code § 911.2). This deadline is not extended for minors, and it applies to street design, signal, sidewalk and public-vehicle claims.
  • One year from discovery, or three years from injury, whichever comes first, for medical malpractice (Code of Civil Procedure § 340.5).
  • For an uninsured or underinsured motorist claim, Insurance Code § 11580.2(i) requires suit against the at-fault driver, a written settlement agreement, or a formal arbitration demand within two years of the collision.

How I handle a Hancock Park case

I run a solo practice, which means the attorney who evaluates your case is the attorney who works it. I start by identifying every insurance policy that could respond, sending preservation letters before evidence is lost, and building the medical record properly rather than rushing a demand out the door.

You pay no attorney's fee unless I recover compensation for you. Case costs — records, filing fees, experts — are separate from the attorney's fee and are set out in writing in the fee agreement before I take the case, so nothing about the arrangement is a surprise later.

The consultation is free and there is no obligation. Call my office at (323) 879-9777, or send a message and I will get back to you.

Hancock Park dog bites questions

How long do I have to file a dog bite claim in Hancock Park?

Generally two years from the date of injury under Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1. If a public entity is involved — a city street, a signal, a transit vehicle — you must present a written claim within six months under Government Code § 911.2, and that shorter deadline is not extended for minors. Because Hancock Park claims often involve public property, it is worth having the deadline checked early.

Does it matter that I was partly at fault?

Not to the existence of your claim. California follows pure comparative fault (Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975) 13 Cal.3d 804), so a share of responsibility reduces your recovery by that percentage rather than eliminating it. Insurers often propose a fault split early, before the evidence is in.

Should I give the other insurer a recorded statement?

Not before you have advice. An adjuster is allowed to ask, and the statement becomes part of the file that gets used against you later — particularly on how the incident happened and how badly you were hurt in the first days, when injuries are often still developing. You can decline and refer them to your attorney.

What does it cost to hire you for a Hancock Park case?

The consultation is free. I work on a contingency fee, so you owe no attorney's fee unless I recover compensation. Case costs are separate from the attorney's fee and are explained in writing in the fee agreement before I begin.

Do you meet clients in Hancock Park?

My office is at 6404 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1111, Los Angeles, CA 90048. I also handle consultations by phone and video, and I can arrange to meet somewhere convenient in Hancock Park if travel is difficult after an injury. Call (323) 879-9777.

This is general information, not legal advice. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.