There are few things quite as frightening as a dog bite attack. Aside from the fact that a dog bite attack is a terrifying ordeal, it can cause serious injuries resulting in medical expenses, lost time from work, pain and suffering and extensive disfigurement and scarring. Some dog bites leave the victim so severely injured that plastic surgery is later required. When you are injured in a dog bite attack, you need the assistance of an experienced Chicago dog bite lawyer.
Every year, there are approximately 4.7 million dog bite attacks. In 2007, there were 33 fatal dog bite attacks nationwide. Every year, insurance companies pay approximately $1 billion for damages in dog bite lawsuits and dog bite claims.
Help for Victims of Dog Bite Attacks in Chicago & Illinois Counties
In Chicago and Illinois counties, the most important legal protection for dog bite victims is a statute called the Animal Control Act, commonly referred to as the “Illinois dog bite law“.
Under the Illinois dog bite law, the owner of the dog must compensate the victim of the attack for his or her injuries, provided the victim can prove the following things:
- the defendant was the owner or harborer of the dog;
- you were in a place that you had a legal right to be;
- you were acting peaceably; and
- you did not provoke the animal.
When the owner is held liable for injuries caused in a dog bite attack, the victim is entitled to recover damages for past and future medical expenses, lost time from work, pain and suffering, disability and disfigurement.
Many times, the victims of the dog bite attacks are children. Unfortunately, children are often unable to fully understand the dangerous nature of some dogs. Further, once they are hurt in a dog bite attack, they often lack the insight or ability to fully express the ways in which disfiguring injuries have affected them.
As a Chicago dog bite lawyer, attorneys in our firm help the victims of dog bite attacks by helping the victims identify the responsible parties and document the extent of the injury. Quite often, a professional photographer and sympathetic witnesses are required to assist with this task. When needed, a plastic surgeon may need to evaluate victims for an estimate of the costs associated with scar revision.
Having a local attorney familiar with the individual pet laws of Chicago and Illinois counties will help your case tremendously. Before making any decisions, request a free copy of our consumer guide, When You Are Injured – The Insider’s Guide to Illinois Accident Law. Please be sure to contact an Illinois dog bite lawyer in our firm when you are ready to pursue an injury claim after a dog bite attack – 312-263-1080.