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Dog Bite Attacks

There are few things quite as frightening as being the victim of a dog bite attack.    Besides being a terrifying event, a dog bite attack 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 dog bite lawyer.

Every year, there are approximately 4.7 million dog bite attacks.  In 2007, there were 33 dog bite attacks nationwide which resulted in fatal injuries.  Every year, insurance companies pay out approximately $1 billion for damages in dog bite lawsuits and dog bite insurance claims.

In Illinois, the most important legal protection for dog bite victims is a statute called the Animal Control Act, commonly referred to as the "dog bite statute".   Under the dog bite statute, the owner of the dog must compensate the victim of the attack for his or her injuries, provided that the victim can prove the following things:  (1) that the defendant was the owner or harborer of the dog, (2) that you were in a place that you had a legal right to be, (3) that you were acting peaceably, and (4) that 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 appreciate 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, helping document the extent of the victims injuries with the assistance of a professional photographer and identification of sympathetic witnesses, and having the victim evaluated by a competent plastic surgeon for scar revision, if needed.

Please be sure to contact an Illinois dog bite lawyer in our firm if you need legal assistance after a dog bite attack.

The Law Offices of
Barry G. Doyle, P.C.
100 W Monroe St.,
Ste 2100
Chicago, IL 60603

Phone: 312.263.1080
Fax: 312.263.0153

Proudly Serving Many Illinois Cities and Counties, Including:
Chicago, Aurora, Rockford, Naperville, Joliet, Waukegan, Geneva, Sycamore, Woodstock, Kankakee, Morris, Ottawa; Cook, DuPage, Will, Lake, Winnebago, DeKalb, McHenry, Kankakee, Grundy, LaSalle, Peoria, McLean, Champaign, Tazewell Counties

Blog for Dog Bite Attacks

• Will My Dog Bite Leave A Scar?
• I’ve Been Bitten By a Dog. Can I Get An Infection?
• I’ve Been Attacked by a Dog in Illinois. How Much Can I Recover?
• Illinois Dog Bite Laws and Your Chicago Dog Bite Claim
• Preventing Dog Bites
• Dog Attack Fatalities in 2010
• Why Dogs Bite
• Criminal Penalties in a Dog Attack Case
• Woman dies of heart attack following dog bite attack
• Insurance company trying to get out of dog bite claim
• More on insurance coverage for dog bite accidentrs
• Two pit bulls attack sisters
• UPS driver suffers dog bite, loses finger tip
• Dogs outside day care attack woman
• Is your homeowner's insurance covering your dog?
• Pit bull attacks 5 year old boy
• Child bitten in throat by German shepherd
• Senior citizen attacked and bitten by pit bulls
• Average dog bite claim costs insurers over $24,000
• Update on homeowner's insurance coverage for dog owners

Library for Dog Bite Attacks:

• Most Common Types of Dog Bite Injuries (Part B)   
  Description: There are some common consequences of a dog bite or dog attack. If you have been bitten by someone’s dog, then you should get the professional advice of a Chicago dog bite lawyer. If you have questions, an experienced Chicago dog bite lawyer at the Law Offices of Barry G. Doyle, P.C. can provide you with a free case evaluation. – (312) 263-1080.
• Most Common Types of Dog Bite Injuries (Part A)   
  Description: There are a number of serious injuries that can result from a dog bite. If you have been bitten by someone’s dog, then you should get the professional advice of a Chicago dog bite lawyer. If you have questions, an experienced Chicago dog bite lawyer at the Law Offices of Barry G. Doyle, P.C. can provide you with a free case evaluation. – (312) 263-1080.
• Compensation in an Illinois Dog Bite Claim (Part B)   
  Description: To recover damages after a dog bite, there are several things that you must prove in court. If you have been bitten by someone else’s dog, you should get the professional advice of a dog bite lawyer in Chicago. If you have questions, an experienced Chicago dog bite lawyer at the Law Offices of Barry G. Doyle, P.C. can provide you with a free case evaluation. – 312-263-1080.
• Compensation in an Illinois Dog Bite Claim (Part A)   
  Description: Some dog breeds are notoriously aggressive, and have been known to attack without reason. If you have been bitten by someone else’s dog, you should get the professional advice of a dog bite lawyer in Chicago. If you have questions, an experienced Chicago dog bite lawyer at the Law Offices of Barry G. Doyle, P.C. can provide you with a free case evaluation. – 312-263-1080.
• Children and Dog Bite Injuries (Part B)   
  Description: Dog bite injuries can be serious or even fatal for children. If your child has been the victim of a dog bite in Chicago, a Chicago dog bite attorney from the Law Offices of Barry G. Doyle, P.C. can help you file your personal injury claim. Contact us today for a free case evaluation – 312-263-1080.
• Children and Dog Bite Injuries (Part A)   
  Description: Dog bite injuries can be serious or even fatal for children. If your child has been the victim of a dog bite in Chicago, a Chicago dog bite attorney from the Law Offices of Barry G. Doyle, P.C. can help you file your personal injury claim. Contact us today for a free case evaluation – 312-263-1080.
• Illinois Dog Bite Laws (Part B)   
  Description: If you have suffered an Illinois dog bite, here is some information on Illinois dog bite laws. If you or a loved one has been involved in a dog bite incident, a Chicago dog bite attorney from the Law Offices of Barry G. Doyle, P.C. can help you file your personal injury claim. Contact us today for a free case evaluation – 312-263-1080.
• Illinois Dog Bite Laws (Part A)   
  Description: If you have been injured by a dog bite or dog attack, here is some information on Illinois dog bite laws. If you or a loved one has been involved in a dog bite incident, a Chicago dog bite attorney from the Law Offices of Barry G. Doyle, P.C. can help you file your personal injury claim. Contact us today for a free case evaluation – 312-263-1080.
• Types of Third Party Liability Suits - Dog Bites   
  Description: Dog bites account for a surprising number of injuries to Illinois workers. Learn more about the kinds of dog bite third party liability suits lawyers in our Chicago law firm have handled on behalf of injured Illinois workers.
• Fatal Dog Bite Attack Study [PDF]   
  Description: Dogsbite.org prepared a study of the fatal dog bite attacks in the United States from 2006-08. This showed among other things that adults were the most frequent victims of fatal dog bite attacks, and that pit bulls were the most frequent dog involved in fatal dog bite attacks.
• Tips for Avoiding Dog Bite Attacks   
  Description: Dogsbite.org offers a series of tips about how to avoid a dog bite atatck and what to do in the event of a dog bite attack.

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Frequent Questions for Dog Bite Attacks:

• What Are The Dog Bite Laws in Illinois?
• My neighbors have a pit bull. Should they have dangerous dog insurance?
• How are damages from a dog bite attack paid?
• If I am considering filing a lawsuit or making a claim against an insurance company for injuries from a dog bite attack, should I take photographs of my injuries?
• What is the statute of limitations for a dog bite personal injury case?

Case Results for Dog Bite Attacks:

• Arbitration award for DuPage County dog bite

Awarded: $120,000

• Settlement for accountant bit on hand by pit bull

Awarded: $120,000

• Settlement for girl bitten by dog at barbecue

Awarded: $100,000

• Settlement for Rockford boy bitten by uncle's dog

Awarded: $75,000

Web Resources for Dog Bite Attacks:

• Chicago Dangerous Dog Ordinance

  Description: Text to City of Chicago Ordinance defining what a dangerous dog is and what requirements must be followed.

• Dogs Bite

  Description: Organization which advocates for victims of dog bites and for breed-specific legislation, especially directed towards pit bulls.

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