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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

• 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
• Neighbors say that pit bull attack on 9 year old girl could have been prevented
• Rantoul senior suffers broken hip after being knocked down by dog
• Dog bite case settled
• Mail carrier attacked by pit bull
• Tips for dog bite victims
• Search on for cat that bit 7 year old boy
• Homeowner's insurance may not cover all dog breeds
• Child seriously injured by pit bull
• Senior citizen attacked by pack of neighborhood dogs
• Fatal dog bite attack study released
• Massachusetts boy attacked by pit bull

Library for Dog Bite Attacks:

• 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:

• How are damages from a dog bite attack paid?

• What is the statute of limitations for a dog bite personal injury case?
• 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?

Case Results for Dog Bite Attacks:

• 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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