Homewood Dog Bite Lawyer

Get Compensation for Your Injury-Related Expenses

Being attacked by a dog or other animal is not only scary, but these attacks have the potential to be incredibly severe, carry the risk of infection, and incur long-term medical expenses. If you’ve been bitten by a dog, you may have grounds to seek compensation from the dog’s owner.

Illinois Dog Bite Law

In Illinois, an owner may be liable in both civil and criminal cases if their animal bites someone. An injured individual can sue an owner for any money they are required to pay for their injuries. Additionally, an owner may be charged with a felony if they knew that their animal was vicious or dangerous before an attack.

Most Illinois dog bite laws also govern other kinds of injuries that spring from a dog attack (e.g. dog scratches, injuries sustained in attempts to flee from a dog attack).

However, there are two exceptions to proving negligence in a dog bite attack:

• Exception 1 – The injured party provoked the attack: When the victim of a dog attack is proven to have incited the attack in question, there is typically no liability on the part of the owner or handler of the dog.
• Exception 2 – The injured party was in a location they were not legally permitted to be in: When the victim of a dog attack has encroached upon property or space they are not legally allowed to have access to, there is no legal basis for recovering damages for their injuries. This does not always necessarily mean that a person entered the property or space with an intent to break the law, however (as is the case with a burglar, for instance).

Do You Have to Report a Dog Bite in Illinois?

If you are suffering injuries from a dog bite and are seeking compensation, then you must prove that the dog attempted to injure you, that you had a lawful right to be on the premises, and that you did not provoke the dog.

After a dog bite in Illinois a there are important steps to take to prevent further injury both to yourself and others:

1. Step One: If you’ve been bitten in a dog attack, the first thing you should do is seek medical treatment.
2. Step Two: Get the names and contact information of any witnesses, including the owner of the animal.
3. Step Three: Report the dog bite to animal control. This creates a record of the incident, and it could be that the animal in question has a history of biting.

Other necessary steps to take in the aftermath of a dog bit include:

• Cataloging all injuries associated with the attack
• Documenting all medical treatment received
• Keeping track of all expenses related to the attack
• Maintaining copies of all receipts and other pertinent records

Illinois Law: Dog Attacks Against Other Dogs

Negligent dog owners in Illinois can also be held liable for injuries their dogs cause to other people's pets. This means that when a dog causes injury to another dog, the dog's owner may be financially responsible for damages.

These damages include:

• Veterinary bills
• Dog medications
• Kennel fees while the injured dog is recovering
• Or even the replacement cost of the deceased pet

Call Us Today for a Free Case Evaluation

If you’ve been attacked by a dog, you have a lot on your plate and feeling overwhelmed is natural. At Panio Law Offices, our lawyer works hard to provide clients with detail-oriented, personalized legal representation. We also work on a contingency basis which means that we don’t take any fees until we have successfully secured compensation for your injuries.

We believe that one of the keys to success is building quality relationships with our clients as this enables us to represent you in court more effectively. As a result of our track record of success, we were named one of the top 100 trial lawyers by The National Trial Lawyers Association.

Hear it from Our Satisfied Clients!

5 / 5 stars 
My initial call to discuss my case was very informative. I was unsure whether to proceed with legal action but Mr. Panio took his time to discuss my options and explain the process. He made sure to give me frequent calls and update me on the case. I highly recommend Panio Law Offices 
- M. Cisneros

When you need a fierce advocate representing you in your Illinois dog bite case, call Panio Law Offices at (708) 928-8680 or contact us here.