Chicago Animal Attack Attorney

Experienced Personal Injury Attorneys Serving Illinois Residents

Thousands of Illinois residents are injured each year following an animal attack. Often times the victims are children who are unable to adequately defend themselves. This can result in severe injuries, trauma, and scarring.

If you or your child has been attacked by a dog or other animal, it is important to get the legal help and assistance of a skilled Chicago Personal Injury attorney. Since 1996, Leonard Law Group has represented the rights of more than 50,000 clients in Personal Injury claims. We have established a reputation for excellence in Chicago and throughout Illinois. Not only are we committed to success, we’re committed to developing a personal relationship with our clients and ensuring that they get results that are tailor-fit to their unique needs and circumstances.

Learn more about your legal options by calling Leonard Law Group at (312) 487-2513 today! Our skilled Chicago Personal Injury lawyers can walk you through a detailed case review.

Understanding Negligence in Dog Bite Incidents

The Illinois Animal Control Act governs the law of dog bites and a thorough understanding of its contents is crucial in maximizing recovery. These attacks are often times from Pit Bulls, Rottweilers or Doberman pinchers and can usually be traced to the dog owner’s negligence.

A dog owner’s negligence could include the following:

• Inadequate fencing
• Failure to leash the dog
• Posting signage about dog

Following a dog bite, it is important to record photos, the names and addresses of witnesses, and the dog owner’s homeowner’s insurance information. Immediate medical care is also recommended to test for rabies or other potential infections that can develop following the introduction of the dog's saliva into your system.

Evaluating the Worth of Your Dog Bite Lawsuit

Damages in an Illinois dog bite claim are awarded based on both non-economic and economic compensation based on the victim’s injuries. These damages can include:

• Medical expenses including treatment, rehabilitation, emergency room bills, ambulance rides, and future medical care such as reconstructive surgery and physical and mental therapies.
• Emotional distress and pain and suffering, especially in cases of long-lasting trauma in both children and adults.
• Permanent disability that prevents the victim from returning to life as they knew it before the attack. This includes physical impairments that prevent an individual from returning to their normal work duties.
• Current and future lost wages when you are prevented from returning to work when you are recovering or if your disability prevents you from returning to work in the future.

Payouts are usually made through the negligent party’s homeowner’s insurance policy or renter’s insurance, which typically include hundreds of thousands of dollars to millions in coverage limits. This is good news because, according to the Insurance Information Institute, dog bite claims offer some of the biggest payouts, with almost $800 million paid to victims in 2019 alone. In Illinois, the average recovery was just under $100,000, with some cases reaching over a million dollars in recovery for victims and their families. Your attorney can help you fight for the full compensation you need to recover.

How Bad Does a Dog Bite Have to Be to Sue?

There is no set level of damage or trauma a victim must endure to be able to sue a negligent dog owner for a dog attack. Even a minor bite can cause serious issues, including physical and psychological scars that require years of therapy, infections requiring emergency hospitalization, or scarring that requires rehabilitative surgery to correct. Each of these issues are expensive, which is why a lawsuit can be a vital tool in a victim’s recovery. By holding the negligent dog owner legally accountable, you can not only seek the compensation you need, but you can also prevent future injuries from happening to others.

Should I Get a Lawyer for a Dog Bite? 

It is always in your best interest to retain the services of an attorney in your dog bite case. Not only does a lawyer have the knowledge and insights to build a strong case on your behalf, but when you are focused on healing, you do not want to attempt to deal with legal issues as well. Your attorney will look at the specific facts of your case and build a solution that is in your best interests, whether that be through negotiation with the negligent party’s homeowner’s insurance, a settlement, or bringing the dog owner to court.

Call (312) 487-2513 to Speak with a Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer!

Leonard Law Group is a respected name in the Chicago legal community. When clients choose representation from our firm, they benefit from both the impact of our reputation and from the standard of representation that we provide. Since our founding, we’ve recovered more than $1,000,000,000  for our clients.