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A dog that lunges and bites you changes the course of your life. Serious injuries, emotional trauma, and overwhelming financial losses are common in a serious bite. At Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C., you will find a dog bite lawyer in Chicago ready to fight for fair compensation.
Set up a free consultation with our Chicago personal injury lawyer now. Founded in 2002, our team has over 75 years of combined experience.
Common Injuries Associated with Dog Bites
When a dog bites a person or attacks them, the injuries may extend beyond the open wound. Every situation warrants a visit to the local emergency room for immediate care and support.
Some types of injuries that often happen include:
- Infection
- Open wounds that require stitches or surgical repair
- Puncture wounds leading to immobility of the limb or area
- Nerve damage that does not heal
- Traumatic brain injuries from falls involving a strike to the head
- Broken bones
- Tendon damage and soft tissue injuries
- Emotional injuries
After a dog bites you, do not wait to get medical care. Go to the hospital immediately and start documenting what happened and what your injuries and care plan are. This information protects your health and supports your ability to recover fair compensation.
Responsibility for Dog Bites in Chicago
Dog bites happen often, and when they do, victims often suffer serious injuries. You have the right as a victim to seek compensation from those who are responsible.
Under the Illinois Animal Control Act, those who own the dog or harbor the dog hold responsibility for any damages that the animal causes to anyone else or anyone’s property.
Illinois holds dog owners responsible for the first bite. This is unlike other states that have a first-bite rule, which holds the dog owner accountable after a prior incident. That does not happen in Illinois.
As a result, dog bite victims have the right to pursue financial compensation for their injuries and losses from the dog owner. This often means filing a comprehensive claim against the owner’s homeowner’s insurance. Unfortunately, the process is rarely simple and fair, unless you work with an experienced legal team ready to fight for you.
What You Do After a Dog Bite Accident Matters
When a dog bite happens, your first goal should be to stay safe. That means to move out of the way of further harm and, if the risk continues, call the police to protect you.
If you can safely take photos of the accident scene, do so. That includes taking pictures of your injuries, the dog, and the surrounding area. Make sure you get the name and contact information of the dog’s owner, if possible, and of any witnesses who saw what occurred.
Then, get to the hospital or urgent care for immediate support. This may prevent additional injuries and infections, and also serves as a way to document the injuries from the dog bite itself.
Once you are safe, contact the homeowner’s insurance company to report the incident, and then contact our team at Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C.
How Our Dog Bite Attorney in Chicago Can Help You
Those suffering from a dog bite often face significant medical needs and a long road to emotional recovery. During that time, you must seek out a comprehensive claim that outlines all of your losses to hold the property owner accountable.
When you hire our legal team, we handle the complicated process for you:
- We gather evidence that substantiates your claims and shows you did not provoke the dog into biting you. This is a very important part of building your claim and holding the owner accountable.
- Our attorneys understand your medical injuries and other losses. In complex cases, our medical experts will gather additional information on the long-term implications of your injuries and how this incident affects your well-being.
- We handle the insurance company for you. That includes filing your claim, answering complex questions, and negotiating a fair level of compensation. You do not have to do this on your own.
In the ideal situation, the insurance company pays for your losses, and you move forward. If that does not happen, our legal team has extensive trial experience, and we will pursue further action in a court of law. This ensures that the insurance company and the dog owner take your claims seriously and that you receive the maximum compensation allowed in your case.
What Your Dog Bite Case May Be Worth
The value of your dog bite injury claim depends on numerous factors, none more important than understanding the seriousness of your injuries. This includes medical and emotional injuries you have now and complications from them in the future.
Some of the claims we file include losses such as the following:
- Medical expense care from emergency rooms and hospitalizations
- Mental health support costs after the incident
- Rehabilitation and specialist care
- Injury reconstruction through cosmetic surgery
- Losses due to missed time at work, including wages and benefits
- Disfigurement-related compensation
- Pain and suffering losses
- Emotional trauma and the onset of post-traumatic stress disorder
Every case is vastly different, requiring an attorney with knowledge of dog bites and complications as well as the local court system. You do not have to face a lifetime of struggles because of the recklessness of others.
There is no doubt that this type of difficult situation can be hard to navigate, especially if insurance companies try to get you to settle too quickly or even blame you for what happened. Let our legal team become your advocate.
Schedule a Free Consultation with Our Chicago Dog Bite Attorney Today
Victims of serious dog bites deserve someone to support them in recovering fair compensation and coverage for all of their losses.
At Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C., we do everything we can to hold those who fail to maintain their pet accountable for how those actions impacted your life. Set up a free consultation with us now.
Speak to our Chicago dog bite lawyer for real answers and support.
