One minute you could have been playing with your own pet at Chicago’s Mary Bartelme Dog Park, and next, you could suddenly be bitten by someone else’s pet. If this has happened to you recently at Mary Bartelme Dog Park, know that you are not alone.
In fact, more than 4.5 million Americans are bitten each year by dogs under varying situations, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Furthermore, 800,000 of those bitten will require medical attention each year from their dog attack.
Dog bite attacks may leave you with expensive medical costs and other damages that a liable party should compensate you for. For instance, the typical hospital bill for a dog bite-related injury was $18,200 in 2008, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
At Pintas & Mullins Law Firm, our team of dog bite lawyers in Chicago and beyond are ready to help you fight for justice. If you are in need of a Chicago Mary Bartelme Dog Park dog bite lawyer, call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm at (800) 816-0755.
Determining Liability For Dog Bites in Chicago
Once you settle down with a dog bite lawyer from Pintas & Mullins Law Firm, we will begin to review your case’s details as we work to determine liability. This is a key element to a Chicago dog bite injury claim because it identifies the party from which you and your attorney can pursue financial compensation.
According to the Illinois Animal Control Act (510 ILCS 5/), you may be able to raise a claim against the dog owner regardless if this is the animal’s first attack. This is because Illinois is not a “one-bite law” state, which essentially allows a dog owner to walk away from their first dog bite encounter without facing liability for the victim’s damages. Under the one-bite rule, it assumes that the owner was unaware that the dog was in fact a “dangerous animal” prior to the attack.
The Animal Control Act helps victims of a dog attack determine liability under the state’s “strict liability laws.” These laws suggest that the owner, or guardian, of the animal is liable for your damages after an attack. There are several stipulations to this rule, such as if the victim provoked the animal, if the victim was legally allowed to be at the location in which the bite occurred, and if there was indeed a bite or attack that took place.
Following a dog bite, you may be left with costs associated with a trip to the emergency room, doctor’s visits, pain medication, surgeries, physical therapy, and more. Furthermore, you may even be left with permanent scarring from a dog bite.
Recovering Financially After a Dog Bite
As you begin to work with a Chicago Mary Bartelme Dog Park dog bite lawyer, we will investigate your claim and gather a list of compensation demands for all the damages you have incurred. Depending on your unique case, you may be faced with the following damages:
- Medical bills (current and future)
- Lost wages
- Property damages
- Loss of consortium
- Emotional distress
- Pain and suffering
- Additional punitive damages
Generally, with dog bite injury claims, the victim is able to secure funds from the dog owner’s homeowners’ insurance or renter’s insurance program. Even though your dog bite occurred at Mary Bartelme Dog Park and not at the dog owner’s home, you still may be able to seek compensation from their insurance.
That is why it is helpful to work alongside a Chicago dog bite lawyer from Pintas & Mullins Law Firm. Along with helping you determine your compensation demands, we will configure ways for you to receive that compensation. Pintas & Mullins Law Firm will also conduct a full investigation into the matter while also gathering evidence to support the initial information you provide us.
With over 50 years’ of collective legal experience and knowledge, Pintas & Mullins Law Firm may also consider additional state and local laws to support your case. This could include Chicago Municipal Code 10-36-020, which is the city’s leash law in public settings.
To get started with Pintas & Mullins Law Firm, complete your free case review on our website to explain your dog bite that occurred at Mary Bartelme Dog Park.
For a free legal consultation with a Mary Bartelme Dog Park Lawyer serving Chicago, call (800) 816-0755
Building a Dog Bite Personal Injury Case
When you complete a free consultation with Pintas & Mullins Law Firm, we will next consider ways in which we can build your case against the dog owner. This may involve backtracking to when the attack first occurred to determine if you obtained important evidence.
If you have recently been bitten by a dog at Mary Bartelme Dog Park in Chicago, be sure to have all the contact information of the dog owner and of the dog itself. This may include the owner’s phone number and the dog’s breed. If you were able to take photos at the scene of the attack, this will further prove your case. You may also want to consider taking pictures of your injuries.
It is also important that you seek medical attention if you have not yet done so for your injuries. This information is helpful when building a dog bite personal injury case because it is used as evidence to prove you sustained related injuries and can be utilized when configuring a monetary value for your damages.
Additionally, eye-witnesses should also be considered. If you were with a friend at the time of the attack, be sure to communicate with them on your plans to pursue legal action, as they may help you when proving your attack. Lastly, the clothes you wore during the attack may also prove to be useful evidence from a dog bite attack.
Chicago Mary Bartelme Dog Park Lawyer Near Me (800) 816-0755
Contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm for Chicago Dog Bite Legal Recourse
A Chicago Mary Bartelme Dog Park dog bite lawyer from Pintas & Mullins Law Firm is ready to help you seek justice and begin your path to recovery. If you are ready to begin a free consultation with a Chicago dog bite lawyer from Pintas & Mullins Law Firm, simply contact us online by completing a free case review, or call our law firm at (800) 816-0755.
Call or text (800) 816-0755 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form