A dog bite in Chicago’s Portage Park suburb can result in serious and expensive medical damages. Thankfully, you have legal rights in Illinois to pursue a dog bite personal injury claim against the dog owner or guardian for financial compensation.
Dog bites leave victims with a variety of injuries. Some of the awards you may be entitled to include:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of companionship
- Punitive damages
- Property damages
To learn more about the awards you may be entitled to in a dog bite personal injury claim, contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm online by completing a free case review today. Our law firm is available online 24/7, and we include no fees unless we help you reach a verdict or settlement.
When looking to speak with a caring and understanding Chicago Portage Park dog bite lawyer, look to Pintas & Mullins Law Firm. We have over 10,000 successful verdicts on our resume, and we are available nationwide to help victims of dog bites and other areas of personal injury law. Begin your path to recovery and justice with a free consultation by calling Pintas & Mullins Law Firm at (800) 816-0755.
Chicago’s Dangerous Animals Ordinance
The City of Chicago includes a Dangerous Animals Ordinance, as outlined in Chicago Municipal Code § 7-12-050. The code is used to help define what qualifies as a dangerous animal, and to hold pet-owners accountable for their dog’s actions throughout the city, including in Chicago’s Portage Park suburb.
According to the municipal code, a dog is considered a “dangerous animal” when it attacks (or bites) a human without any provocation at the time of the incident. A dangerous animal could also be a dog that is chasing down a human with apparent intentions of attacking. Furthermore, a dangerous animal could also be a dog that has been trained to fight.
Punishments for breaking this municipal code could include fines up to $1,000, and it may also require the dog owner to purchase $100,000 in liability insurance.
Chicago Municipal Code § 7-12-090
Chicago Municipal Code § 7-12-090 requires the Animal Care and Control Commission to be notified of the dog bite by the dog owner within 24 hours of the attack.
For a free legal consultation with a Portage Park Lawyer serving Chicago, call (800) 816-0755
Chicago Municipal Code § 10-36-020
A leash law has also been mandated for dogs in the City of Chicago, according to Chicago Municipal Code § 10-36-020. This municipal code advises that dogs must be placed on a leash that is no more than six-feet long when in public settings, such as the Portage Park area.
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Illinois Animal Control Act
According to the Illinois Animal Control Act (510 ILCS 5/1), the state follows a “strict liability” law. Regardless if this was the first time the dog has bitten a human or not, the owner will be liable for the injuries under three stipulations:
- The dog either attacked or injured you.
- You were lawfully allowed to be at the spot of the attack.
- There was no provocation involved.
To completely understand the scope of these laws, contact a Chicago Portage Park dog bite lawyer from Pintas & Mullins Law Firm. Our team of personal injury lawyers can walk you through each of these statutes and municipal codes in greater detail following the completion of your free case review.
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Injuries From Dog Bites
Following a dog bite in the Portage Park area, you may be left with a variety of injuries. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), some of the most common injuries from dog attacks which require hospitalization include:
- Skin or subcutaneous tissue infections
- Open wounds (extremities, head, neck)
- Upper limb fractures
Additionally, you may be faced with a variety of diseases when bitten by dogs, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Some diseases include rabies, tetanus, MRSA, pasteurella, and more.
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Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm Today for Dog Bites in the Portage Park Area
Dog bite attacks are traumatic experiences, especially in younger people. Furthermore, the injuries you suffer from a dog bite-related incident can leave you with massive debt from medical costs.
In fact, the average cost of medical bills for dog bite injuries treated in hospitals is roughly $18,200, according to the AHRQ. When you seek the help of a Chicago Portage Park dog bite lawyer, you will begin the process of making sure you are not left with this type of debt from an injury that was not your fault.
Our goal at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm is to make sure the dog owner is properly held responsible for all of the damages they have caused by a dog bite. These types of accidents deal with negligence, and building a case that proves the dog owner is responsible for your damages is a difficult task for anyone to tackle alone. To begin your path to justice, call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today at (800) 816-0755.
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