The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains how dog bites can have serious medical implications. Medical professionals recommend immediate treatment to minimize the damage that dog bites cause. Because of the complexity of the care that you need, that treatment can become expensive. For many people, these unexpected expenses create a lot of financial issues for their families. However, you could seek compensation for those expenses by filing an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit against the dog’s owner.
If you or a loved one suffered injuries after someone’s dog bit you, you could file a lawsuit to recover compensation for medical and other expenses. An Evanston dog bite lawyer can explain your legal options and help you file your claim. Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today at (800) 794-0444. We handle a variety of personal injury cases, including dog bite cases. The initial consultation is free, and you only pay us if we get compensation for you.
Long-Term Impacts of Dog Bites
Quick intervention is the key to avoiding the severe long-term impacts of dog bites. Emergency medical care can prevent many of the problems that you could otherwise face after a dog attack. In some cases, severe dog bites can lead to infections and other diseases that can debilitate their victims if left untreated.
Another prominent long-term impact of dog bite injuries is disfigurement. Dogs can do a lot of damage to skin and muscles, which might not heal correctly or without scarring. Disfigurement from dog bites can take a long time to heal and usually requires reconstructive surgery.
Another common problem with dog bites is muscle weakness. Muscles punctured by teeth tend to have large tears or lacerations that take a long time to heal. Once they have healed, your muscles will have weakened due to a lack of use. This weakness will require physical therapy to retrain the muscles and rebuild their strength. It can take a long time to complete physical therapy, leaving victims in a weakened condition for an extended period and affecting their daily lives.
Determining Liability
Previously, liability in dog bite cases depended mostly on the situation. If the dog had a known history of acting violently, a victim could hold the owner liable. If the dog had no previous history of violence, the owner would have no liability.
Thanks to 510 ILCS 5, known as the Animal Control Act, Illinois took a clear stance on dog bite cases. Section 16 holds the dog owner liable for any damage that the dog causes during an unprovoked attack. The statute allows you to sue the dog’s owner for your injuries if you did nothing to provoke the attack and were legally allowed to be where the attack took place.
For a free legal consultation with a Dog Bites Lawyer serving Evanston, call (800) 794-0444
Possible Recoverable Compensation
You could recover several types of compensation in a personal injury lawsuit against the dog’s owner, including:
- Medical expenses: Receiving emergency medical care can be expensive. However, you often require emergency care to treat the dog bite effectively. The sooner you can receive antibiotics and antimicrobials, the more likely you can avoid a severe disease or infection. Multiple dog bites also could cause extensive bleeding, and emergency medical care can prevent significant blood loss.
- Physical therapy: Some dog bites may require physical therapy to recover from your injuries. Damage to the muscles will make them weaker when they heal. Physical therapy will strengthen those muscles and restore their functionality. This type of ongoing care can be expensive since it is a specialized field, and you will likely need physical therapy for a long time.
- Property damage: If any of your possessions suffered damage in the attack, you could claim compensation for the cost of repairing or replacing them. Cell phones, watches, and other personal items that you had on you when you get attacked could all require repair or replacement.
You might also recover other types of compensation not included on this list. The types of restitution that you can seek depend on your situation. An Evanston dog bite lawyer can review all your expenses related to your injuries and determine how much to seek in your claim.
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Statute of Limitations
As you consider filing a dog bite lawsuit, you might want to consider the statute of limitations, or legal time limit, for how long you have to file your claim. In Illinois, 735 ILCS 5/13-202 establishes a two-year deadline from the date of the incident to file your lawsuit with the court. This period is not a lot of time for you to recover from your injuries and build a case. Pintas & Mullins Law Firm can help you during this difficult time. Call us today for a free case review with a team member.
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After a dog bites you, seeking medical treatment is the first thing you should do. Receiving the right treatment quickly can prevent serious long-term health risks. You also want to file a police report, which you could use as evidence in your claim. Finally, you might want to contact a personal injury lawyer to help you develop your case and file a claim against the dog owner’s homeowner’s insurance or a personal injury lawsuit.
Dog bites can cause serious injuries that require immediate medical attention. Depending on the type of treatment needed, the cost can vary widely. Some dog bite injuries will require extensive emergency care and ongoing treatment to recover from them. Because of the associated costs, many dog bite victims seek compensation from the dog’s owner to offset treatment costs and any lost income from missing work to recover from their injuries.
If you suffered injuries after someone else’s dog bit you, an Evanston dog bite lawyer could help you build a case to seek compensation. The dog’s owner should shoulder the financial burden of treatment, not you. Contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today at (800) 794-0444 to discuss your legal options with our legal team.
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