Posted on July 08, 2022 in Dog Bite Injuries

Animal lovers are often more likely to be bitten by a dog than those who generally dislike dogs. People who love dogs are more likely to approach and try to pet any dog they encounter, while others are more likely to keep their distance from strange pets. If you were recently bitten by a dog, you may be wondering whether reporting the bite and pursuing a claim against the owner could cost the dog its life. Dog lovers often do not want this result, even if the dog in question has caused them harm. 

In Illinois, it is not likely that a dog will be put down simply for biting, especially if it is the animal’s first bite. However, the owner may be subjected to additional restrictions designed to reduce the likelihood of a repeat incident. Reporting the bite is generally the right move, as it not only opens the door for you to recover compensation, but it also may protect someone else in the future from getting bit. 

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 Posted on June 13, 2022 in Dog Bite Injuries

Owning a pet of any kind is a big responsibility. Pet owners must ensure that they are able to care for their pet. This can involve providing food and veterinary care as well as adequate exercise and cleanliness. One of the other major responsibilities that come with getting a dog is preventing the dog from causing harm to others.

In Illinois, dog owners are strictly liable for any injuries their pet causes. This means that dog owners are completely responsible for having such control over their pet as to prevent it from biting or attacking anyone else. Dogs with responsible owners are far less likely to ever be given the opportunity to bite. Irresponsible owners are more likely to put the dog in a position where it will hurt someone. If you were bitten by a dog, you may be entitled to recover compensation from its owner. 

What Mistakes by Irresponsible Owners Lead to Dog Bites?

There are a few basic steps all dog owners should take to drastically reduce the likelihood that their dog will injure someone. Irresponsible dog owners may contribute to dog bites by engaging in careless practices like: 

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 Posted on May 17, 2022 in Dog Bite Injuries

Anyone can be bitten by an aggressive dog. Even adults can suffer serious injuries as a result of dog attacks. Children, however, are particularly vulnerable to dangerous dogs. They are also more likely to be seriously harmed when they are attacked by a dog. Most breeds that are often associated with aggressiveness, such as pit bulls and German Shepherds, are large breeds likely to outweigh a young child. 

It is important for parents to discuss dog safety with their children to reduce the likelihood of a bite. However, even if a child knows exactly what to do around a potentially aggressive dog, they may not be able to protect themselves. If your child was injured by a dog, you may be able to recover financial compensation on their behalf. In Illinois, dog owners are responsible for preventing their pets from harming others and can be held legally liable should they fail to do so. 

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 Posted on April 19, 2022 in Dog Bite Injuries

Whether on a public sidewalk, at a local park, or on someone else’s property, dog bites can be frightening and dangerous. All breeds of dogs are capable of biting and causing injuries to people. While larger breeds typically inflict the most severe injuries, small dogs have a reputation for frequent nipping. Even if they do not always have the reputation of some of the larger breeds, small breeds can still pack a big bite. Smaller breeds do not appear on the list of dogs most likely to cause significant injury or deaths, but they are counted among the highest for frequency of bites.

The likelihood for a dog to bite can depend on the breed. Some larger breeds like golden retrievers and Labrador retrievers are not statistically frequent biters. At the same time, some smaller breeds, like chihuahuas and miniature poodles, are among the more aggressive breeds when it comes to the number of dog bites. That is not to say that breeds with lower biting frequencies will never bite.

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 Posted on March 03, 2022 in Dog Bite Injuries

More Illinois families buy dogs every year, and while most dogs never bite or injure anyone, more dogs mean more dog bites. Every year, approximately 4.5 million dog bites are estimated to occur in the U.S. and around half of these bites happen to children. The vast majority of these bites cause no or very minor injuries and do not need medical treatment. But certain dog breeds are notorious for biting aggressively and, once having bitten, not letting go—which is when the most serious injuries occur. Here are the breeds most commonly responsible for serious and fatal dog bites in the United States. 

Pit Bulls

Despite making up only six percent of the U.S. dog population, pit bulls are responsible for about 65 percent of fatal dog bites. Pit bull attacks in particular cause serious injuries because they tend to bite in more than one location, to attack without provocation, and to attack strangers. While many pit bull advocates say that when a pit bull is properly raised and trained, they can make great family dogs, pit bulls are often bred and purchased by people who intend to use these dogs as guard and attack animals. 

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 Posted on February 21, 2022 in Animal Attacks

Although Illinois may be globally known for Chicago’s outstanding food and nightlife, many Illinoisians love the rural landscape of the rest of the state. Livestock, such as cows, horses, and sheep, are kept on farms and large residential properties all over Illinois and a rural lifestyle gives ample opportunities for learning to train, care for, and spend time with farm animals. 

Horses, in particular, are often raised to be ridden for fun, shown in fairs and festivals, and used for practical purposes. While most interactions between humans and horses are safe, horses are very big animals with a particular power that anyone who has spent time around horses recognizes as a significant danger: A horse kick, especially with the hind legs, has the potential to seriously injure and even kill someone who is standing behind or beside the animal. 

More than 100,000 horse-related injuries occur in the U.S. every year, and children in particular may be more susceptible to serious injuries from a kicking horse because they are often unaware of proper horse safety and the warning signs that a horse has become agitated or spooked. If you or someone you love has been seriously injured by a horse kick in Illinois, you may benefit from a consultation with a personal injury attorney. 

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 Posted on January 17, 2022 in Dog Bite Injuries

Many thousands of people are hospitalized in America every year because of dog bites, and, unfortunately, some dog bites even result in fatalities. Although dog bites may seem like a commonplace injury, they can have serious consequences - even if, at first glance, it seems they are not serious. 

Although dogs can be well-trained, it is not always possible to completely control a dog’s actions. Some owners specifically encourage aggression in their dogs, resulting in dangerous situations in which attacking dogs can cause scars and disfigurement, traffic accidents, serious nerve damage, and other injuries. If you have been injured by a dog bite, even as an accident, consider talking to an experienced Illinois dog bite attorney. 

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 Posted on December 15, 2021 in Uncategorized

Many people feel like their dogs are members of the family. We trust our dogs around our children, and many people rely on their dogs to protect their family and home. Unfortunately, not all dogs are properly trained or restrained, and when an unleashed or roaming dog attacks your own family pet, the results can be devastating. Dogs are frequently injured and even killed by other dogs, and owners may want compensation for their distress, loss, and to prevent the attacking dog from behaving similarly in the future. Fortunately, in certain situations, Illinois law allows people whose pets have been attacked by dogs to recover damages from the dog’s owner. 

Work to Actively Prevent Dog Attacks 

The old saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is certainly true in cases where a dog is attacked and killed by another dog. The best thing dog owners can do to prevent dog attacks is to make sure their own dog is properly trained, leashed, and supervised - especially if it is a small dog, like a Minpin, Dachshund, or toy breed. This is especially true in places like dog parks, where unknown dogs are roaming about freely, and each dog’s owner is not necessarily paying attention. 

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 Posted on December 01, 2021 in Dog Bite Injuries

Being attacked by a dog can be a terrifying experience that leaves you both physically and mentally scarred. The injuries caused by even a single dog bite can be severe and permanent. Some injuries may fade over time, but others may not. Especially when parts of the body like the hands and face are bitten, a dog bite victim’s injuries can last years or even a lifetime. If you are attacked or bitten by a dog, it is important to seek prompt medical care, and then call an attorney as soon as possible. 

What Types of Permanent Injury Can a Dog Bite Cause?

Getting urgent medical attention after a dog bite may help to mitigate the extent of the harm done, but serious and disabling injuries can still occur. More minor bites or bites by smaller dogs may require only stitching and cause no lasting harm. However, when larger dogs bite or if an attack was severe enough, a dog bite injury could impact the rest of your life. Permanent injuries that can be sustained during dog attacks include: 

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 Posted on October 26, 2021 in Dog Bite Injuries

 “Strict liability” in general means that a person is completely responsible for damages they caused, regardless of whether they were careless. In Illinois dog bite cases, strict liability is somewhat limited in scope - it does not mean that a dog owner is always liable for injuries his dog causes. However, Illinois’s strict liability dog bite law means that it does not matter whether the owner knew his dog was predisposed to injure people or other animals. An Illinois dog owner cannot escape liability by claiming that he has no idea his dog would hurt someone. If you were injured by a dog, you should contact a dog bite lawyer as soon as possible for the best chances of recovering compensation. 

How Does Strict Liability Factor Into Dog Bite Claims? 

Strict liability in dog bite cases means that the dog’s owner did not need to hknow that his dog has the predisposition to bite or attack. In Illinois, a dog owner cannot defend by saying that he did not know his dog was a danger to others. In states without this type of strict liability rule, a person injured by a dog could lose his case if the defendant can show that he was not aware of the danger his dog presented. Fortunately, this is not the case here. 

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