Posted on August 04,2020 in Dog Bite Injuries

Dogs are one of the most popular pets in the United States, but along with all of the positive aspects of owning a dog, there is a downside. Millions of Americans are bitten by dogs each year according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and young children are especially at risk for both serious injuries and wrongful death resulting from dog bites. The good news is that many dog bite injuries are preventable, and whether your family owns a dog or simply comes into contact with dogs on a regular basis, the following are some preventative measures you can take to keep your children from becoming victims.

1. Think carefully before adopting a dog. Before you decide to bring a dog into your household, you should research common behaviors of different breeds and learn about a dog’s personal history to ensure that the one you choose is a good fit for a home with young children. You should also make sure that you have the time and ability to properly train a dog and educate your children on dog ownership so as to minimize the potential for a bite.

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 Posted on July 30,2020 in Dog Bite Injuries

As COVID-19 restrictions begin to ease in some places, one can expect to see an increased amount of activity outdoors, including more people out and about walking their dogs. Even though most of these dogs you will see are docile and friendly, a dog bite incident can occur at any time. Whether caused by poor ownership and handling or a simple misinterpretation of a dog’s body language, the effects of a dog bite can be serious, potentially fatal, and threaten not only the physical health of the victim but his or her mental state as well.

Considering the damage a single dog bite can do, it is unfortunate for residents of Illinois that the state ranks among the highest for dog bite incidents. Despite having one of the lowest rates of dog ownership in the United States, Illinois residents filed 822 claims for dog bites in 2018, according to a recent article from MoneyWise. This makes Illinois the fourth highest in the nation for dog bite-related claims, topping claims made by residents of Wisconsin, Michigan, and even New York.

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 Posted on July 10,2020 in Dog Bite Injuries

Dogs, much like their human owners, are social creatures — they play, communicate, and sometimes show aggression. These behaviors may, however, be interpreted incorrectly by humans. The fact of the matter is, even dog-owning Americans can have difficulty interpreting their best friend’s behavior because play fighting may often be indistinguishable from the real thing. Dogs will growl, bark, bite, and scratch during play fighting, exactly the same as they may behave during an actual fight. Fundamentally, this is unlikely to change over the course of a dog’s life, and even adult and elderly dogs may engage in nipping and play biting, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). It is important to be aware of dogs' behaviors in case any encounters turn aggressive and result in injuries.  

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 Posted on June 29,2020 in Dog Bite Injuries

In the United States, many people keep animal companions in their homes, and as part of their family. By far, the most popular animal to have as a pet in the United States is a dog. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 38 percent of American households own at least one dog. Keeping a dog as a pet has been found to have many benefits, such as relieving stress levels. However, they can also pose a risk to your family and others. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), more than 4.5 million people are bitten by a dog each year in this country. Of those bitten, approximately 800,000 of them end up having to seek medical treatment for their injuries, with at least half of those being children. Injuries from a dog bite can range from a superficial laceration to nerve damage to disfigurement and scarring. Children are by far the most common victims of dog bites, often suffering from injuries to their head, face, or neck during the incident. An experienced personal injury attorney can help you explore your options for seeking compensation.

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 Posted on June 12,2020 in Dog Bite Injuries

For many families in Illinois, it is almost unthinkable that their beloved pet dog may cause injury to someone, though even peaceful dogs can bite given the right circumstances or if provoked. Dealing with a dog bite injury can be traumatic for the victim and also cause distress for the owners for whom the dog may be considered a member of the family. In cases such as these, Illinois has a specific procedure in place to handle the potentially dangerous animal and analyze the facts of the case.

What Happens After a Dog Bite

Although a dog from Illinois is no more or less likely to bite than a dog from another state, Illinois state law places more liability on the owners of dogs who bite or attack. According to the Illinois Bar Journal, State Farm paid $14 million for dog-related claims in Illinois in 2016, second only to California. The penalties for violent incidents involving dogs can be much stiffer in Illinois than in neighboring states because of the Animal Control Act. The potential timeline and repercussions for a dog bite may vary with factors such as a civil suit or appeal, but you can expect the following to occur immediately following a dog bite:

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 Posted on May 19,2020 in Dog Bite Injuries

If you are a dog owner, you have probably experienced a variety of dog-to-dog socialization moments while out on a walk. When another dog owner asks if their dog can say hello (or vice versa) it is perfectly acceptable and even encouraged, since dogs must be socialized to prevent them from reacting poorly to other dogs. There are effective strategies that you can use in these situations to prevent your dog from getting bit or from getting injured yourself.

Letting Dogs Greet and Play With Each Other

If you are familiar with the body language that dogs use when a person approaches them, that information applies in animal interactions as well. One detail to pay attention to is whether or not both dogs are spayed or neutered. It will be difficult to tell at a glance whether a female dog has been "fixed," but this is often easily noticeable for male dogs. This can have a significant impact on the interactions between dogs, since non-neutered males are likely to exhibit dominant behavior towards other males, and females that have not been spayed are likely to show dominant behavior towards other females. If you cannot assess this, there are a variety of other behaviors to watch for to keep your dog safe.

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 Posted on April 08,2020 in Dog Bite Injuries

Victims of animal attacks can suffer serious to life-threatening injuries. The state of Illinois already holds pet owners financially responsible for any injuries that their dog causes to another person or animal. The Justice for Buddy Act took effect in 2019, and it imposes stricter penalties on negligent dog owners. If you or your pet were bitten by an aggressive dog, it is important to seek medical attention if needed, as well as professional legal counsel. The Act can impact your personal injury lawsuit and punish a negligent owner to curb recurring attacks and rehabilitate an aggressive dog.

The Cost of Negligence

The Illinois legislature created the Justice for Buddy Act in response to the death of a dog named Buddy, a Yorkie that was attacked by an aggressive dog in Hanover Park. To make matters worse, the owner was already instructed to keep his dog muzzled when outside for walks. Shockingly, the dog in question was found roaming the neighborhood off-leash a week after Buddy’s death.

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 Posted on March 20,2020 in Dog Bite Injuries

With sharp teeth and strong jaws, dogs can cause serious damage to soft tissue when they bite. Perhaps the most obvious injuries are scars that form as the body heals. However, another type of injury that can perhaps have more long-lasting consequences is nerve damage. 

At Mevorah & Giglio Law Offices, our team helps obtain compensation for dog bite victims. We know the right strategies to help our clients receive justifiable compensation. Please speak with one of our Illinois dog bite lawyers to learn more about how to obtain a settlement for nerve damage and other injuries.

Treating Nerve Damage

Many dog bites lead to one of three types of nerve damage:

• Neuropraxia, which is caused by damage to the myelin sheath surrounding a nerve.

• Axonotmesis, which is caused by damage to the myelin sheath and surrounding axons.

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 Posted on March 12,2020 in Dog Bite Injuries

After a dog attack, injured victims can seek compensation for financial losses resulting from the dog bite. Some of these losses are easy to identify, such as the costs of medical care to treat injuries and lost wages if the victim could not work while recovering. However, dog bite victims can also receive compensation for emotional distress caused by the incident. This distress is more difficult to convert into dollars and cents, but that does not mean accident victims should not pursue compensation for these types of damages. The help of a seasoned attorney is necessary to properly value the worth of the victim’s emotional damages.

Examples of Emotional Distress

A dog attack is a harrowing event. The shock and fear someone experiences while the attack is happening certainly warrants compensation. Even after the attack, many victims will continue to experience emotional distress. If they have suffered terrible physical injuries, like disfigurement or permanent nerve damage, then they could have a negative emotional response to those injuries as well.

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 Posted on February 27,2020 in Dog Bite Injuries

Last month, in a rare event, a coyote attacked a six-year-old boy in Lincoln Park. This is the first reported coyote attack in the Chicago area for at least a decade. Shortly thereafter, a 32-year-old man reported a similar animal attack that some believe may have also been an attack by a coyote. With coyote mating season beginning in February, there is an increased likelihood of coyotes making appearances across the greater Chicagoland area. These interactions between coyotes, people, and their pets can quickly become dangerous due to a more urgent need for food during the season.

Staying Safe Around Coyotes

While coyotes attacking humans is rare, with about 2,000 coyotes in the Chicago area, you are bound to witness coyote sightings. According to the Urban Coyote Research Project, the number of coyote attacks on pets per year had nearly quadrupled since the prior decade. Trends suggest that these attacks on pets, especially small dogs and cats, are only going to increase over time. Here are some ways to stop coyotes from attacking you or your pets: 

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