Dog bites can leave permanent scarring, puncture wounds, and other forms of severe harm. The associated psychological harm from a dog attack can also leave emotional trauma that takes time and treatment to begin to heal. Unfortunately, all of this can also cause financial hardship. If you or a loved one has been harmed in one of these attacks, contact a personal injury attorney right away.
An experienced Fulton Market dog bite lawyer could assist you in putting your life back together after an attack by filing a claim to seek financial compensation for your injuries.
After a bite by a dog, the first and most important step is to quickly seek medical attention. Dogs can carry rabies and other communicable diseases, and their bites can potentially lead to serious infection, even with minor lacerations. Not only can seeking medical attention help protect the injured person’s health, but it also helps document the damages they suffered from the dog attack.
The injured person should also report their bite to the proper local authorities. This helps create a legal record of the bite and protects the plaintiff’s rights in the future. Different locales have different reporting agencies, but a qualified dog bite attorney in Fulton Market could help get the case reported if the plaintiff requires assistance.
The actual injuries sustained from a dog bite may be minor, but they can also be incredibly serious, with some even leading to death. Medical treatment in these cases can require surgery, reconstructive procedures, treatment for infection, and much more. The financial toll of these treatments can be staggering and may also cause great hardship for the victims.
Injuries that may occur from a dog bite include, but are not limited to:
Psychological injuries can also plague victims of dog attacks. Fear of going outside, panic attacks, a fear of dogs, and post-traumatic stress are all examples of the emotional and mental harms a person may incur as a result of the attack.
510 Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 sets a strict liability dog bite law for the state. If a defendant’s dog attacks someone, the owner is required to pay the full amount of compensation for damages and injuries sustained in the attack. A dog is the owner’s property, and the owner is therefore liable for the resulting injuries their dog inflicts.
Dog owners may argue that the dog was provoked to attempt to avoid liability when it does not actually apply. Fortunately, a competent attorney in Fulton Market could help determine how the canine bite occurred and seek compensation for the victim’s injuries.
A dog bite may have left you or your loved one with serious injuries that are not only emotionally devastating but financially difficult to bear, as well. However, you could be entitled to money damages as a result of this attack.
An experienced Fulton Market dog bite lawyer could analyze your situation and help you seek appropriate compensation. Call today for help.