Lake County Dog Bite & Animal Attack Lawyers
Representing Victims in Libertyville, Mundelein, Waukegan, and Surrounding Areas
If you suffered injuries that were caused by an animal in Illinois, contact Lake County dog bite & animal attack lawyer Bogdan Martinovich right away.
Pet owners in our community are generally liable for the injuries their animals cause, and you may have a valuable personal injury case. You may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.
Our attorneys have more than 30 years of combined experience handling injury cases like yours, and we can maximize your compensation.
Call Libertyville & Mundelein dog bite lawyer Bogdan Martinovich at (847) 996-1350 to find out if you have an injury case.
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What You Need to Know About Dog Bite Laws in Illinois
Illinois law holds that pet owners, agents, and/or caretakers can be held liable for damages if their animal bites, attacks, or otherwise causes harm to another person – in most cases. As long as you were lawfully allowed to be on the premises where the attack occurred, you were not provoking the animal, and you were conducting yourself peacefully, you are entitled to recover compensation to pay for all your attack-related losses.
Dog bites are not the only types of animal-induced injuries covered under the law, either. You may also be entitled to compensation if you suffered injuries caused by:
- Bites from other types of pets, like cats, rodents, snakes, lizards, etc.
- An animal knocking you down.
- An animal scratching or clawing you.
Do You Have a Dog Bite Case?
Illinois uses the principle of “strict liability” in dog bite cases, and the state does not recognize “one bite” laws. If you suffered injuries that were caused by someone else’s animal, and you did not instigate the attack, it’s likely that you have a dog bite or animal attack case. You don’t have to prove that the owner, agent, or caretaker was negligent, and you don’t have to show that the animal had a history of causing injuries to others. You only have to show that you suffered some type of physical or emotional injury because of the animal’s behavior.
Who Can Be Held Liable for Animal Attack Injuries?
Most of the time, pet owners are the defendants who are held liable for injuries caused by animals. That isn’t always the case, however. When you hire our dog bite attorneys to handle your injury case, we’ll consider all parties who may have played a role in the incident or had control over the animal in question. In addition to the pet’s owner, you may be able to sue:
- A dog walker
- Animal control
- A landlord
- An HOA
- A property owner
- A business
What Damages Are Available in Dog Bite and Animal Attack Cases?
Victims of dog bites and animal attacks are usually awarded economic and non-economic damages if their injury lawsuits are successful in Lake County. In rare cases, punitive damages may be awarded as well.
Economic Damages – Your medical bills and treatment costs, lost wages, and other financial losses are included when calculating your economic damages in a dog bite case.
Non-Economic Damages – These involve intangible losses, such as pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and emotional distress.
Punitive Damages – Awarded in cases where the defendant was grossly negligent, or the behavior was intentional, punitive damages are intended to punish the wrongdoer.
How Can Our Dog Bite Lawyers Help With Your Case?
Hiring our dog bite lawyers to represent you after an animal attack is one of the best decisions you can make. Although the laws surrounding liability in dog bite and animal attack cases in Illinois seem fairly straightforward, recovering compensation as a victim is not always easy. If you file an injury claim or lawsuit against the pet’s owner, you’re probably going to end up facing the homeowner’s insurance company representatives and their attorneys. These people can be ruthless when it comes to protecting their own bottom line. In more complicated cases that involve businesses and government entities, the fight to protect your rights only gets worse.
When you hire our lawyers, we will make sure your rights are protected, and we’ll handle the legal aspects of your case for you. We will:
- Investigate the animal attack and the events that led up to it.
- Gather evidence, like photos, videos, medical records, and witness statements, to prove liability for your injuries.
- Negotiate with the insurance company or companies and their lawyers to maximize your recovery.
- Represent you in court if necessary to make sure your voice is heard, and you are treated fairly.
Find out more about how we can help with your animal attack case. Call our Libertyville & Mundelein dog bite lawyers at (847) 996-1350.
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Bogie is an outstanding attorney in every way—knowledgeable, diligent, and effective. I would not hesitate to recommend him to anyone.
Bogie has handled our corporate legal litigation for more than 20 years, prevailing against some of the largest national law firms. He is very intelligent, knowledgeable, experienced, and helpful. We value his counsel very much and are pleased to have had him advising us for many years. For us, he is 10 stars!
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The Statute of Limitations for Dog Bite Cases in Illinois
Illinois imposes a statute of limitations of just two years for most dog bite and animal attack cases. This means that you must take legal action before the time limit expires, or you could lose your right to recover compensation through the court system. The clock started ticking the day the dog bite or animal attack occurred.
Dog Bite Statistics: You Are Not Alone
If you suffered injuries in an animal attack in Libertyville or Mundelein, you are not alone. More than 4.5 million dog bites and animal attacks are reported each year in the United States. Approximately 800,000 of those attacks result in injuries that require medical treatment.
Puncture wounds are the most common type of animal attack injury, and most injuries occur to the hands and arms. Other common types of injuries include lacerations and broken bones. Fortunately, less than 1% of animal attacks result in death.
Pit bulls are more likely than any other breed to be involved in attacks that result in serious injury or fatality, but mixed breeds and German Shepherds follow closely behind. The rate of injuries and deaths involving these breeds is not necessarily because they are more aggressive. They often have stronger bites that do more damage than smaller breeds of dogs.
Young children between the ages of one and four are most likely to be victims of fatal dog attacks, and approximately 57% of all deadly attacks target children under 16.
Contact Our Dog Bite Attorneys
If you have been bitten by a dog or injured in an animal attack, contact us for a free consultation. Our Libertyville and Mundelein dog bite attorneys will meet with you to discuss how the incident happened, understand the severity of your injuries, and learn more about how the animal attack impacts your life. Then we’ll talk about who may be liable for your losses and the legal options available to you, so you can make informed decisions about how to move forward with your case. There’s no obligation, and you won’t need to pay any attorney fees unless we win compensation on your behalf.