Dogs have incredibly powerful jaws, even the little pups, and dog bites are not uncommon. Victims need to know how to recover compensation. At Seidman, Margulis & Fairman, LLP, we are here to help when you need an Elmhurst dog bite lawyer by your side. We know the dog bite laws in Illinois, and we can handle the insurance carriers and dog owners involved to recover the compensation you need.
Why Turn to Seidman, Margulis & Fairman, LLP for Help?A skilled attorney in Illinois may be necessary to recover total compensation for your dog bite injury losses. A lawyer can step in and fully investigate every aspect of your claim in order to determine exactly what happened. They will use any evidence they gather to negotiate with the insurance carriers involved, which can include homeowners insurance, renter's insurance, or commercial insurance carriers.
If necessary, your attorney can help file a civil personal injury lawsuit against the dog's owner in order to take the case to trial to recover full compensation.
Understanding Dog Bite Laws in IllinoisIllinois is considered a strict liability dog bite state. When we examine 510 ILCS 5/16, we can see that the dog's owner is liable for the full amount of any injury victim's expenses if their dog "attacks, attempts to attack, or injures any person" who is on public property or lawfully on private property when the incident occurred, and so long as the individual did not provoke the dog.
We do want to point out that Illinois law allows for injury victims to recover compensation for any type of dog attack, not just dog bites. This is different from how other states handle these claims, as most places only allow recovery specifically for bite injuries. In other words, if a dog charges you, pushes you down, and causes you to sustain an injury not related to the bite, such as a broken bone, you will still be able to recover compensation from the dog's owner.
Under Illinois law, you have two years from the date of a dog bite incident to file a lawsuit against the alleged negligent dog owner. However, insurance claims must be filed long before this deadline.
Call an Elmhurst Dog Bite Lawyer TodayIf you or a loved one has been bitten and injured by a dog, we want to help. At Seidman, Margulis & Fairman, LLP, we have a track record of success in recovering major settlements on behalf of dog bite victims because we know how to handle the insurance carriers involved. We want to make sure you have money for your medical bills, any lost wages, and your pain and suffering caused by the bite incident. When you need an Elmhurst dog bite lawyer, you can contact us for a free consultation of your case by clicking here or calling (312) 781-1977.