Imagine this scenario: You are on a walk with your family in your neighborhood, or finishing up your daily run through the park, when out of the corner of your eye you see an unleashed animal quickly approaching. Rightfully so you begin to panic, asking yourself is this animal friendly? Is it going to attack me, bite me, or maybe even kill me? It’s terrible to even consider, but what if you or a loved one are injured by this animal?
The Center for Disease Control conducted a study which revealed that about 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs each year. A 2008 study indicates that nearly one in five of those who are bitten a year, about 885,000, require medical attention for dog bite-related injuries; half of these are children. Sadly, more than 27,000 people underwent reconstructive surgery as a result of being bitten by dogs in 2012 alone.
Illinois was among the top three states for dog bite claims in 2013. The Illinois Dog Bite Statute states that a person is entitled to civil damages for his or her injuries when a dog or other animal, without provocation, attacks, attempts to attack, or causes an injury. The requisite for damages is that the injured person must have been conducting him or herself peaceably and entitled to be at the location where the attack occurred.
The personal injury lawyers at Shay & Associates has significant experience handling animal attack cases. We have helped many people who have suffered serious injuries, including disfigurement, as a result of an animal attack. We know from firsthand experience that the physical aspect of these attacks is only where the injury starts. Very often the emotional damages are far worse.
This weblog does not constitute legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is intended to be established due to reading this weblog. If you suffer from the above described injury, you should contact an attorney as soon as possible to ensure that your right to recovery is protected.