Rockford Dog Bite Lawyers – Free Consultation
- Were you injured by a dog or other animal?
- Did they attack you unprovoked?
- Were you in a space that was unrestricted and legal for you to be there?
If you answered yes to any of these you have a strong case to file a dog bite lawsuit against the owner of the animal. You’ll need our help — Contact Our Dog Bite Lawyers Today! We serve all of Rockford and the surrounding areas. If you can’t make it to us – we’ll make it to you.
Should I Get A Lawyer For A Dog Bite?
Animal attacks can be traumatic. An attack doesn’t only mean that you were bit, but can be any injury you’ve sustained during an attack. This is where a lawyer can help. Talking to an attorney is your best first step.
Sharing what happened during your attack can help us decide if you have a strong case or not. Hiring an attorney is your next best step. An attorney who litigates dog attack injuries, or other animal attacks, can take the guesswork out of your case and provide guidance and help you settle your case most of the time without going to court.
Illinois One-Bite Rule
Illinois follows a “one-bite” rule. Some other states follow the “one-free bite rule.”
Essentially, in Illinois, victims that are injured in an attack are in a much better position to recover from any injuries sustained in a dog, or other animal attack. In some other states recovering damages in a lawsuit from an attack means that animal likely has a history of attacks. In Illinois, the animal does not need to have attacked someone in the past for you to be able to recover.
Illinois Statute on Animal Attacks and Injuries
Our Illinois law statute is fairly specific in regards to animal attacks such as dog attacks. You can read more here – Sec. 16. Animal attacks or injuries.
(510 ILCS 5/16) (from Ch. 8, par. 366)
Sec. 16. Animal attacks or injuries. If a dog or other animal, without provocation, attacks, attempts to attack, or injures any person who is peaceably conducting himself or herself in any place where he or she may lawfully be, the owner of such dog or other animal is liable in civil damages to such person for the full amount of the injury proximately caused thereby.
(Source: P.A. 94-819, eff. 5-31-06.)
This means that an injury doesn’t only have to be from an aggressive attack, but can also be any injury sustained from an attempted attack. If you were:
- In an areas where you were lawfully able to be;
- Conducting yourself peacefully or without provocation;
- An animal attacks or attempts to attack;
- You sustained injuries from the attack or attempted attack;
You might have a dog bite claim where you can recover any damages from your injuries, loss of work and time, and other expenses related to the injury.
Dog Attack Lawsuits When Provoking An Animal or, Trespassing
If you were trespassing on private property or you were provoking an animal you won’t have a strong case. But being where you shouldn’t have been and still being attacked doesn’t mean you won’t win your case, it just makes it harder.
Call Our Offices for a Free Consultation on Your Animal Attack
For a confidential, compassionate, in-depth, AND FREE consultation contact Rockford Personal Injury Lawyers about your dog bite, or other animal bite attack.
We service Rockford and elsewhere in the State of Illinois. Call or text us 24/7/365 at (815) 964-8303. We offer in-office consultations, and routinely make visits to clients’ homes, hospital rooms, nursing homes, and other off-site locations to make retaining our services as easy as possible. Contact a Rockford personal injury lawyer TODAY for help!