Dog bites and animal attacks can be both painful and traumatic. Dogs can be very dangerous and whether frightened or simply vicious, can pose a serious threat to health and safety.
When injured in a dog attack, it can be very easy to neglect important steps to take to preserve your ability to recover damages for medical costs and other losses that result.
Remember these four important steps to take whenever you are injured in a dog bite attack:
Record the Names and Contact Details for the Dog’s Owners and Any Witnesses: Sometimes after having been bitten by a dog, you may feel like there is no need to get the names of the dog’s owner and any witnesses to the incident. But it’s important to understand that a day after the fact, pain from your injuries may begin to surface and you may need to see a physician.
Sometimes, swelling occurs after the fact, soft tissue injuries from lurching out of the way to avoid a violent dog may surface days later. You may decide that your injuries are indeed serious enough to seek compensation for medical damages and or lost wages. Getting the name and phone number of the dog’s owner is important because you may want to seek damages from them. Getting names and phone numbers of witnesses is important because they may help to back up your version of the incident if the dog owner disagrees.
Animal control may also want to get in contact with the dogs owner, particularly if it turns out that the dog has a history of biting.
Seek Immediate Medical Attention if Necessary: Sometimes getting immediate medical attention is not the first thing on your mind when injured in a dog bite attack. But it’s important if you hope to preserve your ability to recover damages. Maintain records from any medical visits and keep all billing statements from hospital and doctor’s office visits (as well as medication you are prescribed).
Report to Dog Bite Attack to Animal Control: If the dog that attacked was not wearing a license tag and you don’t know who owns it, city or county animal control authorities will want to pick up the dog and have it quarantined. Dogs that have been vaccinated for rabies won’t need to be quarantined. But it’s important to identify whether or not that is the case.
If you have been injured in a dog bite attack and seek the counsel of an experienced Chicago personal injury lawyer, call the offices of Bizzieri Law at 773.881.9000.
We have extensive knowledge of Illinois dog bite laws, and we have a wealth of experience recovering damages for our clients in these cases.