Belleville, IL Dog Bite Lawyers

Dogs may be man’s best friend, but that doesn’t always mean they are friendly. A dog will bite if it feels threatened, or if it’s poorly trained and confined. Dog bites are no joke, even from little dogs. They have large canines for a reason. What are the actions you should take following a dog bite, and what are your options legally?

Burger Law is a Personal injury law firm in Belleville that is dedicated to aggressively fighting for the rights of dog bite victims. Your dog bite lawsuit is going to need the guidance of a lawyer in Belleville. Our team will fight for your full rights and make sure that you get the physical and financial recovery you are owed. If you have any question about our personal injury firm, or how our dog bite lawyers will handle your dog bite case, call our team at 618-500-HURT (4878). We don’t charge any fees for our consultations, and we never ask for any attorneys fees unless we win your dog bite lawsuit.

Protect and Know Your Rights with the Help of a Dog Bite Injury Lawyer

Here are the Illinois laws governing dog bite claims and rlawsuits.

For Illinois, Statute 510 ILCS 5/16 details liability in Dog Bite Lawsuits. Illinois law follows comparative negligence, calling for the party or parties responsible for the incident to compensate the injured party for their damages. This means that if someone provoked the animal and caused the dog to bite them, then they will be liable for a portion of their damages and their recovery would be diminished. If the person wasn’t trespassing, and they were legally allowed to be in the area they were in when the bite occurred, the pet owner will hold liability. The reverse of this situation also places more blame on the person bit if they were trespassing and provoking the animal.

So what should you take from these dog bite laws? If you didn’t provoke the dog, weren’t trespassing, and the dog attacked you without cause, you will not be held liable for the attack. If you were taunting the dog and it attacked you, or if you were in an area you didn’t have the legal right to be in, you will be held liable as well. Never provoke a dog, it’s just not a smart nor safe thing to do.

What do I do after I’ve been bitten by a dog?

Dogs don’t really mind too much what they put in their mouths. They will eat just about anything that’s on the ground, and this can mean that their mouths can be dirty and filled with dangerous bacteria. If you’ve been bitten by a dog, what should you immediately do to take care of the wound?

You need to quickly decide whether you can perform first aid on your injuries, or whether you injuries are too severe and need to be immediately seen to by a medical professional. A dog can cause serious and traumatic injuries to a person, and if you’ve been significantly mauled by a dog and are losing blood, you need to seek immediate medical help. Call 911. They will be able to help you.

If you can perform first-aid on your wounds, what should you do? There are a few steps that you can immediately take to treat a dog bite wound so that doesn’t get worse or get infected.

• First – Press around the wound to make it bleed. This is important to force any dirt out of the wound. The wound needs to be cleared before you can clean it further.
• Second – Soap and water are a good tool to get the wound clean. Make sure to clean any dirt or other things around the wound as well.
• Third – Apply a clean cloth to stop/slow the bleeding.
• Fourth – You should now apply antibiotics to the wound to protect it. It may sting to apply the antibiotic, however, if you don’t do it the chances of infection growing in the wound will be high.
• Fifth – You should now wrap the wound to make sure it is sealed. With the bleeding under control and the wound sterilized, now is the time to see your doctor to determine how severe the bite is.
• Sixth – Your doctor will now look and the wound and determine it’s severity. If you need to take further medical action with the wound, your doctor will be able to tell you.
• Seventh – Make sure to watch your wound in the follow weeks. If it gets worse, go back for further medical care.

Here are a few of the most common bacterial infections that occur with dog bites:

• Staph Infection – Staph infections are common in dog bites if the wound isn’t properly cleaned and taken care of.
• Pasteurella multocida – This dog bite infection can lead to skin necrosis, and other serious health issues such as meningitis, otitis, pyogenic arthritis, brain abscess and more.
• Capnocytophaga – You can get a Capnocytophaga Infection from a dog bite. These infections are serious, and can cause heart attacks, organ failure, gangrene and can even lead to the amputation of limbs.

Which Dog Breeds are most likely to bite?

Just like other types of animals, some dog breeds are more likely to bite than other dog breeds. Which dogs are more likely to bite someone? Here are a few answers to that question:

This article from the CDC gives a comprehensive breakdown of Dog Bite Related Fatalities, and which breeds were most responsible for those fatalities.

This link houses several different statistics regarding dog bite studies, dog bite fatalities, dog bite fatality citations, and more.

Here are the dog breeds most responsible for dog bites and dog attacks:

• Chihuahua
• Bulldog
• Pit Bull
• German Shepherd
• Australian Shepherd
• Lhasa Apso
• Jack Russell Terrier
• Cocker Spaniel
• Bull Terrier
• Pekingese
• Papillion

Remember that in addition to dog bite injuries, Burger Law’s Belleville, Illinois team of winning attorneys can help you pursue justice in other types of cases, such as:

• Personal injury
• Car accident
• Truck accident
• Wrongful death
• Motorcycle accident
• Dog bite

Dog Bite Lawyer Belleville, IL – We can Help

When dogs attack someone it’s because of negligence. If the pet owner took the time to properly care for the dog, chances are that you would not have been bitten or attacked by the animal. This is a point that can be legally argued. When someone allows a negligent act to happen, they can and should be held liable for that action. Our Personal Injury Lawyers in Belleville have fought dog bite lawsuits before, and we know how to make sure you get the FULL care and recovery you deserve. Our dog bite lawyers will take your claim seriously, and we’re more than willing to take your dog attacks lawsuit to court to make sure you get the respect you deserve. To learn more about our Firm, our practices, or how we can help you with your claim, call our team at 618-500-HURT. We don’t charge any fees for our consultations, and we never ask for any attorneys fees unless we win your dog bite lawsuit.

Client Reviews

What our clients are saying about us

Juanita Matthews

Year of 2023

This law firm is absolutely amazing. They took on my case, when nobody else would! They fought hard for me when it seemed there was no hope. They kept me informed and always asked for my input before making decisions on my case. Gary puts himself into every case unlike most law firm owners. Gary and his team really care about every one of their clients, and fights hard to get you a fair settlement. They actually won my case out of court, and then reduced my fees to make sure I could get my car fixed and be able to get back to some normality. I would recommend Burger Law over and above any other firm! If you go somewhere else you aren’t getting the best!

Shaunda S.

7 months ago

I am very happy with the staff at Burger Law. I mostly worked with Michael Sheldon, and he did an amazing job. I trusted him completely with my case, and he did not disappoint. I would definitely recommend this team if your ever in need of good attorneys.

Emelia M.

3 months ago

Burger Law Firm is fantastic. Laura and Genevieve were so amazing and helpful throughout the entire process. They helped me with my personal injury case every step of the way and succeeded at getting me the results I desired.

Helen L.

a year ago

We had a great experience with Burger Law for representing us after a serious car accident. Truly impressed by how professional and supportive the entire team is. And, many thanks to Genavieve and Laura – you are amazing!

Judy M.

a year ago

They did an amazing job on my case! Communication with them was great!!! Kept me informed and in the loop with everything that was going on!!! Will definitely be the 1st ones I’ll call if ever I’m in another accident!!! Thank you very much!!!

Chelsea C.

5 months ago

Let me tell you something about Burger Law.. they are so attentive and kind. Jennifer is my savior!! I love the whole team!!! They are truly a miracle team!! I appreciate their business and would recommend it to others.

David D.

2 months ago

Absolutely the best law firm in the St. Louis area. No matter the size of your case you are treated as if you are the only client on the roster. Will explain anything thoroughly and they work around your availability. Very impressed and appreciative of the service.

Lisa B.

11 months ago

Gary and Casey took great care of me for 2.5 years as my lawsuit was finally settled. I feel he helped me achieve justice for me and my 4 children after their father died from medical malpractice and neglect. Thanks to Gary, my kids now have a great start to their college and adult lives. Thank you Gary and Casey, for fighting for us so hard at our most trying and difficult time in our lives thus far. Love and God bless from my family to yours!

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