Dog Bite LawyerEdwardsville, IL

Well-trained dogs should never bite or attack anyone. If you've been bitten, we can help.

Not every dog is a friendly dog. Dogs can be dangerous if they feel threatened or if they aren't trained right, and often, under these circumstances they will bite. Dog bites are no joke, even from little dogs. Their teeth are designed to do damage. 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 Edwardsville that is dedicated to aggressively fighting for the rights of dog bite victims. Your case is going to require expertise and a dedicated dog bite lawyer in Edwardsville to fight for you. 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 314-542-2222 or 618-272-2222. We don't charge any fees for our consultations, and we never ask for any attorneys fees unless we win your dog bite lawsuit.

Dog Bite Lawyer Edwardsville - Know Your Rights

Missouri and Illinois both have laws governing how dog bite claims work.

For Missouri, Statute 273.036 details liability in Dog Bite Lawsuits. In Missouri, the pet owner is liable for the damage the dog causes, however, the person bit, if they were partially liable for the bite, they will only be able to recover the amount they weren't liable for. To clarify, this means that if someone was teasing or provoking the dog, they will be partially liable for the damages caused to them. If the animal was not provoked and still attacked, the dog owner will be fully liable. This type of law is known as Comparative Negligence, which clarifies that a person will be liable in a lawsuit for the percentage they are responsible for the accident.

For Illinois, Statute 510 ILCS 5/16 details liability in Dog Bite Lawsuits. Illinois law is quite similar to Missouri's. If they were in an area they are legally allowed to be in, and they were bitten by the dog without provocation, the dog owner is going to be fully liable for the damages. If the person bit did provoke the dog, and they were also trespassing, they will hold more of the liability for the accident.

So what should you take from these dog bite laws? If you were somewhere you have legal right to be, and you were attacked by a dog and the dog owner acted negligently in securing their animal, you may not be liable for any of the damages at all. 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 have hands, they pick up everything with their mouths. Dogs really don't care about what they eat until it's too late, and this often means they eat nasty things that are full of dangerous bacteria. In the event that you've been bitten by a dog and you have puncture wounds, what should you do? What steps should you take immediately following a dog bite?

It's important to decide whether you can perform first aid on the bite, or whether you need to go to the emergency room. If you can't perform first aid on your wounds, go to the hospital immediately. Call 911. They will be able to help you.

If you can tend to your wounds, what steps should you take? 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 has to be cleaned out before you can safely proceed.
• Second - Use soap and water to clean the wound thoroughly. Take your time and clean around the wound to make sure no further bacteria gets into it.
• Third - Use a clean cloth to stop the bleeding or slow it down as much as possible.
• Fourth - Antibiotics should now be applied to the wound to make sure all foreign bacteria is destroyed. It may still be painful to touch the wound, but applying the antibiotic is very important.
• 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 is going to see to your bite and may give you medicine to make sure it is fully treated. If further medical attention is necessary, they will be able to tell you that.
• 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?

Not all dogs are aggressive at the same levels. 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:

Dog Bite Lawyer Edwardsville, IL - We can Help

Dog bites and dog attacks happen 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. Whenever someone acts negligently and their actions cause harm to another individual, they are absolutely liable for the damages caused, even if they themselves didn't physically cause the damage. Our Personal Injury Lawyers in Edwardsville have successfully litigated dog bite cases before and can guide you through your dog bite lawsuit. 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 314-542-2222 or 618-272-2222. We don't charge any fees for our consultations, and we never ask for any attorneys fees unless we win your dog bite lawsuit.