Dog Bite LawyerFairview Heights, IL

Not every dog is a friendly dog. When they are poorly trained or feel threatened, they can and often will bite the person that they feel is threatening them. When a dog bites, even a little dog, it’s going to hurt. Their teeth are made to puncture and tear. 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 Fairview Heights that is dedicated to aggressively fighting for the rights of dog bite victims. Your dog bite claim could be complex, and without the assistance of an experienced dog bite lawyer in Fairview Heights you could get less of a recovery than you deserve. Our team can guide you through your dog bite claim and make sure that you’re given the care and financial recovery you deserve. 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 314-648-8348 or 618-226-4811. 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 Fairview Heights – Know Your Rights

Here are Missouri’s and Illinois’s laws detailing dog bites and dog bite lawsuits.

For Missouri, Statute 273.036 details liability in Dog Bite Lawsuits. The dog owner will be liable for the damages caused, minus the percentage that the person bit was liable for the attack. 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 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. 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 weren’t trespassing, weren’t taunting the dog, and had no reason for the dog to attack you, you won’t be held to any liability 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. Dogs will eat anything they can reach, and this means their mouths can be incredibly dirty. If you’ve been bitten by a dog, what should you immediately do to take care of the wound?

You first have to decide how serious the bite is, and whether you need emergency services. If you are losing a significant amount of blood, you need to immediately go to the hospital. Call 911. They will be able to help you.

What if the bite was serious but not life-threatening? 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 – Apply pressure to the wound to cause bleeding in an attempt to flush out any bacteria/dirt or debris that may be in the wound. You need to get any foreign material out of the wound before you treat it further.
• Second – Use soap and water to clean the wound thoroughly. If there is any dirt or saliva or other things around the wound, clean those off as well.
• Third – Use a clean cloth to stop the bleeding or slow it down as much as possible.
• Fourth – If you have any antibiotics, apply them now. Touching the wound may sting, but it’s important for you to take this step.
• Fifth – The wound should now be wrapped to make sure it stays as clean as possible. 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 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:

• Chihuahua
• Bulldog
• Pit Bull
• German Shepherd
• Australian Shepherd

• Lhasa Apso
• Jack Russell Terrier
• Cocker Spaniel
• Bull Terrier
• Pekingese
• Papillion

Dog Bite Lawyer Fairview Heights, IL – We can Help

When a dog bites someone, or viciously attacks someone, it’s because of negligence. If the dog owner was a responsible owner you wouldn’t have been attacked by the dog. This shows negligence. Negligent actions can cause damages, and when they do, the individual who caused those damages can be held liable for the act. Our Personal Injury Lawyers in Fairview Heights 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 314-648-8348 or 618-226-4811. We don’t charge any fees for our consultations, and we never ask for any attorneys fees unless we win your dog bite lawsuit.