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(314) 500-HURTDogs may be man’s best friend, but that doesn’t always mean they are friendly. Dogs can be dangerous if they feel threatened or if they aren’t trained right, and often, under these circumstances they will bite. When a dog bites, even a little dog, it’s going to hurt. They have large canines for a reason. If you’ve been attacked by a dog, what can you do?
Burger Law is a Personal Injury Law Firm in Hartford with extensive experience fighting for dog bite victims and making sure they get the full care and recovery they need. Your dog bite claim could be complex, and without the assistance of an experienced dog bite lawyer in Hartford you could get less of a recovery than you deserve. Our team can guide you through your dog bite lawsuit and make sure that you get the full recovery you are owed, both physically and financially. 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.
Missouri and Illinois both have laws governing how dog bite claims work.
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. This means that if the dog was taunted or felt threatened by the person’s actions, then the person bit will also be partially liable for the attack. 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 dictates that a person will only be able to recover the amount which they weren’t liable for the accident.
For Illinois, Statute 510 ILCS 5/16 details liability in Dog Bite Lawsuits. Illinois’s law is very similar to Missouri’s. If the person had a legal right to be in the area they were in when they were bit, and they did not provoke the dog, the pet owner will be held fully liable. If the dog was provoked, and the person was in an area they weren’t legally entitled to be in, the person bitten will be liable for a portion of the damages.
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.
Dogs don’t have hands, they pick up everything with 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. When you’ve been bitten by a dog, what steps should you take to make sure an infection doesn’t grow?
You first have to decide how serious the bite is, and whether you need emergency services. If your injuries are extensive and you’re losing a great deal of blood, immediately call emergency services to get help. 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.
Here are a few of the most common bacterial infections that occur with dog bites:
Certain dog breeds have a higher chance to bite than others. Which breeds are known to be more aggressive? 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:
When dogs attack someone it’s because of negligence. If the dog owner was a responsible owner you wouldn’t have been attacked by the dog. This fact absolutely matters. When someone allows a negligent act to happen, they can and should be held liable for that action. Our Personal Injury Lawyers in Hartford 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.
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This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by Founding Partner, Gary Burger who has more than 30 years of legal experience as a practicing personal injury trial attorney. Gary’s robust legal knowledge is recognized by his peers as demonstrated by his industry awards and frequent Continuing Legal Education (CLE) lectures.
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