31 May, 2023

Steps to Take After a Dog Attack

Dog attacks can happen when you least expect them, and their impacts can leave long-lasting scars. Knowing what to do after a dog attack is critical to securing the compensation that you need. Act confidently according to these steps, recommended by the personal injury lawyers of The Horwitz Law Group. If you’d like to discuss the specifics of the situation you’re in, call our firm for a consultation.

What to Do After a Dog Attack

If you were attacked or bitten by a dog, follow these steps:

Get to a Safe Location. Your safety is the ultimate priority. Before doing anything else, get away from the dog and to a safe location. Don’t rely on the owner of the dog for safety because they have already failed to keep their animal under control.

Receive Medical Care. Seek medical help as soon as possible. Dog bites often need stitches, and your doctor might prescribe antibiotics or a rabies shot to prevent further complications.

Contact Authorities. Depending on how aggressive and dangerous the dog is to others, you may need to contact an animal control officer to contain the dog if the owner is not found. In Chicago, you will need to report the dog attack to an animal control board within 24 hours of the incident.

Take Pictures. Pictures can serve as evidence to support your claim. For example, you can demonstrate that you did not trespass on the property or that the dog was not restrained with a leash during the incident.
Identify Eyewitnesses. If there were eyewitnesses to the attack, collect their contact information—including the dog owner’s. Eyewitnesses can help provide an outside perspective of what happened. The owner’s identity is required so our attorneys can hold them liable for your injuries.

Seeking Legal Help After a Dog Bite

After your injuries have been tended to and you are back at home, you should plan on contacting an attorney to hold the dog’s owner accountable. In Illinois, the majority of dog bite victims can seek full compensation from the owner. Other states have a “one-bite” dog rule that reduces owners’ liability. The “one-bite” rule is founded on the idea that if the dog hasn’t bitten anyone before, the owner doesn’t have a reason to believe the animal would have harmed anyone.

Since the rules can be complicated, talk to a knowledgeable attorney to learn how you can file a claim. We can help you build up your case so you can pursue your entitled compensation. An attorney can also help you determine how much in damages you may be able to obtain depending on factors unique to your case. A consultation can help you prepare for the legal battle ahead.

Talk to Our Dog Bite Attorneys

Knowing what to do after a dog attack is important to your future. The Horwitz Law Group guides dog bite victims through the legal process as they seek compensation for their injuries. Contact our lawyers if you’re ready to discuss your case with an attorney.

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Testimonials

Great service and a great team, I'm really truly very very satisfied with the outcome of my case, I really appreciate all the work Mr. Duggan and his team have done on my case, I highly recommend him to anyone, great job.

Kelly S.

Jared was AMAZING! I highly recommend his service. He was fast to answer my questions and concerns. I appreciated the fact that he made me feel like I was a priority. He worked diligently to assist me and I am well pleased. Thank you, Jared D… You ROCK!!

Annisha W.

He is absolutely the best lawyer ever !!! Works fast and is always ready

Danny F.

I would like to thank The Horwitz Law Group. Thanks for everything they have done for me. It was a very long case. But they never gave up on me. Anyone that is in need of help, please contact them. Special thanks to Lulu and the best Jared Duggan ❤️. Thanks for everything.

Darlene W.

Type of Case: Mass Transit Accident (Metra) Result: $2.1 million dollars “I was in a Metra Train Accident in September 2005, and I hired Mark Horwitz as my lawyer. My experience with Mark has been wonderful. He’s very considerate. He’s caring. Every time he calls me, the first thing that he says is, how are you feeling and how is your family, and I really, really appreciate that. If I didn’t have Mark Horwitz as my lawyer, I think I’d…

Marie B

Former Chicago Police Officer Type of Injury: Premises Liability Accident Resulting in Below the Knee Amputation Result: $1,400,000.00 “After all my experiences with attorneys, Mark Horwitz was one of the finest attorneys I’ve ever met. He not only was my attorney, he was my friend. He extended himself far more beyond the attorney/client relationship. I couldn’t ask for a better attorney. I couldn’t ask for a better friend. And I would definitely, without question, recommend him to anyone who needs…

Charles B.

Type of Injury: Personal Injury Initial Offer: $50,000.00 Jury Verdict:$1,197,000.00 Johnnie B. W. Jr. was a professional basketball player back in the 1970s. In 2002 while getting off a CTA red line train, the trainman closed the doors on Mr. Williams while he was exiting the train. At the time, Mr. Williams was wearing a backpack that became lodged in the doors. The train began to move and Mr. W. ran along the platform until the train’s speed prevented him…

Johnnie W.

Type of Injury: Personal Injury Final Offer: $75,000.00 Final Judgment: $100,000.00 On October 7, 2007, Ms. Bogan was driving her automobile on Interstate 57 when she noticed a car stopped in one of the moving lanes. When she looked to see what was happening, she saw a man slumped over his steering wheel who was not moving. Being a good Samaritan, Ms. Bogan parked her vehicle in front of the disabled vehicle and got out to see if the driver…

Kimberly B.

Type of Injury: Personal Injury Final Offer: $60,000.00 Final Settlement: $100,000.00 In the summer of 2008, the father of a minor child (whose name is withheld because he is 5 years old) backed over his son while leaving his home. The child had gone under the car to retrieve a Mr. Potato Head doll that had rolled under the car. The father, not knowing his son was under the car, started it and backed down the driveway. Hearing screams, he…

Tanya M.

Type of Injury: Car Accident Final Offer: $60,000.00 Final Judgment: $175,000.00 Rosetta Glover was a passenger in her husband’s car traveling on Martin Luther King Drive. A cab came around their car and made a sudden U turn in front of them causing the accident. Ms. Glover sustained an injury to her shoulder which required an immediate surgery. She hired another Chicago lawyer who obtained a settlement offer from the cab company for $60,000.00 and told Ms. Glover to accept…

Rosetta G.

I wanted to thank for all the work you have done to help me with my situation. I really appreciate you not giving up despite my indecisive attitude in the beginning . I’m glad to have met you and that represented me. You changed my perspective on lawyers and I cannot repay you for the hard work you did in the past year. You made my situation easier and not only do I respect you as the hard working lawyer…

Lamiela P.

My daughter was severely injured in a car accident and I was nervous about finding a personal injury attorney, but from the start, I felt confident with my choice in the Horwitz Law Group. Mark was completely professional, trustworthy, communicative, honest and helpful. He kept my daughter focused throughout her entire recovery, both emotionally and medically. He was extremely attentive and responsive answering each and every question I had in a timely manner and explained everything in laymen terms -…

Steve S.

Case Results

$4,500,000.00

for a young lady who was run over by a private waste hauling company while crossing the street.

$2,100,000.00

for a client injured in a 2005 Metra train derailment case.

$2,300,000.00

for a client whose family was killed by a street sweeper that ran a red light.

$1,400,000.00

for a premises liability accident resulting in below the knee amputation.

$1,200,000.00

for a woman who was hit by a car while crossing the street.

$1,197,000.00

for a client who was injured on the CTA red line train.

$175,000.00

for a client who had lawyers at another law firm trying to settle the accident case for only $60,000.

$100,000.00

for a client who was crushed between two cars nearly severing off her leg.

$100,000.00

for a client whose son was accidentally run over by her husband as he backed out of their driveway.

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Blog

Steps to Take After a Dog Attack

What to Do After a Dog Attack

Seeking Legal Help After a Dog Bite

Talk to Our Dog Bite Attorneys

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Testimonials

Kelly S.

Annisha W.

Danny F.

Darlene W.

Marie B

Charles B.

Johnnie W.

Kimberly B.

Tanya M.

Rosetta G.

Lamiela P.

Steve S.

Case Results

$4,500,000.00

$2,100,000.00

$2,300,000.00

$1,400,000.00

$1,200,000.00

$1,197,000.00

$175,000.00

$100,000.00

$100,000.00

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