Michael J. Brennan, Injury & Accident Lawyer proudly represents dog bite victims throughout Orland Park. My firm recognizes the difficulties associated with these incidents, especially when a bite affects your mobility. If you or someone you care about has suffered an ankle or other injury in a dog bite, we’ll be ready to provide assistance. Contact us today for a free consultation.
After a dog bite, you might wonder if you need a lawyer. The answer depends on how bad the bite is. If it’s minor, you can just focus on getting better without legal help.
But if the bite is serious, like most dog bites, it’s smart to talk to me and my team. During our initial meeting, we’ll:
Every case is different, so it’s important to know you have choices. That said, when the bite impacts your ankle, it very likely could change things for you.
A dog bite often results in ankle injuries since your lower body is usually the first target. This is because, most likely, your instinct will be to run away from an attacking dog. This, in turn, will cause the dog to chase you. All of this adds up to bite injuries on your ankle and foot. In these situations, here’s what you can expect in terms of injuries:
Obviously, these injuries are going to leave you facing significant challenges. That said, your actions during and right after the bite are going to play a huge role in how your potential claim plays out. While it’s always smart to protect your legal options, it’s even more important to protect your health and safety. So, after you’ve been bitten, make sure to:
While these are general guidelines, they’re also extremely important. When you decide to move forward with legal action, it means dealing with an insurance company that’s going to try to do anything they can to devalue your claim.
After any dog bite, the claims process has two major components: liability and damages. In Orland Park (and throughout Illinois), liability in dog bites is fairly straightforward: the owner is “strictly liable” for any damage their dog causes.
This means that for your ankle injuries and resulting expenses and losses, the owner is going to be responsible–more specifically, their homeowner’s or renter’s insurance. This doesn’t change your options, though. You still have the right to file an injury claim, usually either through an insurance claim or lawsuit. Which option you choose depends on your needs. An insurance claim is usually quicker to resolve, but the company makes the final decision on what they offer you. On the other hand, a lawsuit is a formal legal action, and while it takes longer, it’s decided by an impartial judge and jury based on the evidence. The overall goal of either option is to recover your “damages.”
Because every claim is different, the damages that apply to your particular case might not be the same as someone else’s. With that said, there’s general damages that are available in these types of cases that can be recovered if your claim is successful. These include:
Like any other injury claim in Illinois, you have to file within the statute of limitations. This is currently set at two years from the date of the dog bite and your injuries. Missing this deadline means you can’t file a claim, and as a result, can’t recover these damages (no matter how strong your claim is.)
No matter what the circumstances are, a dog bite is always unfortunate. While most dogs are well-trained and well-behaved, they can still fall victim to their instincts. Worse yet, some breeds are more likely to bite or nip at your ankles. While the circumstances are less important here than other accidents, it’s still helpful to know the underlying causes of a dog bite so you can be better prepared to respond:
If you or someone close to you has suffered a dog bite and ankle injuries in Orland Park, you deserve reliable legal support. My firm, Michael J. Brennan, Injury and Accident Lawyer has the experience and dedication you need to handle even the most challenging dog bite claims. Contact us today for a free consultation to discuss your case.