Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
A 3-year-old boy was mauled by two pit bulls in the South Shore neighborhood of Chicago last Monday evening. He sustained puncture wounds to his ears, neck, body, and legs before an adult neighbor came to his rescue and fought off the dogs.
The child was visiting a home in Chicago when two pit bulls attacked him indoors. It is not clear who owned the house or the dogs or if there was adult supervision at the time of the attack. However another child, a cousin of the victim, ran to the yard of a neighbor for help, saying her 3-year-old cousin was being attacked.
The neighbor did not hesitate but picked up a piece of wood and ran to the house, jumping a fence on his way. As he heard the child crying, he knew he had to act and he wrestled the dogs away from the boy. After carrying the boy to a nearby fire station, the neighbor went back to the house to get two kids who had been upstairs at the time of the attack.
Fire fighters made sure the child got the medical attention he needed at Comer Children’s Hospital and doctors have said his injuries are not life threatening. The other children were not injured by the dogs and officials at the fire station have credited the neighbor with saving the boy’s life.
Illinois requires all dog owners to be in control of their pets. If a dog attacks, even if it has never done so before, the owner or caretaker is held liable for any injuries caused by the dog. There are exceptions to this rule, primarily when the dog is provoked by the person attacked or if a person is trespassing or otherwise in an area where his presence is not authorized. This means in the vast majority of cases where a person is attacked by another’s dog in Illinois, there can be a claim for injuries.
The attorneys at Abels & Annes, P.C. regularly represent clients who have been harmed by a dog. In 2012, we settled a case for a client who sustained a broken arm after he was chased by a viscous dog. In that case, the dog never bit or even touched our client but the dog’s threatening behavior caused our client to jump a fence to escape and break his arm upon his fall. In 2013, we filed a lawsuit on behalf of a man who was chased and attacked by two pit bulls. The man suffered serious injuries to both of his arms and required multiple surgeries.
If you have been injured or attacked by a dog while in Illinois, you may have a claim for your injuries, including your medical bills, rehabilitative expenses, loss of a normal life, and any lost wages you were unable to earn. At Abels & Annes, P.C., we are Illinois dog bite lawyers and we have a proven track record of fighting for the rights of dog bite victims. We are ready to fight for you. Call us at (312) 924-7575 or toll free at (855) 529-2442 for a free, no-obligation telephone consultation regarding your case. We have a lawyer standing by 24 hours a day to take your call and we offer free in-home and in-hospital consultations for those who want to meet with us in person but are too injured to make the trip to our offices.
Prior Blog Entries:
Cab Driver Cited in Fatal Crash with Pedestrian near Midway Airport, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, published June 3, 2013.
Cyclist Killed by Car in Old Town Was Outspoken on Bicycle Safety, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, published June 1, 2013.
Resources:
Neighbor credited from saving boy, 3, from attacking dogs, by Carlos Sadovi, Chicago Tribune, published June 4, 2013.