Victims of Illinois dog bite cases have a much easier road to recovery than those in other states like New York for example.

1. Illinois​ ​Dog​ ​Bite
Victims​ ​of​ ​Illinois​ ​dog​ ​bite​ ​cases​ ​have​ ​a​ ​much​ ​easier​ ​road​ ​to​ ​recovery​ ​than​ ​those​ ​in​ ​other
states​ ​like​ ​New​ ​York​ ​for​ ​example.​ ​The​ ​legislature​ ​of​ ​the​ ​State​ ​of​ ​Illinois​ ​passed​ ​legislation
which​ ​states​ ​that:
“If​ ​a​ ​dog​ ​or​ ​other​ ​animal,​ ​without​ ​provocation,​ ​attacks,​ ​attempts​ ​to​ ​attack,​ ​or​ ​injures​ ​any
person​ ​who​ ​is​ ​peaceably​ ​conducting​ ​himself​ ​or​ ​herself​ ​in​ ​any​ ​place​ ​where​ ​he​ ​or​ ​she​ ​may
lawfully​ ​be,​ ​the​ ​owner​ ​of​ ​such​ ​dog​ ​or​ ​other​ ​animal​ ​is​ ​liable​ ​in​ ​civil​ ​damages​ ​to​ ​such​ ​person
for​ ​the​ ​full​ ​amount​ ​of​ ​the​ ​injury​ ​proximately​ ​caused​ ​thereby.”​ ​​510​ ​ILCS​ ​5/16
In​ ​short,​ ​this​ ​means​ ​that​ ​if​ ​you​ ​were​ ​doing​ ​nothing​ ​wrong​ ​and​ ​you​ ​were​ ​lawfully​ ​on​ ​a
premises​ ​you​ ​can​ ​recover​ ​for​ ​damages​ ​caused​ ​by​ ​a​ ​dog,​ ​even​ ​if​ ​the​ ​dog​ ​has​ ​never
attacked​ ​anyone​ ​else​ ​before.​ ​This​ ​is​ ​different​ ​than​ ​New​ ​York​ ​and​ ​other​ ​states​ ​that​ ​follow​ ​a
“one-bite​ ​rule”​ ​which​ ​means​ ​that​ ​a​ ​dog​ ​basically​ ​has​ ​a​ ​“free​ ​bite”​ ​before​ ​the​ ​dog​ ​owner​ ​is
liable​ ​for​ ​the​ ​dog’s​ ​actions.​ ​I​ ​recently​ ​had​ ​a​ ​case​ ​in​ ​a​ ​one-bite​ ​state​ ​where​ ​a​ ​dog​ ​bit
someone​ ​and​ ​as​ ​a​ ​result,​ ​the​ ​dog​ ​owner’s​ ​homeowner’s​ ​insurance​ ​policy​ ​specifically
excluded​ ​the​ ​dog​ ​from​ ​coverage.​ ​Then,​ ​months​ ​later,​ ​the​ ​dog​ ​bit​ ​someone​ ​else.​ ​So,​ ​the​ ​one

2. bite​ ​rule​ ​was​ ​satisfied,​ ​but​ ​the​ ​dog​ ​was​ ​now​ ​excluded​ ​from​ ​coverage​ ​and​ ​as​ ​such,​ ​there
were​ ​no​ ​insurance​ ​proceeds​ ​to​ ​go​ ​after.
Even​ ​if​ ​you​ ​are​ ​bitten​ ​by​ ​a​ ​dog,​ ​there​ ​are​ ​several​ ​factors​ ​that​ ​need​ ​to​ ​be​ ​considered​ ​to
determine​ ​if​ ​you​ ​have​ ​a​ ​viable​ ​case,​ ​beyond​ ​those​ ​set​ ​in​ ​the​ ​statute:
● Severity​ ​of​ ​injury:​ ​are​ ​the​ ​injuries​ ​scrapes​ ​and​ ​bruises​ ​or​ ​was​ ​there​ ​a​ ​puncture​ ​of​ ​the
skin​ ​that​ ​required​ ​stitches​ ​and​ ​may​ ​result​ ​in​ ​scarring?​ ​Were​ ​there​ ​fractures​ ​or​ ​any
other​ ​severe​ ​injury?​ ​If​ ​the​ ​only​ ​injuries​ ​were​ ​scratches,​ ​it’s​ ​probably​ ​not​ ​a​ ​case​ ​most
attorneys​ ​would​ ​get​ ​involved​ ​in.
● Is​ ​there​ ​homeowners’​ ​insurance?​ ​If​ ​not,​ ​your​ ​best​ ​option​ ​is​ ​to​ ​sue​ ​the​ ​dog​ ​owner
individually​ ​in​ ​small​ ​claims​ ​court.​ ​​Read​ ​more​ ​​here
Content​ ​Source:​ ​​Chicago​ ​Legal​ ​Group​ ​|​ ​Blog