Bolingbrook Dog Bite Lawyer

Adults have two years from the date of the bite under 735 ILCS 5/13-202. If the victim was under 18 at the time of the attack, the two-year clock does not begin until the child turns 18, under 735 ILCS 5/13-211. Waiting still hurts your case because witnesses move, the dog can be rehomed, and medical records get harder to pull, so contact Dog Bite Laws quickly.

No. Illinois is a strict-liability state under the Animal Control Act, 510 ILCS 5/16. If the dog attacked you without provocation while you were somewhere you had a legal right to be, the owner is liable even if the dog had a perfect history. You do not need to show prior bites, prior complaints, or that the owner knew the dog was dangerous.

Almost every Bolingbrook dog bite claim is paid by a homeowner or renter insurance policy, not out of your friend's pocket. The lawsuit names the owner because Illinois law requires it, but the check comes from the insurance carrier. Most family and friend relationships stay intact once people understand this.

You can generally file where the bite occurred or where the owner lives. If the bite happened in the Will County portion of Bolingbrook, that is the Twelfth Judicial Circuit in Joliet. If it happened in the DuPage County portion, that is the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit in Wheaton. Dog Bite Laws picks the venue that gives your case the strongest posture.

It changes which animal control agency investigates and which courthouse hears the lawsuit, but the underlying Illinois strict-liability law is the same. The Village of Bolingbrook Police Department typically responds first regardless of county, then loops in Will County Animal Control or DuPage County Animal Services depending on where the attack happened.

Provocation is the most common defense to an Illinois dog bite claim, and it is judged from the dog's perspective, not the owner's opinion. Petting, walking past, reaching for a leash, or a child's normal behavior is not provocation. Even if a jury finds you partly at fault, you still recover as long as you are 50 percent or less responsible under 735 ILCS 5/2-1116.

For bleeding that will not stop, facial or eye injuries, deep puncture wounds, or bites on a child's head or neck, call 911 and ask to be routed to a trauma center. Edward Hospital in Naperville and Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox both operate at higher trauma levels than a community hospital. For less severe wounds, AdventHealth Bolingbrook or an urgent care can start the wash-out, antibiotics, and tetanus.

Yes. Officers often write reports before swelling, bruising, or infection develops, and puncture wounds close quickly. What matters is the medical documentation created in the days that follow. Photograph the wound daily, keep every discharge summary, and let Dog Bite Laws request the corrected supplemental report if needed.

Truly ownerless strays are rare because most Bolingbrook dogs are licensed and microchipped. Animal control's field investigation frequently identifies the owner within days. If the dog is never traced, homeowner or renter policies do not apply, but your own health insurance and, in some cases, Med Pay from an auto policy if the attack happened near a vehicle can help. We investigate every angle before closing a file.

Nothing up front. We work on contingency, meaning we advance the costs of investigation, medical records, and expert opinions, and we only get paid a percentage of the recovery if we win or settle your case. If there is no recovery, you owe us nothing.