Most canine pets are loyal, kind members of Illinois residents’ families. Whether they are big or small, active or peaceful, dogs can enrich the lives of the people who own them. When dog owners act responsibly and take proper care to manage and train their pets, those pets can interact without incident with others. However, some pets are not given the support they need by their owners and can lash out when they are startled, provoked, or otherwise confronted with strangers.
After suffering a dog bite or related attack, it is important that a victim is seen by a medical professional. While the passage of diseases from dogs to humans is rare, it is possible for rabid dogs to transmit rabies to individuals through their saliva. Rabies can be fatal to humans and requires medical treatment to cure and therefore consulting with a doctor after one’s attack is a necessary and critical step in their recovery.
Taking care of one’s health should be prioritized by a dog bite victim, but once they are on the mend it is important that they begin to assess their legal rights to sue. Suffering a dog bite can cost a victim time, money, and energy, all of which may keep them out of work and away from their families. Victims of animal attacks often have rights to their damages and can achieve those judgments through litigation.
Getting help after a dog bite or other animal attack is a necessary component of recovering one’s physical, emotional, and financial health. Personal injury attorneys are well-positioned to advice their dog bite clients of how to proceed in the legal matters that may follow their attacks.