Illinois Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

According to Police News Affairs Officer, John Mirabelli, police received calls on Thursday, reporting that a woman was being attacked by a dog in the 5900 block of South Racine Ave.

The officer responding to the attack had to fire his weapon to stop the attack. Mirabelli could not confirm if the dog was killed.

The victim, a 19-year-old Chicago woman, was taken to St. Bernard Hospital where she was being treated for lacerations to her hands and one of her legs.

According to authorities, Officers were called to the neighborhood several times on Thursday responding to reports of "vicous dogs" running around the neighborhood.

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According to Val Pouton, an expert in dog behavior with the Nebraska Humane Society, small children should not be left alone with a dog. She says a dog that is usually well behaved can be pushed too far. "Toddlers and dogs should not be left alone together. The best dogs have their limits and toddlers don't understand that dogs feel pain. They might consider it the same as a stuffed toy."

In a recent study, it was determined that 27 percent of injruies caused by dog bites were by family pets. The study also revealed that there is an increase in dog bite injuries involving children during the summer. Researchers suggest that the increase may be attributed to children spending more time outdoors playing with their dogs in warmer weather. Dogs may also become more irritable in hot weather.

The study was published in the March issue of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.

Annually dog bites account for about 1% of all hospital emergency room visits.

Continue reading "Humane Society: Don't leave children alone with dogs" »

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The owner of the dogs who viciously attacked and killed a neighbor seven years ago was sentenced Monday to 15 years to life in prison.

Marjorie Knollwer was convicted initially convicted of of second-degree murder in the 2001. The trial judge reduced the charge to involuntary manslaughter. Ms. Knollwer was sentenced in 2002 to 4 year prison term.

A California Supreme Court judge disagreed with the reduction to involuntary manslaughter and sent the case back. The murder conviction was reinstated by Superior Court Judge Charlotte Woolard. Ms. Knollwer was sentenced on Monday.

The case is the California's first murder conviction connected to a dog mauling, prosecutors say.

In Illinois the victim of a dog attack may be able to pursue a civil action against the owner of the dog for damages incurred as a result of the dog attack including compensation for injuries, lost wages and pain and suffering.

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On Friday night an East Garfield Park boy was mauled by a neighbor’s pitbulls while retrieving a ball that had gone across the fence and into the neighbor’s yard. Trayshawn Toliver was attacked by 3 pitbull puppies.

The police were flagged down at about 7:45 pm and tried to scare off the dogs. “The dogs were relentless in their grip of the young victim,” said Chicago Police Officer John Mirabelli.

Attempts to lift Trayshawn over the chain-link fence were unsuccessful. Officers used pepper spray before they were forced to shoot and kill two of the dogs. The third ran away, but was later caught by the Animal Care and control unit.

Continue reading "East Garfield Park dog bite victim remains hospitalized" »

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