Best Consumer Protection Lawyers in Quincy, IL

ONE BITE RULE IS NO MORE. Partner, Mark Wasinger, recently secured compensation for his client who had suffered significant injuries when attacked by 2 dogs. The dogs were separately owned by different individuals thus implicating 2 homeowner’s insurance policies. n In years past, a person injured by a dog was required to prove that the dog had previously demonstrated dangerous propensities. This was often referred to as the “one bite rule”. That is, the dog’s owner would not be responsible for injuries caused on the first occasion that the dog bit someone. This is no longer the law. Now, a person injured by a dog must merely establish that he/she was on public property or lawfully on private property and was bitten by the dog without provocation. The dog’s owner is responsible even if the dog had not previously demonstrated a tendency to bite or to act aggressively. In recent years, insurance companies have tried to exclude coverage for injury caused by a dog attack or have assessed an additional premium if the homeowner owns or possesses a dog. However, generally speaking most claims for injury caused by a dog are still covered by homeowner’s policies. n Members of our firm have represented many clients injured by dogs and other domestic animals. Insurance companies will often attempt to settle a case and obtain a release from the injured person by offering to pay medical bills. However, there are many other components for which the injured person is entitled to compensation to include pain and suffering, disfigurement (scarring), lost wages and disruption in quality of life. All of these factors should be considered in determining the settlement value of the case. nnNote: The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely on advertisements. Past results afford no guarantee of future results. Every case must be judged on its merits.