Edwardsville Dog Bite Lawyer

Dog bites are serious injuries. Many small children are targeted by uncontrolled or vicious dogs, inflicting terrible bites to the face, hands, arms or legs. These bites can leave scars which will last the child's lifetime, unless the scarring is addressed with plastic surgery.

#

Helping Injured People Get Results

$7M

Product Liability

$31M

Medical Malpractice

$5.75M

Product Liability

Edwardsville Dog Bite Injury Lawyers

At the law office of Walton Telken, we provide accomplished personal injury counsel to people who have received dog bites. Many clients are surprised to learn that they do have the right to bring a suit, and may be entitled to money damages for their injuries, including scarring, disfigurement and psychological trauma.

If you or your child has been bitten by a dog, please contact us today for a free initial consultation.

Our goal is to recover maximum compensation for the wrong that has been done to you or your child.

Securing Compensation for Dog Bites

When you meet with an attorney at our firm during the initial free consultation, the lawyer will ask you about the incident, including who was involved, where it happened, and how you or your child is doing now. If we accept your case, we will investigate further, obtaining a copy of the police report, as well as the animal control report. Our Edwardsville personal injury lawyers look for patterns, including:

  • Does the animal have a prior history of biting?
  • Is the dog considered dangerous in the neighborhood?
  • Was the animal on a leash or in a fenced yard?
  • Was the yard gate closed?
  • Have the police been called to the dog owner’s home previously?

Many victims of dog bites incur heavy expenses due to the injury, including doctor and emergency room bills, as well as surgery, rehabilitation and therapy expenses. In extreme cases, there is even loss of life. We pursue compensation in those cases from the homeowner’s insurance of the dog’s owner.

This dog bite injury shouldn’t have happened, and you or your child will have to bear the impact of serious injury or disfigurement for the rest of your natural life. As experienced personal injury attorneys, we deal with insurance companies and their adjusters every day. We know how to press a claim and push for maximum compensation.

Other Personal Injury Cases We Handle:

Awards & Recognition

We’re a Midwest-based law firm, small by choice, with big impact. At Walton Telken, our mission is simple: achieve the best possible outcomes for each of our clients. Powered by our passion for victims’ rights and 150 years of combined legal experience, we work hard towards this goal every day—and we have the track record to prove it.

Free Initial Consultations.
No Fee Unless We Win.

We’re here to help recover maximum monetary damages to compensate you for your physical, financial and emotional losses. The personal injury lawyers at our firm understand your concerns and are committed to responding to your needs with strong advocacy and legal counsel. Contact our law firm today to schedule a free initial consultation to discuss your personal injury or work-related injury claim at one of our office locations in Illinois or Missouri.

At Walton Telken, trial practice is core to our DNA. We’re unafraid to fight on your behalf aggressively to ensure you recover the monetary damages you deserve.

100% Secure and Confidential

Our Locations

Edwardsville, IL

241 N Main St , Edwardsville IL 62025
618-272-2284

St. Louis, MO (By Appointment Only)

214 N Clay Ave Suite 140 , St. Louis MO 63122
314-441-7133

Edwardsville Dog Bite FAQs

If you’ve been bitten by a dog, you need a personal injury lawyer who has experience with dog bite cases. Here’s why:

  • Special laws: Dog bite cases have special laws that not all lawyers know about. In Illinois, we have a strict liability law for dog bites. This means the dog’s owner is responsible for your injuries, even if the dog never bit anyone before.
  • Experience matters: A lawyer who has handled dog bite cases before will know how to build a strong case for you. They’ll know what evidence to gather and how to deal with insurance companies.
  • Understanding injuries: Dog bites can cause serious injuries, including infections, scars, and emotional trauma. A good dog bite lawyer understands these injuries and how they can affect your life.
  • Local knowledge: A lawyer who knows Edwardsville and the local courts can be a big help. They’ll know how things work in our area and might even know the judges and other lawyers.

When you’re looking for a lawyer, ask them how many dog bite cases they’ve handled. Make sure they have experience winning these kinds of cases.

Most dog bite lawyers, including those in Edwardsville, work on a contingency fee basis. Here’s what that means:

  • No upfront costs: You don’t have to pay the lawyer any money to start working on your case.
  • No win, no fee. The lawyer only gets paid if you win your case or get a settlement.
  • Percentage of winnings. If you win, the lawyer gets a percentage of the money you receive. This is usually around 33% (one-third) of your settlement or court award.
  • Covered expenses. The lawyer will usually pay for things like filing fees and expert witnesses. If you win, these costs come out of your settlement.

This system is good for you because:

  • You get legal help even if you don’t have money to pay a lawyer right now.
  • The lawyer is motivated to get you as much money as possible.
  • You don’t have to worry about paying legal bills while you’re trying to recover from your injuries.

Most dog-bite lawyers also offer free consultations. This means you can talk to them about your case without paying anything.

They can tell you if they think you have a good case and how they might be able to help.

If the dog’s owner wants to talk to you about your injuries, be wary! They might be trying to avoid liability. Here’s what you should do:

  • Don’t discuss details. It’s best not to talk about your injuries or the attack with the dog’s owner. Anything you say could be used against you later.
  • Don’t accept money. If the owner offers you money, don’t take it. It might not be enough to cover all your expenses, and taking it might hurt your case.
  • Don’t sign anything. The owner might ask you to sign something saying you won’t sue. Don’t sign anything without talking to a lawyer first.
  • Be polite but firm. You can politely tell the owner that you’re not ready to discuss the incident and that they should talk to your lawyer.
  • Document everything. If the owner contacts you, write down when it happened and what they said. This could be useful information for your lawyer.
  • Call a lawyer. The best thing to do is to talk to a dog bite lawyer as soon as possible. They will handle all communication with the dog’s owner and their insurance company.

The dog’s owner in Edwardsville might seem friendly, but their goal is usually to pay you as little as possible. A lawyer can protect your rights and fight to get you the money you deserve for your injuries.

In many cases, a dog owner’s insurance can help in compensating for the damages. Homeowner’s insurance, renter’s insurance, and even some umbrella insurance policies often include coverage for dog bite incidents.

To determine if a dog owner’s insurance covers dog bite losses, it is best to consult with a dog bite attorney. They can review the specific details of the incident and the terms of the insurance policy to provide guidance on the available options for pursuing compensation.

In the aftermath of a dog bite, seeking the assistance of a knowledgeable attorney can help alleviate the additional stress of dealing with insurance claims and legal proceedings, allowing you to focus on healing and moving forward.

#

This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by Founding Partiner, Troy E. Walton who has more than 20 years of legal experience as a personal injury attorney.

Written By:

#

Troy Walton And Stephen Telken

In his 40+ years of combined legal experience of practice, Troy E. Walton and Stephen J. Telken have successfully resolved several plaintiff’s personal injury cases resulting in significant recoveries to his clients. Such cases include:

  • $31 million recovered from a Medical Malpractice.
  • $7 million recovered from a Product Liability.
  • $5.7 million recovered from a Product Liability.

Walton Talken Injury Lawyers have secured substantial client compensation, even when liable parties did everything possible to avoid paying.

Available 24/7

phone icon844-307-7349

"*" indicates required fields

Our award-winning attorneys will contact you for a free case evaluation.
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
100% Secure and Confidential