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After you contact your family, friends, or employer to let them know what happened to you, you may be wondering who else needs to know about your dog bite injury. You may not feel like making calls, but it may be in your best interest to contact:
- Your doctor. If you are seriously injured, then you should call 911 immediately or get to the nearest hospital for urgent care. Whether you go to the emergency room or not, it is important to let your primary care doctor know what happened, to make sure that the dog bite is seen by a medical professional, and to follow all of your doctors’ instructions.
- The county Animal Control Administrator. The Illinois Animal Control Act requires that each county appoint an Animal Control Administrator. The administrator may have deputy administrators, particularly in larger counties of the state. If you have been bitten by a dog or another domestic animal, then you should contact the administrator’s office in the county where you were bitten within 24 hours. The administrator is required to make sure that the animal is seen by a vet within the required time frame and confined or quarantined for the required amount of time.
- A dog bite lawyer. The sooner that you contact an attorney, the sooner that your lawyer can get to work making sure that your rights are protected. An attorney can talk to the insurance company on your behalf, protect evidence in your case, and make sure that all legal deadlines are met. As the case progresses, your lawyer will represent you in formal negotiations and in court.
These three calls may go a long way toward protecting your physical and financial recoveries. Thus, we encourage you to make them as soon as you are physically able to do so or to have someone make them on your behalf while you are recovering from your wounds.
After these calls are made, please continue to browse our website to learn more tips and resources for handling a dog bite injury in Illinois.
