In most cases, Illinois landlords are not responsible for damages when a renter’s dog bites or attacks someone else. Instead, Illinois law puts the responsibility for those injuries on the owner of the dog—in this case the renter or tenant, rather than on the landlord. Thus, the dog bite injury victim would need to pursue an insurance claim or legal case against the dog’s owner for damages.
While it is typically the dog’s owner who is liable, there may be limited situations where it would be important to talk to a dog bite lawyer about the potential liability of an Illinois landlord. Specifically, it would be important to talk to a dog bite attorney about whether the landlord…
- Knew that the dog had a history of biting, attacking, or being aggressive.
- Had rules about dogs in common areas, such as requiring dogs to be leashed or to be only in certain areas of commonly shared outdoor or indoor spaces on the rental property.
These facts could be relevant to your recovery after a dog bite.
Don’t Assume the Insurance Company Will Take Care of You After a Dog Bite
In order to make a fair recovery from the dog’s owner, or someone else, you will need to present evidence of what happened and a convincing argument as to why you should recover damages for your injuries.
If you or your child has been hurt by a dog in Illinois, then it is important to understand your rights and fight for your fair recovery. Please download a free copy of our dog bite brochure to learn more today.
