Dogs can be loving companions. However, they are also animals with sharp teeth and claws. Dog attacks are terrifying for the victim and can lead to long-term health complications. Tragically, some dog bite victims do not survive their injuries. Even more tragically, most victims of fatal dog attacks are children. If you were injured or a loved one was killed in a dog attack, it is important to explore your legal options.

Is the Dog’s Owner Liable for My Medical Bills?

Dog bites are not only painful, they can also lead to significant medical complications. Nerve damage, puncture wounds, facial lacerations, and broken bones are just some of the injuries a dog bite victim may suffer. Many victims require extensive medical treatment including surgery and long-term ongoing treatment. Because dogs’ mouths are full of bacteria and other pathogens, dog bites can also lead to dangerous infections.

Each state handles dog bite liability differently. In Illinois, dog owners are liable for dog bite injuries if:

Countless different factors can coalesce in a car crash. Drivers may be distracted by their phones or in-vehicle controls, the road may be slippery due to recent rain, or a vehicle’s brakes may be in need of repair. Whatever the exact circumstances that led to a collision, car accident investigations are complicated. If you or a loved one were involved in a serious wreck, you may be entitled to compensation for your damages. However, to recover compensation and hold the at-fault parties accountable, you must prove several elements. There are many different ways that personal injury attorneys investigate crashes in a personal injury case. Read on to learn more.

Evidence is Needed to Prove Liability and Damages

In any personal injury case, four main elements must be demonstrated: Duty, breach of duty, causation, and damages. Establishing a party’s duty of care is often the most straightforward of these elements. All drivers have a legal duty to follow traffic laws and drive with a reasonable level of caution. Breach of duty refers to the illegal or negligent actions taken by the at-fault party. This may involve negligent driving behaviors, negligent design or manufacture of a vehicle component, or another form of negligence or wrongdoing. Causation refers to the relationship between the at-fault party’s actions and the victim’s injuries. Damages are the financial losses suffered by the victim or victim’s family caused by the injuries or death.

Evidence is needed to prove these elements. Personal injury lawyers may use forensic evidence at the crash scene like vehicle damage, debris patterns, and skid marks. They may use footage from dash cameras or traffic cameras, photographs, and other documentary evidence. Many vehicles are now equipped with event data recorders that record technical vehicle information before, during, and after a crash. This information can be used to piece together exactly what happened during the accident and who is at fault.

Personal injury law deals with injuries and property damage caused by negligent or unlawful actions. An individual may bring a personal injury claim after being hurt in a car crash, work accident, slip and fall, dog attack, or other injury-causing event. Wrongful death claims are usually brought by a close family member of someone killed in an accident caused by negligence or wrongdoing.

Money cannot make up for a serious injury or death. However, monetary damages may help cover the cost of medical treatment, vehicle repair or replacement, funeral and burial services, and other financial losses. Most of the time, damages are intended to compensate the victim or victim’s family for expenses. However, punitive damages are a separate category of damages that are awarded over and above compensatory damages.

The Purpose of Punitive Damages

Punitive damages do not compensate the victim for expenses like hospital bills or lost wages. Instead, punitive damages function as a financial penalty for wrongdoing and a deterrent for similar behavior in the future. Illinois law states that a court may award punitive damages if a defendant acted with “evil motive” or “reckless and outrageous indifference” to risk of harm with willful indifference to the safety of others.

Most adults take one or more medications each day. Rigorous safety regulations and testing procedures are intended to ensure that prescription and over-the-counter medications are safe. Unfortunately, these measures do not always prevent dangerous medications from reaching pharmacies. Just recently, two popular blood pressure medications were recalled after testing showed that the medications may contain cancer-causing ingredients. Dangerous or defective products like these are not uncommon. Fortunately, there may be legal remedies available to those who were harmed by a defective product.

Medication Recalled by FDA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently recalled two blood pressure medications produced by Lupin Pharmaceuticals Inc. The recall was issued due to concerns that the medications contain a “probable human carcinogen” or a substance thought to cause cancer in humans. Irbesartan tablets and Hydrochlorothiazide tablets were recalled after laboratory testing found unsafe levels of N-nitrosoirbesartan. Patients who currently take the recalled medications are encouraged to speak to their doctors about alternatives.

Legal Options for Those Harmed by Dangerous Medications or Defective Products

We expect our medications to be safe and effective. However, this is not always the case. Defective design, manufacturing mistakes, and other issues can cause medications to be unsafe for consumption. If you or a loved one were harmed by dangerous or defective medication, you may have certain legal options. You may be entitled to compensation for the harm the medication caused you or your loved one. Reimbursement for economic damages like additional medical expenses, lost income, funeral and burial expenses may be available. You may also be entitled to compensation for non-economic damages including your physical pain and emotional or mental suffering.

The term “distracted driving” is used to describe everything from texting and driving to daydreaming behind the wheel. Distracted driving – especially involving an electronic device - is shockingly common. One study shows that 40 percent of drivers use their phones at least once an hour. Even more commonly, drivers are distracted by their own minds. Distracted driving is extremely dangerous and contributes to thousands of injurious and fatal accidents every year.

Currently, scientists at Ford are conducting research on brain responses in hopes of creating technology that will recognize distracted driving and drowsy driving. The futuristic technology aims to detect when drivers are “zoning out” behind the wheel or becoming distracted by their thoughts.

Addressing Inattention Behind the Wheel

Most people cite drunk driving, drugged driving, or speeding as some of the top causes of car crashes. However, a surprising number of car accidents are caused by daydreaming or becoming lost in thought. In fact, one recent study shows that zoning out or daydreaming is the number one cause of fatal distracted driving accidents. When our minds are focused on other concerns, we do not pay close enough attention to the road. We may neglect to use a turn signal when changing lanes, drift into oncoming traffic or fail to stop in time to avoid a collision.