Concierge Bitten by Resident’s Dog Receives $185,000

Chicago, IL (Law Firm Newswire) July 15, 2022 – A Chicago woman working as a concierge recently suffered a bite from a resident’s dog. With the help of attorney Paul Greenberg, she recovered $185,000 in compensation for her injury and related expenses.

Many Chicago residents live in buildings staffed by a concierge. The concierge provides several services to residents. Like other Chicago professionals, a concierge has a right to a reasonably safe working environment – including a workplace free of the risk of being bitten by a wayward pet dog.

One role of a concierge is to help keep building residents safe. To do this work, the concierge must have a safe work environment. The threat of a dog bite from a resident’s dog undermines a concierge’s safety, which hinders the concierge’s ability to do their job well.

Illinois law places a duty on dog owners to prevent their dogs from biting or causing injury to others. When a dog bites, the owner may be liable for the costs of the injury.

Many dog owners have homeowners insurance or other coverage that addresses dog bite claims. In 2021, insurers paid $882 million to cover dog bite claims throughout the United States, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

In 2021, the average cost per dog bite claim nationwide was just over $49,000. Some claims are more costly than others. A dog bite that causes a severe injury, for example, may result in higher medical expenses. Dog bites resulting in scarring may carry higher pain, suffering, and ongoing anguish costs.

The Insurance Information Institute ranked Illinois 6th in the nation in 2021 for the number of dog bite claims submitted to insurance. In that year, Illinois insurers covered 844 dog bite cases. Since not all dog bite cases go to a homeowners’ insurance company, the total number of injuries is likely higher. The average cost of these dog bite cases in Illinois was $56,292.

Most dog bite attacks happen away from the workplace. Nevertheless, on-the-job dog bite attacks are rising for some workers. The U.S. Postal Service, for instance, reported 59 dog attacks against mail carriers in 2020.

Dog bites at work hinder workers from carrying out essential tasks, causing physical damage and emotional anguish. Compensation for medical bills and other losses helps these professionals return to work more confidently.