Can I Recover Compensation if a Dog Causes Me to Slip and Fall on Ice?

Dangers of a Winter Slip and Fall Caused by a Dog

Illinois winters mean slick sidewalks, driveways, and parking lots, and the risk of a slip rises when an uncontrolled dog jumps, cuts in front of you, or knocks you off balance, especially when you fall on ice. Add a sudden dog attack or an excited dog crossing your path, and a slip and fall accident becomes more likely.

We often see winter slip cases where someone tries to avoid a lunging or pulling dog, loses footing on black ice, and hits the ground hard. These events cause serious injuries such as broken bones, concussions, and torn ligaments.

Older adults face higher risks of hip and wrist fractures, and anyone can suffer head trauma from a fall. Prompt medical attention is crucial, and timely documentation helps establish a connection between the injuries and the dog-related fall.

Dog Owner’s Responsibilities by Law

Under the Illinois Animal Control Act (510 ILCS 5/), liability is not limited to dog bites. The statute makes a dog owner responsible when a dog attacks, attempts to attack, or injures a person who is peaceably and lawfully present.

If a dog cuts in front of you, knocks you over, or pulls you off balance, and you fall, those events qualify as a non-bite dog attack, and the law treats them the same as dog bite injuries.

To succeed, we must show there was no provocation and that you were in a place you had a right to be. The term dog owner can include a keeper or harborer, not only the person listed on veterinary records.

The Advantage of “Strict Liability” in Your Case

In a typical slip and fall, you must prove that a property owner created, knew about, or should have known about the hazard. That is premises liability. When a dog attack causes the fall, the Animal Control Act imposes strict liability on the owner.

We do not have to prove the dog owner’s negligence. We show that the dog caused the incident, you were peaceably and lawfully present, and there was no provocation.

We can also evaluate a parallel premises claim if the ice was an unnatural accumulation, but the statutory claim does not depend on proving poor maintenance. This framework strengthens your ability to recover compensation.

Compensation for Injuries Caused by a Dog-Related Fall

When a dog triggers a fall, you have the right to recover compensation for the full scope of harm.

We document medical care, time away from work, and the physical and emotional impact so the claim reflects both economic damages and non-economic damages. In successful cases, clients may receive:

• All medical expenses. Hospital visits, imaging, surgery, therapy, and future treatment
• Lost wages and reduced earning capacity when injuries linger
• Pain and suffering, including limits in daily activities and loss of enjoyment of life

To show how non-bite cases resolve in practice, here are two results our firm achieved for clients:

• $550,000 non-bite settlement for an elderly woman knocked over by a dog at an apartment building, resulting in multiple leg fractures
• $265,000 for a seventy-year-old woman knocked down in a narrow alley by a neighbor’s mixed-breed pit bull. Although there was no bite, she fractured her ankle and required surgery and inpatient rehabilitation

Every case is different; results depend on the facts and law of each matter.

Contact Our Illinois Injury Lawyers for a Free Consultation

These results show how non-bite dog cases can be resolved when the facts and law align. If you suffered a fall on ice because of someone else’s dog, our Illinois Injury Lawyers can review your situation in a free consultation.

The best Chicago dog bite lawyers will investigate the dog owner and any premises liability issues and pursue compensation for medical costs, lost income, and pain and suffering. The clock is running under the Illinois Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury (735 ILCS 5/13-202), so reach out today and let us protect your rights.