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Lawyers In Dog Bite Case File Suit Against Palatine


During a press conference in Chicago Tuesday, Sept. 21, attorneys Michael J. Schostok (center) and Brian Salvi (second from right) discuss why they were filing a lawsuit against the village of Palatine following a dog attack that occurred in Elmwood Park. They were joined by previous dog bite victims and Palatine residents Chase Braun (far left), Amanda Ingram (far right) along with Steve Heinz (second from left) whose wife Aneta was the most recent victim. (Journal photo)

A lawsuit filed against the village of Palatine seeks in excess of $50,000 for compensatory and punitive damages over a recent dog biting incident in Elmwood Park.

The law firm of Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard, PC filed the lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court on behalf of Aneta Heinz, who was reportedly bitten by two dogs near her Elmwood Park home in August. The dogs are said to be the same two that bit Palatine residents Amanda Ingram and Chase Braun in May, killing Ingram’s dog during the attack.

On June 30, the village of Palatine ruled that the two dogs would not be euthanized, but had to relocate to a different community. Ingram and her attorneys at that time stated they were not happy with the ruling and believed that if the two dogs (an Akita and a pit bull) were to remain alive, they would eventually attack again.

Now, Palatine finds itself the defendant in a lawsuit after a biting incident involving the two dogs in a town 20 miles away.

In addition to the village being named a defendant against Heinz, so are the dog’s owners, Meleina Teodoro, along with her relatives Ricardo and Mishell Teodoro, who have been taking care of the dogs at their Elmwood Park home.

According to the lawsuit, on Aug. 20, Heinz was walking her 4-year-old retriever mix near Wellington and 78th in Elmwood Park when two dogs – an Akita and a pit bull – leaped out of a backyard and ran across the street toward her. Heinz was knocked down, but was able to get away with her dog. Both were injured in the attack.

Attorneys Michael J. Schostok and Brian Salvi claim the latest incident is a result of Palatine not deciding not to euthanize the two dogs involved in the May incident.

According to the complaint, the village had a “duty to prevent injury and/or harm to anyone that came in contact with those dogs in the future” including Heinz, who is now a bite victim. It also states the village “had a duty to refrain from willful and wanton conduct.” 

The complaint states the village “breached their duty and was negligent by failing to humanely and legally euthanize the dogs, failed to notify Elmwood Park of the dogs’ dangerous and aggressive tendencies, failed to properly follow up on the dogs’ training and location following the June 30 plea deal, failed to properly prevent and/or maintain the dogs from attacking any person and causing danger to any person, and failed to exercise ordinary care in the control and/or maintenance of the dogs.” 

The suit went on to say that because of these actions, Heinz “suffered injuries of a personal and preliminary nature, including, but not limited to past and future medical expenses, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, emotional distress, disfigurement, risk of future harm, and other past and future damages.”

Additionally, two civil lawsuits, both seeking over $50,000, were filed July 7 in Cook County Circuit Court by Salvi, on behalf of Ingram and Braun, seeking financial compensation from Teodoro and dog handler Julia Paulino for damages from that attack.

Aside from her own injuries, Ingram lost her West Highland white terrier Casper in the May 25 attack in the 200 block of W. Washington Street, Palatine. Braun also suffered injuries when he tried to help Ingram. His terrier mix Kona was said to have been attacked, but survived.

According to the civil lawsuit, Paulino was said to have been walking the two dogs that apparently slipped from her control, charged and attacked both Ingram, Braun and their two dogs. Paulino was charged with four counts of reckless conduct for allegedly failing to secure the dogs on a proper collar. Teodoro was initially cited with 13 ordinance violations relating to the attack. The charges included dogs running at-large, biting of persons, and biting of other animals.

Teodoro reportedly pleaded guilty to eight ordinance violations involving the dogs biting people and biting other animals. She was also ordered to pay $850 in fines and enroll the dogs in a training program within the next two months.

Teodoro was also convicted of violations in Elmwood Park related to the incident, the lawyers said. A petition has been started by Ingram to encourage leaders to euthanize the dogs.

 

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