Woman sues owner of dog she alleges knocked her over at northside park

A Cook County woman is suing the owner of a dog she claims attacked and knocked her over at a public park.

Cathy Pearlman filed a lawsuit on April 10 in the Cook County Circuit Court against Ryan Sweeney, citing negligence.

Pearlman claims she was at a public park near Glenwood and Rosedale avenues on Chicago's north side with her two dogs when she was charged and knocked down by the defendant's dog.

The suit alleges that neither Pearlman nor her dogs provoked the defendant's dog in any way to warrant the attack, which she contends caused injuries, pain and suffering.

Pearlman is seeking damages in an amount exceeding jurisdictional limits of the court and any further relief court deems just. She is being represented in the case by Chicago attorney Alan Barinholtz with The Law Offices of Alan Barinholtz P.C.

Cook County Circuit Court Case No. 2014L004031.

This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed at the Cook County Courthouse. The details in this report come from an original complaint filed by a plaintiff. Please note, a complaint represents an accusation by a private individual, not the government. It is not an indication of guilt, and it only represents one side of the story.