Alleged dog bite leads to lawsuit alleging Animal Control Act violations

A man is suing the owner of a dog he claims bit him while walking on a sidewalk in the city's North Center neighborhood.

Patrick Skoviera filed suit July 25 in the Cook County Circuit Court against Ivan Colon, alleging violations of the Illinois Animal Control Act.

According to the complaint, Skoviera was walking along the sidewalk in the 4300 block of North Western Avenue on July 28, 2012, when Colon's pit bull bit him. He accuses Colon of being negligent in allowing both of his dogs to remain on the sidewalk where pedestrians were traveling and failing to restrain his pit bull, leading to his injuries.

Skoviera asks for a judgment in excess of $50,000, and is represented by David Nemeroff of Niemeroff Law Offices in Chicago.

Cook County Circuit Court Case number 2014L007839.

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