According to the American Pet Products Association, Americans spent an estimated $62.75 billion dollars in 2016 on their pets. A typical dog owner spends roughly a thousand dollars a year in vet check-ups, vaccines, and medications. We typically trust our vets and consider this money well spent, but what happens if your vet hurts your dog? Or, the unthinkable happens and your dog dies due to medical malpractice?

Anna Morrison-Ricordati practices civil litigation and animal law in Chicago, Illinois.

Handling all aspects of dispute resolution, Anna has represented individual and business clients in mediations, arbitrations, jury and bench trials, equitable remedies, and appeals.

She is a past Chair of the Illinois State Bar Association’s Animal Law Section Council (2010-2011), past Chair of the Chicago Bar Association’s Animal Law Committee (2012-2013), and Chair of the DuPage County Bar Association’s Animal Law Section (2014-2015)

In this CLE class clip, Anna discusses Veterinary Malpractice – What if the vet hurts my dog?

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Most veterinarians are great and fully understand the place our pets have in our lives as a beloved companion. In the instance where a pet has been harmed, or death has occurred and legal obligations are eminent, vets tend to take a different view of your pet. Viewing your pet more as property than a companion animal, in order to keep the cost of compensating for emotional damages to a minimum, is a popular stance these days. There is a disconnect in the veterinary community, mostly based out of fear, that their expenses will skyrocket with the recognition of emotional damages.

If things do go wrong, and your dog is injured by your vet, or your dog has died as a result of what you feel is medical malpractice, the first thing to do is obtain all medical records. Next, seek an interview with an attorney who focuses in dog law. In order to prove medical malpractice, you will need to prove the veterinarian’s actions fell below the reasonable standards of care. This is difficult to prove, as with any malpractice case, have an expert in your corner is well worth the cost.

For more information, check out the CLE video clip by Anna Morrison-Ricordati on What If The Vet Hurts My Dog?