Bitten By A Dog In Macomb County? These Lawyers Can Help

Not everyone who is bitten by a dog will be able to make a claim for injury compensation. For one thing, if the dog is a stray and has no owner, there may be no one to make a claim against (this is a good reason to report strays to your local authorities). However, even assuming an owner can be identified, the attack has to meet specific criteria, mostly about where and why the attack happened.

Michigan law is clear on who can file for compensation for the harm suffered because of a dog bite. Two conditions must be met to be eligible:

1. First, the attack must have been unprovoked. If you or your child provoked the dog by striking, deliberately frightening it, or attacking its owner, you will not be eligible for compensation as that injury is considered your fault.
2. Second, the dog attack must take place on public property or private property in which you are lawfully present. Public areas could be parks like Lake St Clair Metropark in Macomb County, streets and so forth. But if you are on private property, such as a home or business, unlawfully or with the intent to commit illegal acts, you cannot hold a dog owner responsible for attacking you.

Finally, it is important to note that it does not matter whether the dog has a history of violence or not. In some states, only owners of dogs with a history of violence or aggression can be held responsible and considered negligent if their dog attacks someone; this is NOT the case in Michigan.

What Kinds Of Compensation Can A Lawyer Help You Claim After A Dog Bite?

Assuming the attack meets the above conditions, there is no reason why you, and not the dog’s owner, should pay for the harm caused by their animal. After all, it was their negligence that led to the attack, and thus to your injury and the costs associated with it.

As your dog bite injury lawyer, we can help make sure that the compensation you are able to claim from them includes all of the following:

• Medical Costs - From hospital bills for emergency treatment, to any medication, plastic surgery or infection-related expenses. Medical care is expensive, even if you have insurance, and you can and should get all such costs paid by the dog owner and their insurance.
• Lost Income - If your injury caused you to miss work or left you unable to perform certain tasks, your income could suffer, and that is considered economic damages for which you can claim compensation. This can also apply to future income, even, potentially, for a child whose education or future career options were impacted.
• Pain, Suffering, and Trauma - Not all harm from a dog bite is physical or economic; some of it is psychological. If you are dealing with ongoing pain, any loss in the quality of your day-to-day life, or your child is enduring trauma related to the attack, the owner needs to pay for that harm, too.