Lansing Dog Bite Attorney

Deep puncture wounds and lacerations from dog bites often require emergency medical treatment, surgical intervention, and extensive wound care. These injuries carry high risks of infection, including bacterial infections like Pasteurella, Staphylococcus, and in rare cases, rabies. We work with medical experts to document the full extent of your injuries and calculate both immediate and long-term medical costs. Many severe bite cases result in permanent scarring and disfigurement, particularly when attacks involve the face, hands, or other visible areas.

Facial dog bites represent some of the most traumatic cases we handle. These attacks often require reconstructive surgery, leave permanent scars, and create profound emotional trauma. Children are particularly vulnerable to facial attacks due to their height relative to most dogs. Beyond physical reconstruction, victims frequently need psychological counseling to cope with changed appearance and social anxiety. Compensation in these cases must account for both medical expenses and the lifelong emotional impact of facial disfigurement.

Not all dog-related injuries involve bites. Large dogs can cause serious harm by jumping on people, chasing them, or knocking them down. These incidents frequently result in broken bones, hip fractures, head injuries, and soft tissue damage. Elderly victims face particular risk from knock-down injuries, as falls can lead to life-threatening complications. Michigan law protects victims in these situations, even without a bite, when aggressive dog behavior causes injury.

Children suffer disproportionately in dog attack cases, both in frequency and severity. Young victims often sustain injuries to the head, face, and neck due to their smaller stature. The psychological impact can be even more lasting than physical wounds, creating lifelong fears and anxiety. Our attorneys approach children’s cases with special sensitivity, working to secure compensation that covers current medical needs plus future psychological treatment, potential revision surgeries as the child grows, and any educational impacts from missed school or trauma.

Dog bite wounds commonly lead to serious infections that require hospitalization and intravenous antibiotics. Cellulitis, sepsis, and bone infections can develop from seemingly minor bites. Some victims contract tetanus or, in extremely rare cases, rabies. We document every medical complication arising from the initial attack, ensuring your compensation covers all related treatment and any permanent health effects.

Though rare, fatal dog attacks do occur, leaving families devastated and seeking answers. When predatory aggression or pack behavior leads to a death, surviving family members have the right to pursue a wrongful death claim. These cases require compassionate handling alongside aggressive legal advocacy. We work to hold owners accountable while helping families find some measure of closure through the legal process.

Severe dog bites can sever nerves, causing permanent loss of sensation or motor function. Hand and arm injuries may result in inability to work or perform daily activities. Facial nerve damage can cause paralysis or loss of expression. These cases demand thorough medical documentation and expert testimony to establish the full scope of permanent impairment and calculate appropriate compensation for lost earning capacity and diminished quality of life.

We begin with a comprehensive consultation where we listen to your story, review medical documentation, and assess the strengths of your claim. This meeting is completely free and confidential. We explain Michigan’s dog bite laws in plain language and provide honest assessment of what your case may be worth.

Our legal team immediately begins investigating your case. We obtain police reports, animal control records, and medical records. We photograph your injuries at various healing stages. We locate and interview witnesses. We research the dog’s history, including any prior complaints or attacks. We inspect the location where the attack occurred. This thorough investigation builds an unshakeable foundation for your claim.

Proper documentation of your injuries is critical to maximizing compensation. We work with your medical providers to obtain complete records and reports. For serious injuries, we consult with medical experts who can testify about long-term effects, future treatment needs, and permanent impairment. We calculate both economic damages like medical bills and lost wages, plus non-economic damages including pain and suffering.

Once we’ve documented the full extent of your damages, we submit a comprehensive demand package to the insurance company. This package presents overwhelming evidence of liability and damages, establishing clear expectations for settlement. We handle all negotiations, protecting you from insurance company tactics designed to minimize payouts. Our reputation for thorough preparation and willingness to go to trial motivates insurance companies to make fair settlement offers.

While most dog bite cases settle out of court, we’re fully prepared to file a lawsuit and take your case to trial if negotiations fail. We file all necessary court documents, conduct discovery, depose witnesses, and prepare your case for presentation to a jury. Our trial experience gives us significant leverage in settlement negotiations.

Whether through settlement or trial verdict, we fight for maximum compensation that fully addresses your medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and future needs. We ensure you understand every aspect of any settlement offer and never pressure you to accept less than you deserve. When we reach resolution, we handle all paperwork and ensure you receive your compensation promptly.

This includes all costs associated with treating your dog bite injuries: emergency room visits, ambulance transport, hospital stays, surgery, medications, wound care supplies, physical therapy, and psychological counseling. You can recover compensation for both past medical bills and future medical care reasonably expected from your injuries. Keep detailed records of every medical expense, no matter how small.

If your injuries caused you to miss work, you can recover those lost wages. This includes time off for medical appointments and recovery. More seriously, if your injuries result in permanent disability that affects your ability to work or reduces your earning potential, you can claim compensation for future income loss. We work with economic experts to calculate these losses accurately, considering your career trajectory, education, and skills.

Physical pain from dog bite injuries deserves compensation. Michigan law recognizes that pain, discomfort, and physical limitations diminish quality of life. Pain and suffering damages account for the daily reality of living with your injuries, both during recovery and any permanent effects. There’s no simple formula for calculating pain and suffering, which is why experienced legal representation matters tremendously in maximizing this component of your recovery.

Dog attacks frequently cause psychological injuries that persist long after physical wounds heal. Victims often develop anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and phobias related to dogs or going outside. Children may have nightmares, behavioral changes, and developmental impacts. Compensation for emotional distress addresses these psychological consequences and covers the cost of ongoing therapy or counseling.

Permanent scarring, especially on visible areas like the face, hands, or arms, significantly impacts victims’ lives. These visible reminders of the attack can affect social relationships, self-esteem, employment opportunities, and overall quality of life. Michigan courts recognize that disfigurement deserves substantial compensation, particularly when victims require multiple reconstructive surgeries or permanent changes to appearance.

When injuries prevent you from engaging in activities you previously enjoyed, such as sports, hobbies, playing with your own children, you experience real loss. Compensation for diminished quality of life accounts for these intangible but meaningful impacts on your daily happiness and fulfillment.

Michigan’s dog bite statute establishes strict liability for dog owners when their dog bites a person. This means you don’t need to prove the owner was negligent or knew their dog was dangerous. The statute applies when you were lawfully present on private property or lawfully in a public place when the bite occurred. Being “lawfully present” means you weren’t trespassing and weren’t committing another crime. This strict liability rule significantly strengthens your case compared to states requiring proof of owner negligence.

You have three years from the date of the dog attack to file a lawsuit in Michigan. This deadline is absolute, and courts rarely grant extensions. Waiting until the last moment creates unnecessary risk and limits your attorney’s ability to build a strong case. Starting the legal process early provides time for thorough investigation, expert consultation, and strategic negotiation. Even if you’re still treating for injuries, consulting with an attorney well before the three-year mark protects your rights.

Michigan follows a comparative negligence system for personal injury cases. If you were partially at fault for the dog attack, your compensation may be reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you were teasing or provoking the dog before it bit you, the court might assign you partial responsibility. However, under Michigan law, you can still recover damages as long as you were less than 50 percent at fault. Insurance companies often try to exaggerate victim fault to reduce their payout, which is another reason experienced legal representation matters.

While Michigan’s strict liability statute covers most dog bite cases, victims can also pursue claims based on common law negligence for non-bite injuries or when the statute doesn’t apply. If a dog knocks you down, chases you, or causes injury without biting, you may still recover compensation by proving the owner negligently failed to control their animal. These cases require proving the owner knew or should have known their dog posed a danger and failed to take reasonable precautions.

In certain circumstances, landlords can be held liable for tenant dog attacks. If a landlord knew a tenant’s dog was dangerous and had authority to remove the dog but failed to do so, the landlord may share liability. These cases are more complex and require showing the landlord had actual knowledge of the danger and legal control over the situation.

Most dog bite claims are covered by the dog owner’s homeowner’s insurance policy. Michigan law requires homeowner’s policies to cover liability for injuries on the property, and most policies extend this coverage to dog bites. However, some insurance companies exclude certain dog breeds from coverage or have lower limits for animal-related claims. Your attorney investigates available insurance coverage early in the case to understand the potential recovery and develop appropriate strategy.

Michigan law allows animal control authorities to designate dogs as dangerous animals after an attack or threatening behavior. Once designated dangerous, owners must comply with strict requirements including secure confinement, warning signs, liability insurance, and restraint requirements. Previous dangerous animal designations strengthen your case by establishing the dog’s aggressive history.

Nothing upfront. Monument Legal handles dog bite cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning we only get paid if we win your case.

Our fee comes as a percentage of your settlement or verdict, typically around one-third. You pay no hourly fees, no retainer, and no upfront costs. We advance all case expenses including investigation costs, expert fees, and court filing fees, which are reimbursed from your recovery. This arrangement makes quality legal representation accessible regardless of your financial situation and ensures our interests align perfectly with yours.

You have three years from the date of the dog attack to file a lawsuit.

This deadline, called the statute of limitations, is strictly enforced by Michigan courts. Missing this deadline means losing your right to pursue compensation entirely. While three years seems like plenty of time, starting the legal process early provides significant advantages.

Evidence becomes harder to gather as time passes, witnesses’ memories fade, and the dog owner may move or change insurance. More importantly, your injuries may not fully manifest immediately. Contact an attorney as soon as possible after your attack to protect your rights and build the strongest possible case.

Case value depends on multiple factors including injury severity, amount of medical treatment required, degree of permanent scarring or disability, impact on your ability to work, emotional trauma, and the strength of evidence supporting your claim.

Minor bite cases requiring limited treatment might settle for a few thousand dollars, while serious attacks causing permanent disfigurement, nerve damage, or psychological trauma can result in six-figure settlements or verdicts. Economic damages like medical bills and lost wages are calculated based on actual expenses and income loss. Non-economic damages like pain and suffering require more subjective assessment based on injury severity and life impact.

During your free consultation, we review your specific situation and provide an honest assessment of potential compensation.

Most dog bite cases in Michigan settle within 12 to 18 months from the attack date.

Simple cases with clear liability and moderate injuries may resolve in six to nine months. Complex cases involving severe permanent injuries, disputed liability, or inadequate insurance coverage can take two years or longer.

The timeline depends on several factors: how quickly you reach maximum medical improvement, how aggressively the insurance company negotiates, whether filing a lawsuit becomes necessary, and court scheduling if your case goes to trial. We work efficiently to resolve your case as quickly as possible while ensuring you receive full and fair compensation.

While Michigan’s strict liability law makes dog bite claims more straightforward than other injury cases, insurance companies still fight claims aggressively. They have experienced adjusters and attorneys working to minimize payouts.

Without legal representation, you face significant disadvantages. You may not know what your case is truly worth, accept a low settlement that doesn’t cover future medical needs, make statements that hurt your claim, or miss the statute of limitations deadline. Cases involving serious injuries, permanent scarring, disputed liability, or insurance company denial absolutely require experienced legal representation.

Even for minor injuries, a free consultation with a dog bite lawyer helps you understand your rights and options without any obligation.

Yes, under Michigan’s comparative negligence system. As long as you were less than 50 percent responsible for the dog attack, you can still recover damages.

Your compensation will be reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you were found 20 percent at fault and your damages total $100,000, you would recover $80,000. Insurance companies often try to exaggerate victim fault to reduce their liability, claiming you provoked the dog, trespassed, or ignored warning signs. An experienced attorney counters these arguments by presenting evidence that the owner failed to properly control their animal or warn of known dangers.

Seek medical attention right away, even if injuries seem minor. Dog bites carry serious infection risks and may cause more damage than initially apparent.

Report the attack to local police and animal control, which creates official documentation and may identify the dog owner if unknown. Photograph your injuries immediately and continue documenting them as they heal. Collect contact information from any witnesses. Get the dog owner’s contact and insurance information if possible. Avoid discussing fault or making detailed statements to the owner or their insurance company.

Contact a dog bite attorney as soon as you’ve received initial medical treatment to protect your legal rights and begin the claims process.

Not necessarily. Michigan animal control authorities evaluate each situation individually. Factors considered include the severity of the attack, the dog’s history of aggression, circumstances surrounding the incident, and local ordinances.

Authorities may designate the dog as dangerous, requiring the owner to follow strict control and confinement requirements. In cases involving severe attacks, repeated incidents, or predatory aggression, euthanasia may be ordered. However, pursuing a personal injury claim focuses on recovering compensation for your injuries rather than determining the dog’s fate, which is handled separately by animal control authorities.

Yes. Michigan law protects victims of dog-related injuries even without an actual bite.

If a dog knocked you down, jumped on you, chased you causing you to fall, or otherwise behaved aggressively resulting in injury, you can pursue compensation through a negligence claim. You’ll need to prove the owner knew or should have known their dog posed a danger and failed to take reasonable precautions to prevent injury.

Cases involving knock-down injuries are particularly common with large dogs and often result in broken bones, head injuries, and soft tissue damage requiring substantial medical treatment.

Under Michigan’s strict liability statute, you must prove the dog bit you, you were lawfully present where the attack occurred, and you suffered damages from the bite. You don’t need to prove the owner knew the dog was dangerous or was negligent in controlling the animal.

Evidence supporting your claim includes medical records documenting bite injuries, photographs of wounds, witness statements, police and animal control reports, and the dog owner’s identification and insurance information. Your attorney gathers and organizes this evidence to present a compelling case.

For non-bite injuries, you must additionally prove the owner was negligent by showing they knew or should have known their dog was dangerous and failed to prevent the attack.