Dog Bite Injuries

Dog and Animal Bite Injuries

Under Michigan law, the owner of a dog is strictly liable if their dog bites a person without provocation. This is true if incident occurred on public property, lawfully on private property or on the dog owner’s own property if the victim was not trespassing on the dog owners land, or was not otherwise on the property to do something unlawful or criminal. The dog bite statute indicates:

MCL 287.351 Person bitten by dog; liability of owner.

(1) If a dog bites a person, without provocation while the person is on public property, or lawfully on private property, including the property of the owner of the dog, the owner of the dog shall be liable for any damages suffered by the person bitten, regardless of the former viciousness of the dog or the owner's knowledge of such viciousness.

(2) A person is lawfully on the private property of the owner of the dog within the meaning of this act if the person is on the owner's property in the performance of any duty imposed upon him or her by the laws of this state or by the laws or postal regulations of the United States, or if the person is on the owner's property as an invitee or licensee of the person lawfully in possession of the property unless said person has gained lawful entry upon the premises for the purpose of an unlawful or criminal act.

Client Success Story:

Personal Injury and Accident Law - Dog Bite

A young child was bit by a Pitbull at a neighborhood get-together. The firm assisted the boy’s parents with negotiating a good settlement with the homeowners’ insurance company. Local jury verdict history and data were used to ensure a fair settlement was reached for the boy.