Dog Bites

Bloomfield Hills, Michigan Dog Bite Lawyers

Every year in Michigan hundreds of innocent victims, primarily children, are seriously injured by dog bites and other animal attacks. If you or your child has been injured by a dog attack, you may have a compensation claim against the animal’s owner. At the law firm of Hopkins & Forhan, our dog bite lawyers offer a free consultation to evaluate your case.

While Pit Bulls have a reputation for dog attacks, many breeds are capable of causing serious injury and even wrongful death. Sadly, more than 60 percent of dog bite victims are children, many of whom sufferer disfiguring scars as well as psychological trauma as a result of the attack.

What is Involved in Filing a Dog Bite Claim?

The foundation of a dog bite injury claim is providing proof that the dog bite injury was caused by the negligence of the owner. Dog owners are required by Michigan law to ensure public safety by restraining their dogs. If the animal was not on a leash or properly controlled, or the owner knew that the animal was prone to biting, the owner may be held accountable for your injuries, even if the dog was on the owner's property.

What Compensation is Available to Dog Bite Victims?

Michigan's personal injury laws provide that fair and equitable damages may be awarded to the victim. Such damages include:

• Pain and suffering,
• Disfigurement resulting from scars
• Medical expenses (we work with several plastic surgeons who can minimize scars)
• Wage loss

At Hopkins & Forhan, our Michigan dog bite lawyers have nearly 60 years of combined accident injury law experience. We know how to evaluate your dog bite case and gather the needed evidence to bring an effective claim. We will interview witnesses and take pictures of evidence – such as a gate with a broken latch – before witnesses forget and conditions on the premises change.

If the victim is a minor child, we have a lot of experience in creating structured settlements to establish an annuity for the child that can accumulate interest tax-free until payments begin after the child reaches age 18.

To learn more about personal injury law, please visit our personal injury practice center.

Serving individual and small business clients throughout the Detroit metro area, including Pontiac, Mount Clemens, Ann Arbor and Flint as well as Oakland, Wayne, Macomb, Genesee and Washtenaw counties.