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How Much Time Do You Have to Hire a Dog Bite Attorney?

Weight scale of justice, lawyer in background. lawyer law justice judge scales courtroom legal scale concept

Weight scale of justice, lawyer in background. lawyer law justice judge scales courtroom legal scale concept

Are you thinking about hiring a dog bite attorney?

In the U.S., there are about 4.5 million dog bites every year. Out of those, around 900,000 become infected.

Dog bite laws differ from state to state. Michigan is one of only a few states that have state laws that specifically address dog bites. That includes how much time you have after the attack to claim damages.

Read on to learn how much time you have after a dog attack to consult with a dog bite attorney and seek damages.

Statue of Limitations for Dog Bites

The statute of limitations is how much time you have after an incident to claim damages against another party. In most states, the statute of limitations is anywhere from 6 months to 6 years.

In Michigan, the statute of limitations is three years. That means that you have three years after the incident to file suit in court.

Now, just because you have three years after the fact doesn’t mean that you should wait to consult a dog bite attorney.

It takes time to build your case, gather evidence, and file the appropriate paperwork in court. If you want to have a successful case, you need to consult with an attorney immediately after the incident.

A dog bite can be a serious health issue. It can lead to infection, or you could have damaged nerves. The longer you wait to file your case, the harder it will be to prove in court that the injuries you suffered were a direct result of a dog bite.

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Presenting Your Dog Bite Case

Michigan’s dog bite laws are known as strict liability laws. This means that the liability is placed on the dog’s owner.

It doesn’t matter if the dog never bit anyone before or never showed signs of aggression. If their dog bit you, then they can be held liable.

There are two instances where the owner can’t be held liable. The first is if you were trespassing or weren’t invited onto the owner’s property. The other instance is if you provoked the dog, whether that was intentional or not.

You can be sure that the defense is going to try to prove in court that either you weren’t invited onto the private property or you somehow provoked the dog.

For example, if you pet an older dog with a sore hip in the hip area and caused him pain, he could turn around and bite you. You might be held responsible for provoking the dog, even unintentionally.

Don’t Wait to Hire A Dog Bite Attorney

If you’ve suffered a dog bite, it’s important to take these important steps immediately.

Should you need a dog bite attorney, the attorneys at Hakim, Toma & Yaldoo, P.C. are here to help. You’ll have an experienced legal team n your side that’s committed to providing the best services.

Learn how we can help you today and schedule your complimentary consultation.

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