A dog bite can leave more than just cuts and bruises. Many people are left dealing with medical bills, infections, scarring, missed work, and emotional trauma after an attack. If you or your child were bitten by a dog, speaking with a dog bite lawyer in Southfield can help you understand what options may be available under Michigan law.
At Hirsch, Gaugier & Khan, we know how upsetting these cases can be for families. As a Southfield personal injury lawyer, we help injury victims deal with insurance companies, medical expenses, and the stress that follows a serious dog attack.
Our team acts quickly, keeps clients informed, and brings more than 60 years of combined experience to personal injury claims across Michigan.
What to Do After a Dog Bite in Southfield
The steps you take after a dog bite can affect both your health and your injury claim. Even smaller bites can lead to infections, nerve damage, or lasting scars if they are not treated properly.
After a dog attack, it’s important to:
- Get medical care: Dog bite injuries can lead to infections, tissue damage, and complications that may not show up right away.
- Identify the dog owner: Insurance coverage information may become important later during the claim process.
- Report the incident: Filing a report with animal control can create a record of the attack and may help confirm details about the dog and what happened.
- Take photos: Try to photograph the injuries, the location, ripped clothing, and anything else connected to the attack while everything is still fresh.
- Be careful with insurance calls: Insurance representatives may contact you quickly and offer money before you know how serious the injuries or medical costs may become.
Getting legal guidance early can also help protect evidence and avoid mistakes during insurance negotiations.
Michigan Dog Bite Laws and Injury Claims
Michigan follows a strict liability law for many dog bite cases. Under Michigan Compiled Laws Section 287.351, a dog owner may be responsible when their dog bites someone who was lawfully on public or private property, even if the dog had never acted aggressively before.
That surprises a lot of people. Many assume they can only file a personal injury lawsuit if the owner knew the dog was dangerous, but Michigan law often gives injury victims the right to pursue compensation without proving prior attacks.
Depending on the circumstances, a dog bite insurance claim may involve compensation for:
- Medical expenses: Costs related to emergency room visits, stitches, surgery, medication, and follow-up appointments after the attack.
- Lost income: Money lost from missing work while recovering from injuries or attending medical visits.
- Emotional trauma: Many people deal with anxiety, fear of dogs, sleep problems, or post-traumatic stress after a serious attack.
- Injury damages: Some bites leave permanent scars, nerve damage, or ongoing physical pain.
- Non–economic damages: Compensation connected to pain, emotional distress, and the ways the injury affects daily life.
Every case is different, especially when children are involved or when injuries leave permanent scarring. A Southfield dog bite attorney will determine what to pursue in your claim.
Common Dog Bite Injuries
Some dog bites heal within a few weeks. Others leave people dealing with pain, infections, or emotional trauma long after the attack happened. Children are especially vulnerable to serious injuries because of their size and the areas commonly targeted during an attack.
Some of the injuries we commonly see after dog attacks include:
- Puncture wounds: Deep bites can tear through skin and damage muscles, nerves, or underlying tissue.
- Facial injuries: Bites to the face may leave lasting scars and sometimes require reconstructive treatment.
- Crush injuries: Larger dogs can seriously injure hands, arms, legs, and fingers during an attack.
- Infections: Bacteria from a bite may lead to serious medical complications.
- Emotional distress: Some people develop long-term anxiety or fear after a dog attack.
- Nerve damage: Loss of feeling or movement can happen in severe cases.
In some situations, doctors may also recommend a rabies vaccination depending on the circumstances of the attack and the dog’s medical history.
Dealing With Insurance Companies After a Dog Attack
Dog bite claims are often handled through homeowners’ or renters’ insurance policies. Even though the injury may seem straightforward, insurance companies still look for ways to limit what they pay.
An insurance adjuster may question how the attack happened, whether the injuries are as serious as claimed, or whether the injured person somehow caused the incident. Some companies also make fast insurance offers before someone fully understands the cost of treatment or future care.
Our dog bite lawyers in Southfield help clients gather medical records, photographs, witness statements, and other evidence that supports the claim. We also handle communication with insurance companies so clients can focus on recovery instead of constant phone calls and paperwork.
How Long Do You Have to File a Dog Bite Claim in Michigan?
Michigan has a statute of limitations that limits how long injury victims have to file a personal injury claim. Waiting too long can make it harder to recover compensation, especially if evidence disappears or witnesses become harder to locate.
That’s one reason we encourage people to speak with a lawyer soon after a dog attack. Early action can help preserve records, document injuries properly, and avoid delays with the insurance process.
Talk With a Southfield Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Today
After a serious dog attack, many people are left wondering how they’ll pay medical bills, miss work, or deal with lasting scars and emotional stress. Trying to handle insurance companies alone can make an already difficult situation even more frustrating.
At Hirsch, Gaugier & Khan, we treat clients the way we’d want our own family treated. We return calls, answer questions, and move cases forward quickly instead of letting claims drag out. Our personal injury law firm handles dog bite cases on a contingency fee basis, so there are no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you.
If you or your child suffered injuries from a dog bite in Southfield, contact our team today for a free consultation. The sooner you speak with us, the sooner we can begin protecting your claim and helping you move forward.
