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Dog bites are painful and can result in mental and physical trauma. If the dog’s owner failed in their duty to prevent an attack, the Grand Rapids dog bite lawyers from Christensen Law will pursue the financial compensation you need to recover as much as possible.
Our Grand Rapids personal injury lawyers will review your situation and help you develop a strong strategy to hold the at-fault party accountable for your suffering. We are proud to seek justice for deserving clients like you and will never settle for less. Call us now for a free case review.
What Support Do Our Grand Rapids Dog Bite Attorneys Offer in Cases Like Yours?
Christensen Law is determined to help you speak out about your experience. To act as your voice, we start by listening to yours. Our Grand Rapids dog bite lawyers will take the time to understand what you went through and are still experiencing, starting with a free evaluation and following up with regular consultations.
If speaking up for you means taking your case all the way to trial, so be it. We prepare for this eventuality even as we negotiate with the other party in an attempt to pursue a settlement out of court. Our personal injury attorneys have recovered multimillion-dollar awards in settlements and trial cases.
We Identify the Grounds for a Premises Liability Case
Pets are property, and property owners owe others a duty of care under Michigan’s premises liability laws to make sure their property does not cause harm. Violating this duty of care could look like:
- Letting the dog off their leash
- Lack of fence maintenance on their property
- Lack of precautions and warnings
An owner does not have to behave carelessly to provide grounds for a case. In fact, if you were lawfully on public or private property and did not provoke the dog, you can pursue legal action against the owner for any unjustified attack.
Our Grand Rapids law firm can identify and then defend your right to pursue an insurance claim or lawsuit following a dog attack. We will not let the owner try to blame you for your injuries.
We Apply State and Local Dog Bite Laws
We have represented Michigan clients like you since 1991, so our Grand Rapids bite attack attorneys are familiar with the laws that apply to your case. We can navigate them as well as explain them to you in understandable terms.
For example, according to Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 287.351, you can pursue legal action even if the dog did not show any prior aggression. The liable party cannot avoid responsibility by brushing off the incident as a “one-time thing.” Furthermore, Chapter 41 Sec. 3.15 of the Grand Rapids Code of City Ordinances forbids dog owners from letting their pets roam freely in public parks.
In addition to specific animal laws, our personal injury lawyers in Grand Rapids are familiar with the deadlines that apply to your case. Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 600.5805 generally allows victims three years to file a lawsuit, during which time we will develop a strategy for your case. We will also follow any filing requirements for insurance claims.
We Represent Bite Victims and Take Care of Your Entire Case
At Christensen Law, we represent you by:
- Talking to any parties involved in the case
- Investigating and researching the attack
- Drafting and filing paperwork and court documents
- Interviewing witnesses and experts
- Helping you with daily case-related tasks
- Negotiating settlement offers that seek a favorable outcome for you
- Monitoring your case’s status
As your legal representative, the attorneys from our firm are your spokesperson, investigator, intermediary, and advocate. What’s more, you receive support from our entire team, not just your attorney. Call now to find out how Christensen Law will manage your case from beginning to end.
What Can You Recover for a Dog Bite Incident in Grand Rapids?
You did not just suffer a bite. An animal, maybe one you trusted, attacked you. That attack caused you physical harm as well as psychological damage. On top of that, recovery costs you time and income from work.
These aspects of your situation are compensable, meaning you could recover monetary damages for them. With the help of our premises liability attorneys, you can seek compensation to cover bills and personal losses associated with the dog attack.
Bite-Related Bills, Lost Income, and Other Economic Losses
These damages are tied to specific dollar amounts, reimbursing you for tangible economic expenses like:
- Medical care for the dog bite and secondary conditions, like infections
- Maintenance costs, like prescriptions, rehabilitation, and follow-ups
- Psychological treatment, like counseling and medication
- Lost income, including hourly, salaried, or freelance work
- Vocational training costs, like training for a new job if you can no longer work at your old one
Christensen Law will work with you to compile a list of expenses and losses related to the bite accident. This way, you get enough money to cover everything you lost and will not run out of funds while you are still in need.
Bite-Related Non-economic Losses
Tangible bills and losses can help us make a case for your intangible, or non-economic, losses. Our animal attack attorneys do not just seek reimbursement for, say, the cost of your anti-anxiety medication: we use that expense to point out that you suffered emotional distress and deserve additional damages.
Non-economic compensation includes:
- Pain and suffering
- Disfigurement
- Emotional trauma
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment
Identifying and seeking non-economic damages on your own can be challenging, but you do not have to face this situation by yourself. Our Grand Rapids attorneys will fight for everything you need.
What to Do After a Dog Bite in Grand Rapids
It is easy to feel overwhelmed, frightened, and confused about what to do after an attack. Our dog bite law firm recommends the following actions:
- Seek medical treatment. If the skin was broken, you are bleeding profusely, or you are in significant pain, do not take the chance of an infection forming. Go to the doctor or the ER right away, then follow all of your doctor’s instructions.
- Collect and preserve evidence. If it is safe for you to do so, take photos of the place where the attack happened so that, even if the area changes later, you have preserved what it looked like at the time of the attack. You can also ask for the contact information of any witnesses.
- Report the dog bite. Make sure the dog’s owner and Kent County Animal Control know about what happened. Stick to the facts when making your report.
- Limit what you say. Do not talk about the bite on social media, with reporters, with the insurance company, or even with friends and relatives until our dog bite attorneys get the chance to tell you what is and is not safe to say in public.
- Get legal advice. Only after you are medically stable should you start thinking about your legal case. The premises liability lawyers at Christensen Law enable you to act promptly and pursue compensation without having to handle the entire case by yourself.
Call Us Today for a Free Consultation After a Dog Bite Injury in Grand Rapids, MI
Call Christensen Law now to set up a free case review. Our Grand Rapids dog bite lawyers start by listening to you, setting the tone for our partnership: the focus starts on you and stays on you. Do not wait until you are out of time to preserve evidence or file a claim or suit. Reach out to us today and explore your legal options for recovery.
