Michigan dog bites remain unfortunately common, often happening due to poor breeding, improper training, or inappropriate behavior on the parts of others. Often, dog bites require both dog owners and dog bite victims to retain the services of qualified Michigan dog bite lawyers.
Prevalence of Michigan Dog Bites
Recent data released by the State Farm Insurance Agency indicates that the State of Michigan ranks 6th in the country in terms of the number of Michigan dog bites that the insurance agency processed in 2012. The claims processed in the state last year cost the insurance industry as a whole $4.6 million.
Michigan Dog Bite Law
Michigan is considered a ‘strict liability’ state as relates to dog bites, which means that a Michigan dog owner is responsible for any injury that their dog causes to a dog bite victim. This means that a dog need not have a previous history of viciousness for an owner to be liable, nor need the owner be aware of any previous viciousness. The only two elements necessary to prove a Michigan dog bite claim are the ability to prove that the defendant was the owner of the dog that was responsible for the bite, and the ability to prove that the bite actually happened.
This information makes it vital that dog owners remain constantly aware of and responsible for their dog’s behavior – contrary to popular belief, there is no allowance for bites in the state of Michigan. Michigan’s strict liability system means that even one bite can be enough to make a dog owner liable for the behavior of their dog.