Sturgis, MI Pit Bull Attack Settlement For Child
Our Michigan dog attack attorneys recently settled a lawsuit on behalf of a one-year-old toddler who was viciously attacked by a dog while she was with her mother visiting one of her mother’s friends in Sturgis, Michigan.
The mother’s friend was babysitting a pit bull that was owned by her boyfriend. Prior to our clients coming over, the mother’s friend had locked the dog in a bedroom. However, while our client was over, the dog was whining and barking so the mother’s friend let it out of the bedroom. The dog came over to the toddler who was sitting on her mother’s lap in the couch and began licking the toddler’s feet and then suddenly without provocation jumped up and bit the toddler in the face. The dog owner testified that he had multiple conversation with the mother’s friend prior to the incident where he told her the dog was very protective, not used to being around kids, and they agreed that if any kids were ever over her home while the dog was there the dog would be kept shut in a room away from the kids.
The child suffered a laceration on her forehead and two lacerations on her lower cheek from the dog bites. Dermabound was applied to the wounds at the hospital, and wounds left permanent scarring which became more noticeable with temperature change and emotion.
If a person is bitten while lawfully on the property or on public property such as in the street or sidewalk, the owner or keeper of the dog can be held liable for the injuries under Michigan law. In fact, there are several dog bite laws in Michigan that can be used in favor of the victim and hold the dog owner liable. The main statute, called the Michigan Dog Bite Statute, clearly states the owner of a dog is liable and can be sued for a victim’s injuries. The keeper or babysitter of a dog may be held liable if it can be proven that the keeper was negligent in causing the resulting dog bite attack, and usually requires a showing that the keeper had knowledge of the abnormal dangerous propensities of the dog.
We filed a lawsuit in St. Joseph, Michigan on our client’s behalf seeking compensation for her injuries against the babysitter of the dog for pain and suffering damages, medical expenses, and for damages related to the residual scarring and disfigurement that the dog bite left on her face. The insurance company for the dog owner agreed to pay a settlement in the amount of $ 72,500.00 to the child.
