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Dogs are man’s best friend until they bite someone. When that happens, a beloved creature becomes a dangerous menace. And if you are on the wrong side of those teeth, the consequences could be terrifying. Even the weakest of dogs can do significant damage to a person. And when a dog bites, it rarely stops biting until it has caused significant harm. What are your options if you’ve been mauled by a dog? One smart choice is to contact a Southfield dog bite lawyer at Goodman Acker. Our Southfield dog bite attorneys will fight to get you the money you need to recover from your grievous injuries.
Even a seemingly minor injury might require more medical attention than expected. If you were bitten, don’t take chances. Contact the dog bite lawyers in Southfield, MI, from Goodman Acker at 248-286-8100 as soon as possible.
How Our Southfield Dog Bite Injury Lawyers Can Help
Dogs are practically ubiquitous in Michigan. Millions of people own at least one dog and many dog owners have multiple. Because dogs are so common, many people take them for granted. Even when a dog bites them, they may treat it as nothing worse than a skinned knee. Unfortunately, for a great many people in Southfield, that seemingly trivial bite proves a lot more dangerous when a medical professional looks at it. And if you don’t take it seriously, you could be out thousands of dollars when you discover the true consequences of the bite.
When you bring your case to our Southfield dog bite injury lawyers, we immediately ensure your safety by connecting you with a Southfield doctor who specializes in dog bites. We know that dog bites can:
- Pass along diseases like rabies
- Result in long-term or permanent scars
- Sever nerves, muscles, tendons, or other soft tissue or organs that might require surgery
- Psychologically damage the victim, even if they don’t immediately recognize it
- Break or even shatter bones
- Cause sensory damage like partial or complete blindness.
Many of these injuries may not even be obvious at first. For example, a strong bite might chip some bones but not break them. While this may sound minor, those bone chips could cause internal damage or bleeding that could potentially be fatal. If you don’t visit a doctor and get that diagnosed as quickly as possible, we could be speaking to your relatives about a wrongful death lawsuit rather than to you about a personal injury lawsuit. Our Southfield dog bite attorneys never want to have that latter conversation.
Damages in a Dog Bite Case
A Dog Bite Attorney in Southfield, MI, From Goodman Acker Will Fight to Get You Every Dollar You Deserve
Protecting your health is only part of the reason we want you to speak with an experienced physician as quickly as possible. We also understand how important your financial health is to you and your family. When a dog bite disables you, even for a short time, it can cost you weeks or months of salary and thousands of dollars in medical bills.
Most people are only a few paychecks away from poverty, and that is without the added costs of medical services. Our dog bite lawyers in Southfield, MI, want to protect you from financial ruin. And the sooner we start gathering medical records of your injuries and investigating your claims, the sooner we can get you the compensation you deserve.
If you are like most of our clients, you probably don’t realize the true value of your dog bite claim. Depending on the severity of your injuries and the actions of the dog owner, we can potentially get you damages for:
- All past and future medical bills
- Reconstructive surgery to remove scars
- Therapy and rehabilitation costs
- Lost salary or wages
- Lost work opportunities like promotions or raises
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress, anxiety, or PTSD
- Punitive damages if the owner’s conduct was especially egregious.
According to Michigan law, you have only three years to take legal action after a dog bite. That might seem like a long time, but it can fly by in an instant if you delay talking to a dog bite attorney in Southfield, MI. And even if there is enough time left to file a lawsuit, a delay may prevent us from adequately investigating your claim.
Evidence disappears quickly, and witnesses, even if they are friendly, may forget the details of the incident. And without enough evidence, it will be very difficult for us to convince the dog owner’s insurance company to agree to a fair settlement. This could leave you paying for expensive surgery or a lifetime of therapy out of your pocket. That is something that we strive to prevent.
What to Do After Getting Bitten by a Dog
Advice from a Southfield Dog Bite Attorney
If you get bitten by a dog, you have to act quickly. You don’t know if the dog has rabies. And if it does, you will need almost immediate treatment. In short order, you want to contact animal control to apprehend the dog, get as much contact information from the owner as possible, and get emergency treatment at a hospital. If the dog has been apprehended, it can be tested for several lethal diseases. Otherwise, you will typically be treated for those diseases, just in case. Many of those treatments are unpleasant, but they beat the alternative.
The next thing you should do, once the emergency has passed, is contact the dog bite lawyers in Southfield, MI, at Goodman Acker. We will perform any necessary investigations and double-check to make sure you are receiving quality medical attention.
After the initial flurry of activity, you can relax knowing that our Southfield dog bite lawyers are working on your case. While you recover, we will continue to gather evidence until we have enough to contact the appropriate party (usually the company that provides homeowner’s or renter’s insurance for the dog owner). We will use that evidence to negotiate a fair settlement that covers all of your expenses and provides additional non-economic damages as appropriate.
The only thing you want to think about after a dog bite injury is recovering without any interruptions or stress. Our Southfield dog bite injury lawyers will do all the hard work so you can heal in peace. Contact us immediately at 248-286-8100 if you are bitten by a dog in Southfield.
Why Choose Goodman Acker for Your Dog Bite Case?
At Goodman Acker, we don’t think of ourselves as lawyers who happen to work in Southfield. We think of ourselves as part of the Southfield community first. Giving back to our neighbors and being a part of the community has always been the highest priority at Goodman Acker. And that is why we take it so personally when anyone in our community suffers a dog bite. You aren’t just a client. You are a friend, neighbor, or relative. That means you deserve to be protected and served by a law firm that has experienced attorneys you can trust.
And that is what we aspire to every day. We don’t just want to win cases. We want to help the members of our community fully recover from the harm they suffered. And we want to be the first name that comes to mind when they talk about law firms they can trust to protect them and their loved ones. We do this by:
- Giving back to our community in several different ways
- Treating clients like family
- Successfully settling or winning at trial in 99% of our cases
- Providing free case evaluations and consultations with no obligation to hire our law firm
- Being available 24 hours a day if clients have emergencies
- Maintaining a legal team with over 150 years of combined experience
- Following the ideals of hard work and compassion instilled in us by founder Barry J. Goodman.
You don’t need to take our word for this. We invite you to speak to any of our past clients, read their testimonials, or watch the news reports about our law firm and past cases. At Goodman Acker, we are proud of the reputation we have earned in Southfield and nearby areas.
Southfield Dog Bite FAQs
Answers to Your Most Important Questions by a Dog Bite Attorney in Southfield, MI
One of the best ways we can help our community is by ensuring that they understand their rights and legal options after suffering a personal injury. While we can’t answer every question that any client might have in advance, we have gathered answers to some of the most common questions. We hope this answers at least one question you are curious about.
Typically, either the homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy covers acts of violence by animals owned by the policyholder, even if the animal wasn’t at their home when the bite occurred. If we can’t track down the owner of the dog, one of your insurance policies might cover your damages.
We may be able to get you all the compensation you need by negotiating a settlement with the insurance company of the dog owner. But typically, we will have to at least file a lawsuit as part of your claim, even if we end up settling out of court.
Unfortunately, when a dog bites someone, a judge typically orders the dog to be killed within 48 hours. Some people are hesitant to report a dog bite because they don’t want the dog to die, but letting it go just puts more Southfield residents in danger.
If a loved one dies in a dog attack, we can get you compensation for that loss in a wrongful death lawsuit against the owner of the dog. While money won’t bring back your loved one, it can help you get emotional therapy and replace their lost income.
They might be if they were negligent concerning their dog. A dog owner in Michigan is required to take appropriate action to protect others from being harmed by their dog. If they don’t, they will be charged with a misdemeanor or felony, depending on how much harm the dog caused.
The best thing you can do is go to an emergency room right away and receive professional medical attention. However, if that isn’t an option, wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water and then bandage it so that it stays clean.
The previous questions are just a sampling of the types of questions our Southfield dog bite lawyers have received over the years. If you have other questions we didn’t answer, we will be happy to answer them during your free consultation.
Contact a Southfield, MI, Dog Bite Lawyer at Goodman Acker
Southfield is a wonderful community filled with friendly people and lovely parks and attractions. This makes it a great place to own a dog. And most dog owners are extremely responsible, taking care of their pets and the people around them. However, not everyone is so responsible. If you are bitten because of the negligence of a Southfield dog owner, you shouldn’t have to pay for your medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses out of your savings. Consult with our dog bite injury attorneys to learn how we can help you get the money you deserve.
If you have suffered a dog bite in Southfield, you need a dog bite attorney you can trust. Contact our law firm at 248-286-8100 right away to schedule a free consultation with a lawyer who cares about your recovery.
LEGALLY REVIEWED BY BARRY J. GOODMAN
Barry J. Goodman has devoted his professional life to keeping courthouse doors open for victims seeking justice. Always a tireless advocate for his own clients, Goodman sees his responsibility as a Detroit personal injury attorney in a broader sense as well. [ Attorney Bio ]
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