23 years ago a 7 year-old girl was mauled by a pit bull. The dog attacked the child, along with her mother and grandmother, as they were taking groceries into their house. Her injuries were horrifying. It pulled back the child's scalp exposing the bone on her forehead and nearly ripped her upper lip off her face. The girl needed 8 major reconstructive surgeries and still bears the scars of her attack.
Prompted by the attack, a law was passed banning the ownership of pit bulls or any dog conforming to the breeds' characteristics within Miami-Dade County. Repealing the pit bull ban is up for vote on August 14th.
Whatever side of the argument you may be on, it has been my experience that all dogs are unpredictable. There are many reports about a trusted pet suddenly turning on and attacking a family member or a friend and when the family pet is a pit bull, the risk of horrific injury is even greater because they are extremely powerful. That unpredictability places a tremendous amount of responsibility upon dog owners to keep their dog from attacking others to carry homeowner's or renter's insurance to address the needs of victims in the event that an attack does occur.
Michigan is a strict liability state in regards to dog bites, meaning a dog is not allowed "one free bite" as in some other states. No matter whether the dog has shown aggressive behavior in the past or if it has already bitten someone before, the dog owner may be held liable for the victim's injuries.
If you or a love one has been the victim of a dog attack, contact a dog bite attorney at Freedman & Freedman. We work for you on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we are successful in recovering a settlement or a judgment on your behalf.
