Dog Bites: It Can Happen to Anyone

$300,000 Settlement Helps Family Recover After Baby is Bitten by Pit Bull

It was supposed to be a fun-filled summer afternoon. A Michigan couple and their 19-month old daughter, Claire, were enjoying a friend’s back-yard barbeque. Claire was having fun helping the hostess roll a ball and play fetch with the family’s pit bull. The child became fussy after a few rounds of ball and stumbled, trying to stand. The hostess testified she did not realize the ball was still in her hand as she reached forward to catch the baby. The pit bull simultaneously lunged toward the ball.

Missing the ball, the dog’s teeth sliced into the child’s cheek and tore through the muscle and her right eyelid.

The Road to Recovery

Since the terrifying injury, Claire has undergone three surgeries and several stressful medical treatments. An independent plastic surgeon examined her 16 months after the accident and concluded that the medical team had done all it could to reconstruct her face. The surgeon also noted that the little girl’s face is permanently scarred.

The pit bull was euthanized.

“This is a cautionary tale for dog owners,” says attorney Jennifer Damico who handled the case. “This was not an ‘attack,’ it was more of a miscalculation by the dog – but, the owner is still responsible. Dog owners need to think very carefully about whether they want to have their animals out and assume the risk when guests – especially small children – are visiting.”

Securing Rightful Compensation

Attorney Damico and the Mike Morse Law Firm won a nearly $300,000 settlement for Claire and her family. While no amount of money will ever heal the physical and emotional injuries suffered by this child and her family, we are glad to at least lighten the financial burden of Claire’s life-altering incident.
Now three and a half-years-old, Claire is growing up just like any other child: happy, healthy and loved by family and friends. But, the visible scars remain.

Local Pit Bull Bans and Restrictions

Of the 860 cities nationwide that enforce breed-specific legislation, 100 percent include pit bulls. Here in metro Detroit, cities that have pit bull bans include: Ecorse, Highland Park, Grosse Pointe Woods, Sylvan Lake, Melvindale, and Waterford Township. Other communities have restrictions in place or have declared the dogs “vicious” or “dangerous.” Those include: Center Line, Dearborn Heights, Harper Woods, and Southgate. Ypsilanti requires mandatory sterilization of pit bulls. Click HERE for a complete list of Michigan bans and restrictions.

We understand how frightening, confusing and stressful it can be to navigate the legal process following a dog bite. Mike Morse Law Firm is here to help. We’ll guide you through paperwork, consultations, phone calls and more, and you’ll pay nothing until we win. You can learn more about how we’ve helped previous victims of dog bite injuries by clicking HERE.

Content checked by Mike Morse, personal injury attorney with Mike Morse Injury Law Firm. Mike Morse is the founder of Mike Morse Law Firm, the largest personal injury law firm in Michigan. Since being founded in 1995, Mike Morse Law Firm has grown to over 200 employees, served 40,000 clients, and collected more than $1.5 billion for victims of auto, truck and motorcycle accidents. The main office is in Southfield, MI but you can also find us in Detroit, Sterling Heights and many other locations.