Dog Bites

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At Sibley Law, we can use our knowledge and experience to represent your case and achieve results. In our experience the most dangerous month for dog attacks is August. The days are long, it's been hot for months, the gardeners are coming and going and children are generally home from school; a dangerous combination.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Michigan Association of Insurance Agents and the U.S. Postal Service compiled a startling array of statistics about dog attacks.

Here are some of the results:

• There are approximately 4.7 million dog bites per year nationwide.
• The number of dog bite attacks requiring medical attention has increased 15    times faster than the increase in dog ownership.
• More than 850,000 dog bites requiring medical attention in the U.S. yearly.
• In one year from 1995 to 1996, at least 25 people in the U.S. died from dog    attacks, 20 of whom were children.
• Letter carriers suffer about 3,000 dog bites annually as they deliver the mail.

These alarming conclusions show that this is a problem that is getting worse, not better. Victims of dog bite attacks can sustain painful and life-altering injuries, including deep skin wounds, loss of fingers, infections and scarring. Dogs that are prone to attack are a liability and the owners need to be held responsible for them.

If you or a loved one has suffered from a dog bite or animal attack, contact Sibley Law  for a free consultation. We will use our experience, knowledge and resources to achieve  results for you and your family.

Children and Dog Attacks

Children are most often the victims of serious dog attacks for several reasons. They are boisterous, loud and make unpredictable movements that can scare dogs. And what a child might see as an expression of love--a simple hug--can be an explicit threat to the animal.

Most Vicious Dog Breeds

In the period from 1979 to 1996, there were 154 reported fatal dog attacks. Five breeds accounted for two-thirds of those attacks. Those breeds, in order of the most fatalities, are Pit Bull, Rottweiler, German Shepherd, Husky and Alaskan Malamute. Pit Bulls were responsible for twice as many fatal attacks as any other breed and over half of all fatal attacks. We have handled more cases involving Rottweilers than any other breed.

Most Important for Dog Attacks

The most important aspect of prosecuting a dog attack case is to secure evidence as quickly as possible. We can have our investigator on the scene, usually within an hour of notification, in order to gather and preserve evidence. The best evidence that we seek to obtain immediately is the identity of the dog and its owner, photographs of the dog, identity of witnesses, witness statements, and photographs of the injuries and location of the attack.