Bradley Peri, a personal injury attorney and partner at Goodman Acker, settles upward of 20 dog bit cases each year.
By Julie Freer
Legal News
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, more than 45 percent of U.S. households include dogs. While the vast majority of these animals will co-exist peacefully with their families, dog bites can pose a serious public health risk, with more than 4.5 million people bitten each year in the United States.
Bradley Peri, a personal injury attorney and partner at Goodman Acker, settles 15 to 20 dog bite cases every year. A resident of Rochester Hills, Peri earned his bachelor of arts degree from Michigan State University, followed by his Juris Doctorate from the University of Detroit Mercy Law.
Since his admission to the Michigan Bar in 2009, Peri said his practice has focused on personal injury and criminal defense, but it was his specialization in personal injury law and long/short-term disability disputes where he found professional fulfillment.
“In a metaphorical, but also literal sense, at Goodman Acker we help people up when they’re down,” said Peri. “Whatever their situation may be, we help them get up, get moving, and give them a voice.
Peri offers insight on how Michigan law protects victims of dog bites, as well as essential steps to take after an attack.
First, Peri emphasized the importance of responsible dog ownership to prevent dog bites in the first place.
“One of the most important responsibilities of being a dog owner is to be your dog’s advocate – protecting not only your pet, but also your family, friends and anyone that interacts with them,” said Peri, who has been practicing with Goodman Acker for 14 years. “Dog bites often occur when a dog feels overwhelmed, anxious, or threatened. By understanding your dog’s triggers and learning to read their body language, you can often prevent situations from escalating in the first place.”
A common occurrence, Peri noted, is a situation where the owner had no idea their dog could be aggressive, but the animal’s stress goes unnoticed and the dog reacts with aggression.
“This is why it’s so important to learn your dog’s triggers and always be an advocate for them,” said Peri.
If a dog bite occurs, the victim should seek immediate medical attention.
“Even if it is a minor bite, any tear in the skin could lead to infection,” said Peri. “Additionally, it is important to get as much information on the dog as possible from the owner, most importantly being the dog’s vaccination status. If a dog is not fully vaccinated, this could open the possibility of a rabies infection, which must be taken seriously.”
Under the Michigan Strict Liability Dog Bite Statute, the dog owner is liable unless there is provocation, which can be difficult to prove.
“Provocation could be something as deliberate as hitting a dog or playing with the dog,” said Peri. “In either scenario, the dog may feel threatened no matter your intention, and if they bite, it could be an unprotected injury due to that provocation.”
After seeking medical attention, the next step is to consult an attorney, as each situation is analyzed to see if the victim has a case.
“You never know what can be done for you until you’ve consulted,” said Peri. Additionally, there is a three-year statute of limitations for dog bite cases (if the victim was a minor there may be some leniency), so it’s good practice to contact a lawyer expediently.
“A victim might wait due to the healing process and length of medical treatments,” said Peri. “Despite that, due to the strict liability, there is no true reason to wait, and a claim should be brought to the firm as soon as possible. This gives us more time to get the claim started, work with insurance companies at play, and sometimes even get medical bills paid in the
meantime.”
The most common spaces where dog bites take place, in Peri’s experience, are in backyards and inside homes of the dog’s owner.
“It can happen anywhere, but the most common theme is in and around homes, especially delivery workers going door-to-door,” said Peri. “Dog-on-dog aggression happens as well, and when owners attempt to break up the dog fight, they themselves get injured.”
One of Peri’s most recent settlements was out of Holland, where a child was bitten in the face; he also had a client last year who suffered a severe bicep injury, and he was able to receive full policy limits, pre-suit.
“Anytime we get a settlement, there is a sense of relief for our clients,” said Peri. “No amount of money can change what happened, but there is the knowledge that justice was served.”
Peri and his wife, Jill, have two young children. In addition to spending time with his family, Peri enjoys golfing.
“Every year I put on a golf outing to raise funds for ALS Michigan in honor of my mom who passed away in 2015,” said Peri. “This year will be our 10th year, and we’ve raised over $100,000 through the outing. This year it will be August 8 and Goodman Acker is the main sponsor.”
Legal News
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, more than 45 percent of U.S. households include dogs. While the vast majority of these animals will co-exist peacefully with their families, dog bites can pose a serious public health risk, with more than 4.5 million people bitten each year in the United States.
Bradley Peri, a personal injury attorney and partner at Goodman Acker, settles 15 to 20 dog bite cases every year. A resident of Rochester Hills, Peri earned his bachelor of arts degree from Michigan State University, followed by his Juris Doctorate from the University of Detroit Mercy Law.
Since his admission to the Michigan Bar in 2009, Peri said his practice has focused on personal injury and criminal defense, but it was his specialization in personal injury law and long/short-term disability disputes where he found professional fulfillment.
“In a metaphorical, but also literal sense, at Goodman Acker we help people up when they’re down,” said Peri. “Whatever their situation may be, we help them get up, get moving, and give them a voice.
Peri offers insight on how Michigan law protects victims of dog bites, as well as essential steps to take after an attack.
First, Peri emphasized the importance of responsible dog ownership to prevent dog bites in the first place.
“One of the most important responsibilities of being a dog owner is to be your dog’s advocate – protecting not only your pet, but also your family, friends and anyone that interacts with them,” said Peri, who has been practicing with Goodman Acker for 14 years. “Dog bites often occur when a dog feels overwhelmed, anxious, or threatened. By understanding your dog’s triggers and learning to read their body language, you can often prevent situations from escalating in the first place.”
A common occurrence, Peri noted, is a situation where the owner had no idea their dog could be aggressive, but the animal’s stress goes unnoticed and the dog reacts with aggression.
“This is why it’s so important to learn your dog’s triggers and always be an advocate for them,” said Peri.
If a dog bite occurs, the victim should seek immediate medical attention.
“Even if it is a minor bite, any tear in the skin could lead to infection,” said Peri. “Additionally, it is important to get as much information on the dog as possible from the owner, most importantly being the dog’s vaccination status. If a dog is not fully vaccinated, this could open the possibility of a rabies infection, which must be taken seriously.”
Under the Michigan Strict Liability Dog Bite Statute, the dog owner is liable unless there is provocation, which can be difficult to prove.
“Provocation could be something as deliberate as hitting a dog or playing with the dog,” said Peri. “In either scenario, the dog may feel threatened no matter your intention, and if they bite, it could be an unprotected injury due to that provocation.”
After seeking medical attention, the next step is to consult an attorney, as each situation is analyzed to see if the victim has a case.
“You never know what can be done for you until you’ve consulted,” said Peri. Additionally, there is a three-year statute of limitations for dog bite cases (if the victim was a minor there may be some leniency), so it’s good practice to contact a lawyer expediently.
“A victim might wait due to the healing process and length of medical treatments,” said Peri. “Despite that, due to the strict liability, there is no true reason to wait, and a claim should be brought to the firm as soon as possible. This gives us more time to get the claim started, work with insurance companies at play, and sometimes even get medical bills paid in the
meantime.”
The most common spaces where dog bites take place, in Peri’s experience, are in backyards and inside homes of the dog’s owner.
“It can happen anywhere, but the most common theme is in and around homes, especially delivery workers going door-to-door,” said Peri. “Dog-on-dog aggression happens as well, and when owners attempt to break up the dog fight, they themselves get injured.”
One of Peri’s most recent settlements was out of Holland, where a child was bitten in the face; he also had a client last year who suffered a severe bicep injury, and he was able to receive full policy limits, pre-suit.
“Anytime we get a settlement, there is a sense of relief for our clients,” said Peri. “No amount of money can change what happened, but there is the knowledge that justice was served.”
Peri and his wife, Jill, have two young children. In addition to spending time with his family, Peri enjoys golfing.
“Every year I put on a golf outing to raise funds for ALS Michigan in honor of my mom who passed away in 2015,” said Peri. “This year will be our 10th year, and we’ve raised over $100,000 through the outing. This year it will be August 8 and Goodman Acker is the main sponsor.”
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