Bitten by a Friend’s Dog? Here’s What You Need to Know About Who’s Liable
Dog Bite Injury in Michigan
What you need to know, and how we can help.
You’re at a friend’s house for a party. The drinks are flowing, the music’s good—and then it happens. Their dog bites you. Suddenly, your night takes a painful turn, and now you’re left injured and wondering: Who’s responsible? Can I sue? Do I need an attorney? Who pays for my medical bills?
These are common questions after a dog bite, especially when it happens on someone else’s property. A recent Michigan Court of Appeals case, Blaylock v. MacIntyre, sheds light on how courts handle these situations—even though it’s not a published or binding decision, it offers useful guidance.
The Setup: A Party, A Dog, and a Bite
In Blaylock, two guests were bitten by the host’s dog during a New Year’s Eve party. Initially, they sued the dog’s owner, but later added the property owner—actually a business called BBSB Properties—as a defendant, hoping to hold the deeper pockets accountable under a theory called premises liability.
What Is Premises Liability?
Premises liability is a legal concept that holds property owners responsible for injuries that happen on their land—but only under certain conditions. To win a case like this, you have to prove that the property owner owed you a duty of care and failed to meet it.
Were You a Licensee or an Invitee?
Michigan law divides visitors into three categories:
Trespassers (not invited)
Licensees (invited socially, like to a party)
Invitees (invited for business purposes, like a customer at a store)
In Blaylock, the plaintiffs were considered licensees because they were social guests. That matters because property owners owe licensees a limited duty: They only have to warn you about hidden dangers they know about. They don’t have to inspect the property or make it safe for your visit.
So What About the Dog?
To hold BBSB Properties liable, the plaintiffs had to prove that the company knew or should have known the dog was dangerous. But they couldn’t.
The dog had never bitten anyone before.
The owner said the dog wasn’t aggressive.
The property owner (BBSB) had no involvement with the dog.
Even the dog’s anxiety medication wasn’t enough to prove it was a threat—and BBSB didn’t know about it anyway.
The plaintiffs tried one last argument: that BBSB should have inspected the dog or asked for vet records. But the court rejected that, saying it would only apply if the plaintiffs were invitees, not social guests.
The Bottom Line
Because the plaintiffs were licensees, and because BBSB didn’t know the dog was dangerous, the court ruled that BBSB wasn’t liable.
What This Means for You
If you’ve been bitten by a dog on someone else’s property, here are four things to keep in mind:
Know your status: Were you a social guest (licensee) or there for business (invitee)? It affects what duty the property owner owes you.
Understand who owns the property: Is your friend the owner or just renting? If a company owns the home, they may not be liable unless they knew the dog was dangerous.
Prove knowledge: To sue a property owner, you’ll need to show they knew—or should have known—the dog posed a risk.
Talk to a lawyer: Dog bite cases can be tricky. An attorney can help you figure out who’s responsible and how to build a strong case.
Dog bites are scary, painful, and often emotionally upsetting—especially when they come from a pet you were told was “harmless.” But with the right legal guidance, you can protect your rights and seek the compensation you deserve.
Want help navigating your dog bite claim? Reach out to attorney Jeff Buckman who has successfully won cases like this for his clients for 30 years.