What If the Bite Happened More Than a Year Ago — Is It Too Late?

Many Michigan dog bite victims assume they’ve waited too long to do anything. Almost always, they haven’t.

The Short Answer

No — Michigan gives you THREE YEARS from the date of the bite to file a civil lawsuit under MCL 600.5805. A bite from one year, two years, or even 32 months ago is still within the deadline. The longer you wait, the harder the case becomes — but it’s not too late. Special rules apply if you were a minor at the time of the bite (the deadline doesn’t start running until age 18). Call us immediately if you’re approaching the 3-year mark.

Video coming soon — Solomon Radner answers this question

The Detailed Answer

Michigan’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims, including dog bites, is three years from the date of the injury. This is set by MCL 600.5805. It’s one of the longer deadlines in U.S. personal injury law.

The 3-year deadline in practice

If you were bitten on June 1, 2024, you have until June 1, 2027 to file a civil lawsuit. After June 1, 2027, the claim is barred regardless of how strong the case is.

“File a lawsuit” specifically means file a complaint in court. It does NOT mean reach a settlement. Many cases settle without a lawsuit being filed — but if a settlement isn’t reached before the 3-year deadline, the lawsuit must be filed to preserve the claim. After the deadline, the dog owner’s insurance has no legal incentive to settle.

Special rule for minors

The 3-year clock does NOT start running for minors until they turn 18. If a child was bitten at age 5, they have until age 21 (three years after their 18th birthday) to file a civil suit. See our child dog bite page for full details.

However: just because the deadline is tolled doesn’t mean parents should wait. Evidence fades. Insurance companies pay less for stale claims. The right time to pursue a child’s case is now, not 13 years from now.

What gets harder as time passes

Photographic evidence of the injury — wound healing changes what your injury looked like
Witness memory — witnesses become less certain on details
Animal control records — older records may be harder to obtain
Medical causation — connecting later complications to the original bite is harder
Owner’s location — if the dog owner moved away, finding them takes more work
Insurance company arguments — adjusters argue stale cases must not have been serious

What if you’re close to the deadline?

If your 3-year deadline is within 6 months, call us immediately. Even good cases can be lost if a lawsuit isn’t filed in time. We can typically prepare and file a complaint within 1-2 weeks when needed.

For more on Michigan’s statute of limitations and exceptions, see our statute of limitations guide.

What This Means for Your Case

If your bite happened within the last 3 years, you still have a claim. Don’t dismiss it because of time elapsed. Call for a free case review — we’ll evaluate honestly whether it makes sense to pursue.

Bitten by a dog in Michigan? Call 1-800-LAWSUIT or request a free case review. No fee unless we win.