I recently read an article about socializing your pet dog.  According to the article, dogs can be very loyal companions when properly socialized, but they can dangerous to their owners and to other people and animals when they are not.  The article describes a dog fight that occurred when two un-socialized dogs attacked and killed a dog in Galesburg.  Those dogs will be quarantined for a period of time and monitored for signs of rabies.  During that time, their owners will be encouraged to put the dogs to sleep.

The risk of a dog attacking a person or animal can be almost entirely prevented by properly socializing your dog.  Some important things to do include:

• Always maintain control over your dog, by keeping it on a leash or in the house or yard
• Exposing your dog, in a controlled and supervised way, to different people and animals
• Completing an obedience school course
• Consider having the dog spayed or neutered
• Avoid mistreating the dog

If you would like more information about your rights after a Dog Bite attack, you can order our FREE book, “The Ultimate Michigan Dog Bite & Animal Attack Handbook” by clicking on the book link.  We will send it out immediately along with other important information. 

For more information about Michigan dog bite cases, visit our law firm web site at www.BuckfireLaw.com.  If you would like to speak with one of our Michigan dog bite attorneys about your case, feel free to call us anytime at (800) 606-1717 or simply submit this contact form and we will get back to you quickly.

A Hillsdale drowning accident is believed to have caused the death of a Toledo man.  Michael Joel Snyder, 21, was in a canoe on Lake Wilson, southwest of Hillsdale when the canoe capsized on October 25, 2008.  Lee Hineline, 43, of Westerville, Ohio, was also in the canoe, but he held onto the boat until it could be pulled to the shore.  A woman who was in a separate canoe jumped into the lake in an attempt to save Michael Snyder, but she was not successful.  Police still have not recovered Michael Snyder’s body, but he is presumed drowned.  Alcohol is believed to be a factor according to the Hillsdale County Sheriff’s Office.

This is a very tragic accident, especially because Michael Snyder is such a young man.  I feel terrible for his family and I want to express my sympathy for their loss.

My law firm represents individuals who have been injured or killed in accidents similar to this one.  Frequently, I meet with individuals who do not know what their legal options are.  I always take the time to fully inform them of all their options.  For example, in an accident like this one, the family may be able to file a lawsuit for wrongful death.  They could sue the people organizing the canoe trip, a canoeing rental company, the manufacturer of lifejacket if Michael Snyder was wearing one, or another person or entity.  It would just depend on facts of their case.  The best thing the family could do is speak with an experienced Michigan personal injury attorney to discuss their options.

For more information about Michigan drowning accident cases, visit our law firm web site at www.BuckfireLaw.com   If you would like to speak with one of our Michigan drowning accident attorneys about your case, feel free to call us anytime at (800) 606-1717 or simply submit this contact form and we will get back to you quickly.

Defamation is the publication of false statements that injure a person’s reputation and expose that person to public hatred, ridicule, contempt, or condemnation.  Defamation is often referred to as slander or libel.  In fact, both slander and libel refer to types of defamation cases.  Slander is a defamatory statement that was said aloud.  Libel is a defamatory statement that was printed or broadcast on the radio or television.

Defamation lawsuits are very difficult to win because the First Amendment protects the freedom of speech and courts have set up complicated rules for determining whether any particular statement is defamatory.  For instance, if a statement is true, it is not defamatory, since truth is an absolute defense to a defamation lawsuit.  In addition, courts frequently require the statement be malicious, which means the statement arose from ill will or hatred instead of being a joke or innocent comment. 

Even though it is difficult to win a defamation lawsuit, an experienced defamation lawyer can help you evaluate whether you should bring a lawsuit against someone who may have defamed you.  Your decision will often depend on what kind of statement the person you want to sue has made.  Statements that can give rise to successful lawsuit tend to include:

• Statements that claim a person has committed a crime
• Statements which impute the presence of an infectious or “loathsome” disease, such as a sexually transmitted disease
• Statements which injure a person with respect to his or her business, trade, or office
• Statements which impute a lack of moral dignity

For more information about Michigan defamation cases, visit our law firm web site at www.BuckfireLaw.com   If you would like to speak with one of our Michigan defamation attorneys about your case, feel free to call us anytime at (800) 606-1717 or simply submit this contact form and we will get back to you quickly.

A pulmonary embolism is a condition that occurs when the pulmonary artery becomes blocked.  In most cases, the blockage is caused by blood clots that originate in the legs or arms and then travel to the pulmonary artery, which is located by the lungs.  Although pulmonary embolisms are not necessarily fatal, the number of deaths they cause is increasing, and they are already the leading cause of hospital deaths.

Pulmonary embolisms can vary greatly depending on the amount of blockage and its location in the body, but common symptoms include:

• Sudden shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Coughing up blood or blood-spotted mucus
• Rapid heartbeat
• Wheezing
• Leg swelling
• Clammy skin
• Excessive sweating
• Anxiety
• Weak pulse
• Lightheadedness and fainting
• Fever

If you experience any of these symptoms, you may be suffering from a pulmonary embolism.  Doctors are trained to recognize these symptoms and make the proper diagnosis.  If they fail to diagnose a pulmonary embolism, their negligence can lead to a heart attack or even death.  This kind of negligence could certainly give rise to a valid medical malpractice lawsuit.

If you would like more information about your rights in a medical malpractice case, you can order our FREE book “The Ultimate Michigan Medical Malpractice Handbook” by clicking on the book title.  We will send it out immediately along with other important information. 

For more information about Michigan medical malpractice cases, visit our law firm web site at www.BuckfireLaw.com   If you would like to speak with one of our Michigan medical malpractice attorneys about your case, feel free to call us anytime at (800) 606-1717 or simply submit this contact form and we will get back to you quickly.

The Michigan wrongful death lawyers at Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. just settled a major case for one of our clients.  In this case, a man was attempting to push a car out of a snow bank when he was hit by a truck.  Unfortunately, he was killed by the truck.  His wife called our law firm after a coworker told her about one of our wrongful death lawyers.

Listen to what she has to say about how Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. handled her case.

For more information about Michigan wrongful death cases, visit our law firm web site at www.BuckfireLaw.com.  If you would like to speak with one of our Michigan wrongful death attorneys about your case, feel free to call us anytime at (800) 606-1717 or simply submit this contact form and we will get back to you quickly.