Can I sue for being shot or stabbed in Michigan?
Often, yes. Michigan property owners owe a duty to take reasonable steps to protect people on their premises from foreseeable crime. When a business or landlord ignores a known danger and someone is shot or stabbed as a result, Michigan law can hold the owner financially responsible — through a negligent-security claim. You are not suing for the crime itself; you are suing the property owner for the security failures that made a foreseeable attack possible. This is separate from any criminal case against the attacker.
How Michigan decides if a crime was “foreseeable”
Michigan law is comparatively narrow here (MacDonald v. PKT): a premises owner generally has no duty to anticipate or prevent a third party’s crime, and its duty is limited to reasonably responding to an ongoing situation on the premises that threatens an identifiable person — typically by promptly contacting police. A generalized ‘high-crime area’ theory is usually not enough, which is exactly why experienced counsel matters in a Michigan case.
Deadlines in Michigan
- Negligence / personal injury: generally three years from the date of the incident from the date of the incident.
- Wrongful death: generally three years from the date of death.
Evidence like surveillance footage disappears fast, so it’s important to act quickly.
Fault sharing in Michigan
Michigan reduces economic damages by your share of fault with no bar, but bars non-economic damages if you are more than 50% at fault.
What you can recover
Michigan does not cap compensatory damages in a premises / negligent-security case (its caps apply only to medical malpractice and product liability). For families, a wrongful-death claim can recover funeral costs and the loss of support and companionship.
Why Michigan victims choose The Haggard Law Firm
The firm has handled nearly 500 negligent-security cases nationwide and secured the largest negligent-security verdict in U.S. history ($102.7 million). We help Michigan crime victims and their families with no fee unless we win.
How we handle a Michigan case — working with local counsel
The Haggard Law Firm is based in Coral Gables, Florida, and Michael A. Haggard is licensed to practice law in Florida. Mr. Haggard is not licensed in Michigan. Negligent security and crime-victim litigation is the firm’s core focus, and because of the national reputation the firm has built in this specific area, Mr. Haggard regularly works on Michigan cases as co-counsel with a locally licensed Michigan attorney, seeking admission pro hac vice (for the individual case) where the court’s rules permit. Any Michigan matter would be handled together with local counsel admitted in Michigan.
If you were shot, stabbed, or lost a loved one to a preventable crime in Michigan, you can still reach out to us directly. We will review your case for free and, where appropriate, associate with a qualified Michigan attorney to pursue it.
This page is attorney advertising and general information only; it is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Michael A. Haggard is licensed in Florida. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sue for being shot in Michigan?
Often, yes. If you were shot on a Michigan property that failed to provide reasonable security against a foreseeable risk, you may be able to sue the property owner for negligent security — separately from any criminal case against the shooter. Michigan generally imposes no duty to anticipate third-party crime; the owner's duty is to respond reasonably (such as calling police) to an ongoing, identifiable threat (MacDonald v. PKT). A free case review will tell you whether you have a claim.
Can I sue if I was stabbed on someone's property in Michigan?
Possibly. A stabbing on a Michigan property with inadequate security is handled the same way as a shooting — if the attack was foreseeable and the owner failed to provide reasonable security, the owner may be liable. The claim is against the property owner, not only the attacker.
How long do I have to file a negligent-security claim in Michigan?
Generally three years from the date of the incident from the date of the incident for a negligence claim, and three years from the date of death for wrongful death. Confirm your specific deadline with a lawyer quickly.
Is Michael Haggard licensed to practice in Michigan?
Mr. Haggard is licensed in Florida, not in Michigan. Because negligent-security litigation is his firm's core focus and the firm has a national profile in these cases, he regularly serves as co-counsel with a locally licensed Michigan attorney and, where the court permits, appears pro hac vice for the individual case. You can contact the firm directly, and where appropriate it will associate with qualified local counsel in Michigan.
How does Michigan decide if a property owner is liable?
Michigan generally imposes no duty to anticipate third-party crime; the owner's duty is to respond reasonably (such as calling police) to an ongoing, identifiable threat (MacDonald v. PKT). If the crime was foreseeable and the owner failed to provide reasonable security, they can be held responsible.
What does it cost to hire the firm?
Nothing up front. We work on contingency — no attorney's fees unless we recover compensation for you.