Michigan Dog Owner Wins Lawsuit Over Bite, Severed Finger

An Upper Peninsula man who wanted straw says he ended up with a knee injury and a severed finger, all related to a dog bite. Three years later, the Michigan appeals court says it’s not the owner’s fault.

The court agreed with a Menominee County judge who dismissed a lawsuit against Joseph Grinsteiner.

Dale Tieman says a dog bit him after he pulled into Grinsteiner’s driveway in 2008 hoping to buy straw. Tieman says he also hurt his knee while turning away.

Weeks later, Tieman says he severed a finger when the bad knee gave out while using a router. He claims it’s all related to the dog bite. But the appeals court says Tieman wasn’t invited to the home and the owner had no obligation to leash the dog.