Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Bonne Terre, MO

Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Bonne Terre, MO. We love our pet dogs and may even go so far as to call them family members or honorary coworkers. A lot of us have pet dogs in Bonne Terre, MO and we get a lot of joy from spending time with them. However, dogs are still animals and do not have the ability to verbally communicate to us how they feel or what they are thinking. When a dog bites for whatever reason — they felt unsafe, were sick or in pain or were otherwise spurred to act on their instinct to attack — and you are hurt, you should be compensated. There are Bonne Terre and Missouri laws in place and many things responsible pet owners can do to mitigate the risk of an attack, but dog bites and dog bite injuries still happen in Bonne Terre, MO. When it happens to you or a loved one, we hare here to help you recover fair compensation.

If your or someone you love has been harmed by a dog that bit, contact Combs Waterkotte today at (314) 900-HELP. Our Bonne Terre, MO dog bite injury lawyers represent each case with compassion and fervor. You did nothing to deserve to be injured and you should not have to suffer the consequences on your own. Missouri law provides a path for you to recover full compensation for the damages and losses you have suffered because of the attack, but for a chance to collect a fair settlement, you will likely need an experienced Bonne Terre, MO dog bite injury lawyer fighting by your side. Our team of competitive attorneys have the skills and resources to get you full compensation that will restore you after been harmed. Review your Bonne Terre, MO case with Combs Waterkotte for free today. Start by contacting us now.

What compensation can I get with the help of a dog bite injury lawyer in Bonne Terre, MO?

Every dog bite injury case in the Bonne Terre, MO area is unique and you are likely to have a number of questions running through your mind after being injured by a dog. The amount in damages you could recover in your Bonne Terre, MO dog bite case ranges anywhere from $10,000 for minor but evident injuries to well over $100,000 for bites that cause severe, permanent damage and costly medical bills. However, to truly understand what kind of settlement you can recover for your Bonne Terre, MO dog bite case, speak to a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Bonne Terre, MO about your case. Your compensation depends, in addition to other factors, on how extensive and debilitating your injuries and other damages are.

Types of damages available in a dog bite injury case in Bonne Terre, MO include:

The final dollar amount you collect is determined by a combination of a variety of factors, including whether you hire an experienced Bonne Terre, MO lawyer. Remember that a dog bite injury lawyer in Bonne Terre, MO like a member of the Combs Waterkotte team will only agree to represent you if they can add value to your case and help you recover more than you could by yourself. This also takes into account our contingency-fee model, which means that Combs Waterkotte will not bill you for anything unless your Bonne Terre, MO dog bite injury lawyer wins your case. At that point, we accept payment through a percentage of your total settlement once you receive your payment. That means our experienced dog bite injury lawyers in the Bonne Terre, MO area provide quality legal support at no out-of-pocket costs to you. You have nothing to lose by contacting our Bonne Terre, MO dog bite injury lawyer team about your case to find out if we can help.

How much is my case worth if I hire a dog bite injury lawyer in Bonne Terre, MO?

The average dog bite injury settlement is about $40,000 for a “severe but typical dog bite injury”, while dog bites that leave disfiguring scars settle for closer to $100,000 and dog bites that result in permanent disability can result in settlements of over $200,000.

While we wish we could promise an exact number, these averages do not guarantee anything in your particular case. Because your recovery depends on the unique circumstances and characteristics of your individual case, you need to speak to a dog bite injury lawyer in Bonne Terre, MO. Trust the Bonne Terre, MO dog bite attorneys of Combs Waterkotte and contact us to review your dog bite injury case now.

Factors That Affect Your Settlement in a Dog Bite Case

The settlement you receive in your dog bite case depends on factors like:

• The dog bite leaves visible scarring or disfigurement.
• Your injuries have caused permanent disability.
• Your dog bite injuries necessitated emergency medical attention.
• Your injuries require you to undergo surgery or receive other extensive medical care.
• You suffered psychological harm from the dog bite incident that required professional mental health treatment.

When you hire Combs Waterkotte, your Bonne Terre, MO dog bite injury lawyer will remain committed to investigating and proving the statements above that apply in your case. We put the full weight of our resources behind obtaining evidence, examining liability and building an infallible case to make sure you get an excellent result in your Bonne Terre, MO dog bite injury claim.

Beyond the situation surrounding the accident and the extent of your injuries, the total recovery your Bonne Terre, MO dog bite injury lawyer can get you is also related to other factors, such as:

• Who is liable for the dog bite
• The liable party’s insurance coverage policy limits
• The sum of the economic damages you have suffered as a result of the bite, including the cost of your medical bills
• How your dog bite injury lawyer assesses and calculates the value of your non-economic damages
• How effectively your dog bite injury lawyer negotiates and how resistant the defendant is

Average settlements in dog bite attacks and other personal injury cases are around three times higher for victims who hire a dog bite injury lawyer to represent them in their claim than for plaintiffs in dog bite cases who attempt to reach a settlement on their own. Find out if Combs Waterkotte can help you collect a higher, more just settlement in your Bonne Terre, MO dog bite case by calling us at (314) 900-HELP today to ask an experienced Bonne Terre, MO dog bite injury lawyer about your case.

Bonne Terre, MO Dog Bite Injury Lawyer: Determining Who Is Liable

In order to settle your case at a sum that makes you whole after being harmed in a dog bite incident, you will need a dog bite injury lawyer in Bonne Terre, MO you can trust to help you determine who to file a claim against and who, in turn, is responsible for your damages.

The idea of liability in a dog bite or any personal injury case has to do with who is responsible for your losses. With a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Bonne Terre, MO, you have a professional who knows Missouri law and has first-hand experience with a variety of situations regarding liability in personal injury cases including dog bite injuries. We will make sure we hold the right people accountable and make sure they pay for the damages you have experienced.

In Missouri, Revised Statute Section 273.036 puts into effect a practice of strict liability in dog bite injury cases. Strict liabillity is a legal policy that names a party accountable — in this case, the dog owner — regardless of fault or intention. In application, it means that your Bonne Terre, MO dog bite injury attorney does not necessarily have to prove that the owner of the dog that bit you was negligent or that they intentionally allowed the dog to attack you. In your Missouri dog bite injury case, you only need to show that you were injured and that the owner’s dog bit you. In more certain terms, the Missouri statute lays out that the Bonne Terre or Missouri dog bite owner is liable for your injuries if:

• you were injured by a dog bite;
• you were on the property lawfully when you were bitten (in other words, you were not trespassing); and
• you did not provoke the dog to attack.

If you were bitten by a dog that you did not provoke and you were not trespassing, your Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Bonne Terre, MO will work to get you a fair recovery in your strict liability claim against the owner of the dog, and typically it is the dog owner’s homeowners or renters insurance that will cover the cost of your damages. However, you may have claims against other parties under other types of liability standards, too.

• Negligence: You may have a negligence claim if a person was negligent, either in their actions or failure to act, in upholding their duty of care to you. Someone who lets their dog roam the neighborhood freely or fails to crate their anxious dog when they are expecting visitors to their home could be considered negligent and your Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer will diligently hold them accountable in a negligence claim. A property owner or landlord could be partly liable for your injuries in they knew or should have known about a broken latch on the gate to a normally fenced-in yard and failed to fix it, allowing a dog to get out and attack.
• Negligence per se: Negligence per se refers to liability that is assigned automatically through the act of breaking a law. Rather than proving that the defendant did not act with care as a reasonable person would, your Bonne Terre, MO dog bite lawyer proves that the person is liable for your injuries by default because they broke a law that was meant to protect you. For example, some cities and municipalities have laws in place mandating that people keep dogs on leashes while off their own property or prohibit dogs from being on others’ properties without permission from the property owner. If the person in possession of the dog violated one of these rules and their dog bit you, ask your attorney about a possible case of negligence per se.

Who is responsible for my dog bite injury?

Because of the possibility of additional claims of negligence beyond the strict liability statute in Missouri, it is possible that you have other cases against other defendants in addition to the owner of the dog. Depending on considerations such as who was involved, where the bite occurred, and how the parties behaved, your dog bite injury lawyer in Bonne Terre, MO may identify additional responsible defendants in your Bonne Terre, MO dog bite case, such as:

• Landlords
• Stores
• Employers
• Government organizations
• Dog walkers
• Businesses where dogs are present, such as pet stores, dog daycare facilities, etc.

If you or a loved one were bitten by a dog but you believe that someone beyond the owner is to blame, or that the owner has more blame than strict liability accounts for, act right away and speak to a dog bite injury lawyer in Bonne Terre, MO about your case as soon as possible. Combs Waterkotte is equipped with a team of exceptional Bonne Terre, MO dog bite injury attorneys willing to fight for your recovery and hold the right parties accountable. You did not deserve to be attacked or harmed, and you should be allowed to recover through all legal remedies available to you under Missouri law. The legal team at Combs Waterkotte will get you a just recovery. Call us now at (314) 900-HELP.

Our Bonne Terre, MO attorneys can help you seek justice in any type of personal injury or criminal case. Some of our practice area specialties include:

Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Bonne Terre, Missouri: Talk to a Lawyer Now

After facing the unexpected tragedy of a dog bite injury, a dog bite injury lawyer in Bonne Terre, MO with Combs Waterkotte will work hard to bring you justice. A dog bite can be quite traumatic, and the physical and psychological injuries it leaves can have a significant impact on your life. You have a chance to receive the recovery you deserve by consulting with an accomplished Bonne Terre, MO dog bite injury lawyer today.

As your dog bite injury lawyer, we make it our mission to secure just compensation for you when a life-changing incident such as a dog attack causes you harm. After being bitten and injured by a dog, call Combs Waterkotte right away at (314) 900-HELP or send us a message to discover how we can help you with your case.