Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Des Peres, MO
Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Des Peres, MO. Dogs are beloved pets and, to some, even considered family members or honorary coworkers. Many of us have pet dogs in Des Peres, MO and we get a lot of joy from spending time with them. However, dogs are animals and cannot communicate with us verbally. 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 Des Peres 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 occur in Des Peres, MO. When you or someone you know becomes the victim of a dog bite, we hare here to help you recover fair compensation.
If your or your family member has been harmed by a dog that bit, call Combs Waterkotte today at (314) 900-HELP. Our Des Peres, MO dog bite injury lawyers represent each case with compassion and fervor. You did not deserve to be injured and it would be unjust to leave you to suffer the consequences on your own. Our laws in Missouri offer you a path for recourse to collect a complete financial recovery for the full extent of the losses you have suffered as a result of the attack, but in order to collect a fair settlement, you will likely need a reputable Des Peres, MO dog bite injury lawyer fighting by your side. Our team of competitive attorneys have the skills and resources to make sure you are made whole again and allowed to move forward from this experience. Review your Des Peres, MO case with Combs Waterkotte today in a complementary consultation today. Start by contacting us now.
What compensation can my Des Peres, MO dog bite injury lawyer help me receive?
Every Des Peres, MO dog bite injury claim is unique and you are likely to have a number of questions running through your mind after a dog hurts you. The amount in damages you could recover in your Des Peres, MO dog bite case ranges anywhere from $10,000 for minor but demonstrable injuries to easily over $100,000 for bites that cause more serious, lasting damage and costly medical care. However, to truly understand the possible settlement amount you can expect to receive for your Des Peres, MO dog bite claim, speak to a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Des Peres, MO about your case. Your compensation depends, in addition to other factors, on the extent of the damages or losses you have experienced.
Damages you can recover in a dog bite injury case in Des Peres, MO include:
- Medical costs
- Ambulance bill
- Emergency room fees
- Hospital stay costs
- Doctors’ bills
- Surgery
- Treatment costs
- Prescriptions
- Physical therapy, chiropractic, and other outpatient care
- Mental health counseling
- Physical pain
- Emotional and psychological suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Lost wages
- Lost future earning capacity
- Loss of benefits
The total sum you recover depends greatly on many factors, including whether or not you hire a lawyer in Des Peres, MO. Remember that a dog bite injury lawyer in Des Peres, 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 on your own. This also takes into account the contingency-fee-basis on which we operate, which means that Combs Waterkotte will not bill you for anything unless your Des Peres, 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 Des Peres, MO area provide quality legal support at no out-of-pocket costs to you. There is no reason not to speak to our Des Peres, MO dog bite injury lawyer team about your case to find out if we can help.
How much can I get for my case with a dog bite injury lawyer in Des Peres, MO?
On average, a victim in a dog bite injury case can recover about $40,000 for a “severe but typical dog bite injury”, while dog bites that cause permanent scarring and disfigurement settle for closer to $100,000 and dog bites that result in permanent disability can settle for over $200,000.
Unfortunately, these numbers are not guarantees in your particular case. In order to understand the complexities of your unique case and learn what to expect from your recovery, it is important that you talk to a dog bite injury lawyer in Des Peres, MO about your case. Count on the Des Peres, MO dog bite attorneys of Combs Waterkotte and ask us to review your dog bite injury case today.
Factors That Affect Your Settlement in a Dog Bite Case
Factors related to the dog bite that can affect the value of your claim include:
- You have scarring or are disfigured as a result of the dog bite.
- The dog bite has made you permanently disabled.
- You need emergency medical care due to your dog bite injuries.
- 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.
These are all facts of your case that your Combs Waterkotte Des Peres, MO dog bite injury lawyer will work diligently to get to the bottom of and prove. We dedicate our full resources to trracking down evidence, examining liability and building an infallible case to get you an excellent result in your Des Peres, MO dog bite injury claim.
In addition to the circumstances of the accident and the severity of your injuries, the total sum your Des Peres, MO dog bite injury lawyer can get you is also related to other factors, such as:
- What party or parties are liable for the dog bite
- The liable party’s insurance coverage policy limits
- The total economic losses you have suffered as a result of the bite, including the total cost of all of your medical bills
- How your dog bite injury lawyer assesses and calculates your non-economic damages
- How effectively your dog bite injury lawyer negotiates and how resistant the defendant is
On average, settlements in personal injury claims like dog attacks are around three times higher for victims who hire a dog bite injury lawyer for representation than for those who attempt to settle their case on their own. Discover how Combs Waterkotte can help you collect a higher, more just settlement for your Des Peres, MO dog bite injuries by calling us at (314) 900-HELP today to go over your case with a knowledgeable Des Peres, MO dog bite injury lawyer.
Des Peres, MO Dog Bite Injury Lawyer: Determining Who Is Liable
In order to receive a complete settlement that can help you move forward in life after the losses you have suffered following a dog bite incident, you will need a dog bite injury lawyer in Des Peres, MO you can trust to help you determine who to file a claim against and who, in turn, is responsible for your damages.
Liability in a dog bite or any personal injury case describes who is at fault for your damages. With a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Des Peres, MO, you have a professional who knows Missouri law and has first-hand experience with a variety of situations related to liability in personal injury cases including dog bite injuries. We help you hold the right people accountable and make sure they pay for the losses you have experienced.
In Missouri, Revised Statute Section 273.036 makes our state one that practices strict liability in dog bite injury cases. Strict liabillity assigns legal accountability to a party — in this case, the dog owner — regardless of fault or intention. That means that your Des Peres, MO dog bite injury attorney does not necessarily have to prove that the owner of the dog that bit you was negligent or had the dog attack you on purpose. In your Missouri dog bite injury case, all you need to prove is that you were injured and it was the owner’s dog that injured you. In more certain terms, the Missouri statute lays out that the Des Peres 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 Des Peres, MO will work to get you a fair recovery in your strict liability claim against the owner of the dog, and most of the time it is the dog owner’s homeowners or renters insurance that pays out the settlement for 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 their duty to keep you safe. Someone who lets their dog roam the neighborhood freely or does not put their large, aggressive dog away when strangers or children visit their home could be seen as negligent and your Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer can fight to hold them accountable in a negligence claim. If a property owner or landlord was aware of but neglected to fix a broken fence and a tenant’s dog got out of the property and bit someone, the landlord may be negligent.
- Negligence per se: Negligence per se refers to liability that is assigned automatically through the act of breaking a law. Rather than comparing the defendant’s behavior to that of a reasonable person in the same situation, your Des Peres, MO dog bite lawyer proves that the defendant is liable for your injuries because of the simple fact that they broke a law that was meant to keep you safe. For example, some towns and municipalities have laws that require owners to keep their dogs on leashes or prohibit dogs from being on others’ properties without the property owner’s permission. If the person in possession of the dog broke one of these rules and that 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 potential for negligence claims outside of the strict liability statute in Missouri, you may have a case against other parties in addition to the owner of the dog. Depending on considerations such as who was present, where the bite happened, and how the parties behaved, your dog bite injury lawyer in Des Peres, MO may identify additional responsible parties in your Des Peres, 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 someone you love were bitten by a dog and you suspect 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 Des Peres, MO about your case as soon as possible. Combs Waterkotte has a team of exceptional Des Peres, MO dog bite injury attorneys willing to fight for your recovery and make the right parties pay. You did nothing to deserve being attacked by a dog, and you should be made whole through all legal remedies Missouri law provides. The legal team at Combs Waterkotte will get you the recovery you deserve. Call us now at (314) 900-HELP.
Our Des Peres, MO attorneys can help you seek justice in any type of personal injury or criminal case. The types of cases we take on include but are not limited to:
- Gun Crime Lawyer
- Child Abuse & Neglect Lawyer
- Homicide Lawyer
- Assault Lawyer
- Rape Defense Lawyer
- Sex Offense Lawyers
- DWI Attorney
- Crime Defense Lawyers
- Domestic Violence Defense Attorneys
- Child Pornography Defense Lawyer
Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Des Peres, Missouri: Talk to a Lawyer Today
When you or a loved one are suddenly thrown off course by way of an unexpected dog bite injury, a dog bite injury lawyer in Des Peres, MO with Combs Waterkotte will work hard to bring you justice. A dog bite is usually a traumatic experience, and the physical and psychological injuries it leaves can affect your life in profound, unrelenting ways. Give yourself a chance to be made whole again by speaking to an accomplished Des Peres, 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 as soon as possible at (314) 900-HELP or send us a message to discover how we can help you with your case.