Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Harvester, MO
Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Harvester, MO. Dogs are beloved pets and, to some, even considered members of our family or fellow staff members. Many of us have dogs at home in Harvester, MO and interacting with any dog can bring us a lot of joy. However, dogs are still animals and do not have the ability to verbally communicate to us how they feel or what they are thinking. Whether they felt threatened, were sick or for one reason or another were prompted to act on their instincts to attack, when a dog bites you, you should be compensated. There are Harvester 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 Harvester, MO. When you or someone you know becomes the victim of a dog bite, it is our job to help you recover fair compensation.
If your or someone you love has been harmed by a dog that bit, call Combs Waterkotte today at (314) 900-HELP. Our Harvester, MO dog bite injury lawyers handle each case fervently and with great care and dedication. You did not deserve to be injured and it would be unjust to leave you to suffer the consequences on your own. Missouri law provides a path for you to collect a complete financial recovery for the full extent of the losses you have suffered because of your injuries, but for a chance to receive a fair settlement, you will likely need a skilled Harvester, MO dog bite injury lawyer standing by you. Our team of competitive attorneys have the experience and resources to make sure you are made whole again and allowed to move forward from this experience. Review your Harvester, MO case with Combs Waterkotte today in a complementary consultation today. Start by reaching us now.
What compensation can my Harvester, MO dog bite injury lawyer help me receive?
Every dog bite injury case in the Harvester, MO area is unique and you are likely to have a number of questions running through your mind after a dog hurts you. The value of a dog bite claim in Harvester, MO could be anywhere from $10,000 in bites that cause minor but evident injuries to well over $100,000 for bites that cause significant, long-term damage and costly medical care. However, to find out what kind of settlement you can recover for your Harvester, MO dog bite injuries, you must speak to a qualified St. Louis dog bite injury lawyer like the attorneys of Combs Waterkotte. Among other outside variables, the amount of compensation you can recovery depends on how extensive and debilitating your injuries and other damages are.
Damages you can recover in your Harvester, MO dog bite injury case include:
- Medical costs
- Ambulance bill
- Emergency room fees
- Hospital stay costs
- Doctors’ bills
- Surgery
- Costs of treatment
- 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 collect is determined by a combination of many variables, including whether or not you hire a lawyer in Harvester, MO. It is important to note that a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Harvester, MO 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 the contingency-fee-basis on which we operate, which means that Combs Waterkotte will not bill you for anything unless your Harvester, 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 Harvester, MO area offer our dedicated representation at no out-of-pocket costs to you. You have nothing to lose by contacting our Harvester, MO dog bite injury lawyer team to discuss your case and learn how we can help.
How much is my case worth if I hire a dog bite injury lawyer in Harvester, 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. 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 Harvester, MO about your case. Turn to the Harvester, MO dog bite attorneys of Combs Waterkotte and ask us for a free review of your dog bite injury case today.
Factors That Influence the Value of a Dog Bite Case
The settlement you receive in your dog bite case depends on factors like:
- You have scarring or are disfigured as a result of the dog bite.
- Your injuries have caused permanent disability.
- 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 required mental health treatment for the psychological injuries you suffered due to the dog bite.
When you hire Combs Waterkotte, your Harvester, MO dog bite injury lawyer will remain committed to investigating and proving the statements above that apply in your case. We dedicate our full resources to trracking down evidence, evaluating liability and building a strong argument to get you an excellent result in your Harvester, MO dog bite injury claim.
Beyond the situation surrounding the accident and the severity of your injuries, the total recovery your Harvester, MO dog bite injury lawyer can secure for you is also related to other factors, such as:
- Who is liable for the dog bite
- The insurance coverage policy limits
- The sum of the economic damages 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
Average settlements in dog bite attacks and other personal injury cases are around three times higher for plaintiffs who hire a dog bite injury lawyer for representation than for those who try to reach a settlement on their own. Discover how Combs Waterkotte can help you collect a higher, more just settlement for your Harvester, MO dog bite injuries by calling us at (314) 900-HELP today to go over your case with a knowledgeable Harvester, MO dog bite injury lawyer.
Harvester, MO Dog Bite Injury Lawyer: Determining Who Is Liable
To get a complete settlement that makes you whole after the losses you have suffered following a dog bite incident, you will need to work with your Harvester, MO dog bite injury lawyer to 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 at fault for your damages. With a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Harvester, MO, you have a professional who knows Missouri law and has seen many different situations related to liability in dog bites and other personal injury cases. We help you hold the right people accountable and make sure they pay for the damages you have suffered.
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 — irrespective of fault or intention. That means that your Harvester, MO dog bite injury attorney does not need to show 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, all you need to prove is that you were injured and that the owner’s dog bit you. In more certain terms, the Missouri statute lays out that the Harvester 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 nothing to provoke the dog to attack.
If you were not trespassing and a dog bit you unprovoked, your Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Harvester, MO can 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, there may be other types of liability and parties who are to blame for your dog bite injures, too.
- Negligence: You may have a negligence claim if a person was negligent, either through an action or omission, in upholding their duty of care to you. Someone who lets their dog roam the neighborhood freely or does not put their large, aggressive dog away when they are expecting visitors to their home could be seen as negligent and your Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer will diligently hold them accountable in a negligence case. 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 Harvester, MO dog bite lawyer proves that the person is liable for your injuries because of the simple fact that they broke a law that was meant to protect you. For example, some towns 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 that dog bit you, you may have a case of negligence per se.
Who is responsible for my dog bite injury?
Due to the possibility of additional claims of negligence outside of Missouri’s strict liability policy, you may have a case against other defendants in addition to the owner of the dog. Depending on considerations such as who was involved, where the bite happened, and what the parties in question did or did not do, your dog bite injury lawyer in Harvester, MO may build a case against other defendants in your Harvester, MO dog bite case, like:
- 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 have been injured in a dog bite incident and you suspect that someone beyond the owner is to blame, or that the owner has more blame than strict liability covers, act right away and speak to a dog bite injury lawyer in Harvester, MO about your case as soon as possible. Combs Waterkotte is equipped with a dedicated team of talented Harvester, MO dog bite injury attorneys ready to fight for your recovery and hold the right parties accountable. 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 Harvester, 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 Harvester, Missouri: Hire a Lawyer Now
After facing the unexpected tragedy of a dog bite injury, a dog bite injury lawyer in Harvester, MO with Combs Waterkotte will work hard to bring you justice. A dog bite is usually a traumatic experience, often leaving you with lasting physical and mental scars that can have a significant impact on your life. You have a chance to be made whole again by consulting with an accomplished Harvester, MO dog bite injury lawyer today.
As your dog bite injury lawyer, we are here to demand that you are justly compensated when a life-changing incident such as a dog attack causes you harm. After you or someone you love have been injured by a dog bite, call Combs Waterkotte right away at (314) 900-HELP or reach us online to discover how we can help you with your case.