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Pacific, MO

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Posted by Emily Herr on March 23, 2022

Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Pacific, MO

Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Pacific, MO. Dogs are beloved pets and, to some, even considered family members or honorary coworkers. Many of us have dogs at home in Pacific, MO and interacting with any dog can bring us a lot of joy. However, dogs are still 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 given a recovery. There are Pacific 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 Pacific, 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 injured in a dog bite incident, contact Combs Waterkotte today at (314) 900-HELP. Our Pacific, MO dog bite injury lawyers represent each case with compassion and fervor. You did nothing to 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 recover full compensation for the damages and losses you have suffered because of the attack, but in order to receive a fair settlement, you are going to need help from a skilled Pacific, MO dob bite injury lawyer. Our team of competitive attorneys have the experience and resources to get you full compensation that will restore you after been harmed. Discuss your Pacific, MO case with Combs Waterkotte today in a complementary consultation today. Start by reaching us now.

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

Each dog bite injury case in the Pacific, MO area is unique and it is normal to experience anxiety and uncertainly about your case after a dog hurts you. The value of a dog bite claim in Pacific, MO could be anywhere from $10,000 for minor but demonstrable injuries to easily over $100,000 for bites that cause significant, permanent damage and expensive medical bills. However, to find out the possible settlement amount you can recover in your Pacific, MO dog bite injuries, speak to a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Pacific, 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 Pacific, 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 final dollar amount you collect is determined by a combination of a variety of variables, including whether or not you hire a lawyer in Pacific, MO. It is important to note that a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Pacific, MO will not take on your case unless we can add value, meaning we will not agree to work for you unless we believe we can help you recover more money than you would be able to recover on your own. This includes the contingency-fee-basis on which we operate, which means that Combs Waterkotte will not bill you for anything unless your Pacific, 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 Pacific, MO area provide quality legal support at no out-of-pocket costs to you. You have nothing to lose by contacting our Pacific, 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 Pacific, 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 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.

Unfortunately, these numbers are not guarantees for your particular case outcome. Because your recovery depends on the unique circumstances and characteristics of your individual case, it is important that you speak to a dog bite injury lawyer in Pacific, MO. Count on the Pacific, MO dog bite attorneys of Combs Waterkotte and ask us for a free review of your dog bite injury case today.

Factors That Affect the Value of 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.
  • 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.

These are all facts of your case that your Combs Waterkotte Pacific, MO dog bite injury lawyer will investigate and prove without question. We dedicate our full resources to collecting evidence, evaluating liability and building a strong argument to get you an excellent result in your Pacific, MO dog bite injury claim.

Beyond the situation surrounding the accident and the extent of your injuries, the total compensation your Pacific, MO dog bite injury lawyer can secure for you will also depend on other factors, such as:

  • What party or parties are 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 expenses
  • 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 personal injury claims like dog attacks are around three times higher for victims who hire a dog bite injury lawyer to represent them in their claim than for those who try to reach a settlement without legal representation. Find out if Combs Waterkotte can help you collect a higher, more just settlement in your Pacific, MO dog bite case by calling us at (314) 900-HELP today to go over your case with a knowledgeable Pacific, MO dog bite injury lawyer.

Pacific, MO Dog Bite Injury Lawyer: Determining Who Is Liable

To receive a complete settlement that makes you whole after being harmed in a dog bite incident, you will need to work with your Pacific, MO dog bite injury lawyer to 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 has to do with who is at fault for your damages. A knowledgeable dog bite injury lawyer in Pacific, MO with Combs Waterkotte knows Missouri law and has first-hand experience with a variety of 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 losses 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 assigns legal accountability to a party — in this case, the dog owner — irrespective of their intention or whether there was fault. In application, it means that your Pacific, MO dog bite injury attorney does not need to prove that the dog owner 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 Pacific 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 not trespassing and a dog bit you unprovoked, your Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Pacific, 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 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 through an action or omission, in upholding their duty of care to you. Someone who allows a dog to run free through the neighborhood unsupervised or fails to crate their anxious dog when strangers or children visit their home could be seen as negligent and your Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer will diligently 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 is when a party is legally liable by the act of breaking a law. Rather than proving that the defendant did not act with care as a reasonable person would, your Pacific, 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, certain 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 broke one of these rules and their dog bit you, you may have a case of negligence per se.

Who is responsible for my dog bite injury?

Because of the possibility of additional claims of negligence beyond Missouri’s strict liability policy, it is possible that you have other cases against other parties other than the owner of the dog. Depending on considerations such as the parties that were involved, where the bite happened, and how the parties behaved, your dog bite injury lawyer in Pacific, MO may identify additional responsible parties in your Pacific, 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 have been injured in a dog bite incident but you believe that someone beyond the owner is to blame, or that the owner has more blame than strict liability accounts for, take the first step toward your recovery and speak to a dog bite injury lawyer in Pacific, MO about your case as soon as possible. Combs Waterkotte is equipped with a dedicated team of talented Pacific, MO dog bite injury attorneys ready to fight for your recovery and make the right parties pay. You did not deserve to be attacked or harmed, and you should be made whole through all avenues of compensation available to you under Missouri law. The legal team at Combs Waterkotte will get you the recovery you deserve. Call us now at (314) 900-HELP.

Our Pacific, MO attorneys have the skill and experience necessary to bring you justice in any type of personal injury or criminal case. The types of cases we take on include but are not limited to:

    Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Pacific, Missouri: Hire a Lawyer Now

    After facing the unexpected tragedy of a dog bite injury, a dog bite injury lawyer in Pacific, 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 have a significant impact on your life. You have a chance to be made whole again by consulting with an accomplished Pacific, 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 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 learn how we can help you with your case.

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