Dog Bite Injury Lawyer St. Peters, MO
Dog Bite Injury Lawyer St. Peters, MO. We love our pet dogs and may even go so far as to call them family members or honorary coworkers. Many of us have pet dogs in St. Peters, MO and we get a lot of joy from spending time with them. However, dogs are 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 St. Peters 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 take place in St. Peters, 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, contact Combs Waterkotte today at (314) 900-HELP. Our St. Peters, MO dog bite injury lawyers handle 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 experienced as a result of the attack, but in order to receive just compensation, you will likely need a reputable St. Peters, MO dog bite injury lawyer standing by you. Our distinguished team of attorneys have the experience and resources to make sure you are made whole again and allowed to move forward from this experience. Review your St. Peters, MO case with Combs Waterkotte for free today. Start your recovery by contacting us now.
What compensation can I get with the help of a dog bite injury lawyer in St. Peters, MO?
Each St. Peters, MO dog bite injury claim is different and you are likely to experience anxiety and uncertainly about your case after being injured by a dog. The amount in damages you could recover in your St. Peters, MO dog bite case ranges anywhere from $10,000 for minor but demonstrable injuries to more than $100,000 for bites that result in significant, long-term damage and expensive medical bills. Remember, though, that to find out the possible settlement amount you can recover in your St. Peters, MO dog bite case, speak to a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in St. Peters, MO about your case. Among other details, 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 St. Peters, 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 final dollar amount you recover is determined by a combination of many variables, including whether or not you hire a lawyer in St. Peters, MO. It is important to note that a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in St. Peters, 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 also takes into account our contingency-fee model, which means that Combs Waterkotte will not bill you for anything unless your St. Peters, MO dog bite injury lawyer wins your case. Then, at the end of the case, we collect a percent of your full settlement. That means our experienced dog bite injury lawyers in the St. Peters, MO area work on your case at no out-of-pocket costs to you. You have nothing to lose by contacting our St. Peters, 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 St. Peters, 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 settle for 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 St. Peters, MO about your case. Turn to the St. Peters, MO dog bite attorneys of Combs Waterkotte and contact us for a free review of your dog bite injury case now.
Factors That Affect the Value of 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.
- The dog bite has made you permanently disabled.
- You need emergency medical care due to your dog bite injuries.
- You had to receive surgery or other significant medical treatments for your injuries.
- You suffered psychological harm from the dog bite incident that required professional mental health treatment.
When you hire Combs Waterkotte, your St. Peters, 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 obtaining evidence, examining liability and building an infallible argument to get you an excellent result in your St. Peters, MO dog bite injury claim.
Beyond the situation surrounding the accident and the severity of your injuries, the total sum your St. Peters, MO dog bite injury lawyer can get 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 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 dog bite attacks and other personal injury cases are around three times higher for victims who hire a dog bite injury lawyer for representation than for plaintiffs in dog bite cases who attempt to settle their case on their own. Discover how Combs Waterkotte can help you collect a higher, more just settlement in your St. Peters, MO dog bite case by reaching us at (314) 900-HELP today to ask an experienced St. Peters, MO dog bite injury lawyer about your case.
St. Peters, MO Dog Bite Injury Lawyer: Who Is Liable
To receive a complete settlement that can help you move forward in life after being harmed in a dog bite incident, you will need to work with your St. Peters, MO dog bite injury lawyer to figure out who is legally responsible for the damages you have suffered and, thus, who to hold accountable for your suffering.
The idea of 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 St. Peters, MO with Combs Waterkotte knows Missouri law and has seen many different situations related to liability in dog bites and other personal injury cases. We will make sure we 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 their intention or whether there was fault. That means that your St. Peters, MO dog bite injury attorney does not necessarily have to show that the owner of the dog that bit you was negligent or had the dog attack you on purpose. To win 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. Specifically, the Missouri statute lays out that the St. Peters or Missouri dog bite owner is legally responsible 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 St. Peters, MO will work to get you a fair settlement 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 their duty to keep you safe. Someone who allows a dog to run free through the neighborhood unsupervised 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 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 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 St. Peters, 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, 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 looking after or responsible for the dog broke 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 damages?
Due to the possibility of additional claims of negligence beyond the strict liability statute in Missouri, you may have a case against other defendants in addition to the owner of the dog. Depending on the circumstances of who was present, where the bite occurred, and what the parties in question did or did not do, your dog bite injury lawyer in St. Peters, MO may identify additional responsible parties in your St. Peters, MO dog bite case, like:
- Landlords
- Stores
- Employers
- Government organizations
- Dog walkers
- Places of business where dogs are present, such as pet stores, dog daycare facilities, etc.
If you or a loved one 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 covers, take the first step toward your recovery and speak to a dog bite injury lawyer in St. Peters, MO about your case as soon as possible. Combs Waterkotte is equipped with a dedicated team of talented St. Peters, 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 the recovery you deserve. Call us now at (314) 900-HELP.
Our St. Peters, MO attorneys have the skill and experience necessary to bring you justice in any type of personal injury or criminal case. Some of our practice area specialties include:
- 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 St. Peters, 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 St. Peters, MO with Combs Waterkotte can help you seek justice. A dog bite can be quite traumatic, and the physical and psychological injuries it leaves can have a significant impact on your life. Give yourself a chance to receive the recovery you deserve by consulting with an accomplished St. Peters, MO dog bite injury lawyer today.
As your dog bite injury lawyer, we make it our mission to secure just compensation for you after suffering the harm of something like a dog bite attack. After being bitten and injured by a dog, call Combs Waterkotte as soon as possible at (314) 900-HELP or reach us online to learn how we can help you with your case.