Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Foristell, MO
Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Foristell, MO. Dogs are beloved pets and, to some, even considered family members or honorary coworkers. A lot of us have dogs at home in Foristell, MO and interacting with any dog can bring us a lot of joy. However, dogs are still animals and cannot communicate with us verbally. 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 given a recovery. There are Foristell 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 Foristell, 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 injured in a dog bite incident, contact Combs Waterkotte today at (314) 900-HELP. Our Foristell, MO dog bite injury lawyers represent 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. Our laws in Missouri offer you a path for recourse to recover full compensation for the full extent of the losses you have experienced because of the attack, but for a chance to receive a fair settlement, you are going to need help from a skilled Foristell, MO dob bite injury lawyer. 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 Foristell, MO case with Combs Waterkotte today in a complementary consultation today. Begin your recovery by contacting us now.
What compensation can I get with the help of a dog bite injury lawyer in Foristell, MO?
Each dog bite injury case in the Foristell, MO area is unique and it is normal 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 Foristell, MO dog bite case ranges anywhere from $10,000 in bites that cause minor but demonstrable injuries to more than $100,000 for bites that result in significant, permanent damage and costly medical bills. Remember, though, that to find out what kind of settlement you can recover in your Foristell, MO dog bite claim, speak to a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Foristell, 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 your Foristell, MO dog bite injury case 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 many variables, including whether you hire an experienced Foristell, MO lawyer. It is important to note that a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Foristell, 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 by yourself. This includes the contingency-fee-basis on which we operate, which means that your Combs Waterkotte Foristell, MO dog bite injury lawyer will not charge you anything unless we win 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 Foristell, MO area provide quality legal support at no out-of-pocket costs to you. You have nothing to lose by contacting our Foristell, 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 Foristell, MO?
The average dog bite injury settlement is about $40,000 for a “severe but typical dog bite injury”, while dog bites that cause permanent scarring and disfigurement could bring closer to $100,000 and permanent disabilities caused by dog bites can settle for over $200,000.
While we wish we could promise an exact number, these averages do not guarantee anything 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 Foristell, MO. Count on the Foristell, MO dog bite attorneys of Combs Waterkotte and ask us for a free review of your dog bite injury case now.
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.
- Your dog bite injuries necessitated emergency medical attention.
- You had to receive surgery or other significant medical treatments for your injuries.
- 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 Foristell, MO dog bite injury lawyer will investigate and prove without question. We dedicate our full resources to trracking down evidence, determining liability and building a strong argument to get you an excellent outcome in your Foristell, MO dog bite injury claim.
Beyond the situation surrounding the accident and the severity of your injuries, the total recovery your Foristell, 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 cost 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 victims who hire a dog bite injury lawyer to represent them in their claim than for those who attempt to settle their case without legal representation. Find out if Combs Waterkotte can help you collect a higher, more just settlement in your Foristell, MO dog bite case by calling us at (314) 900-HELP today to ask an experienced Foristell, MO dog bite injury lawyer about your case.
Foristell, MO Dog Bite Injury Lawyer: Determining 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 Foristell, 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 responsible for your losses. With a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Foristell, MO, you have a professional who is well-acquainted with Missouri law and has seen many different situations regarding 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 losses you have suffered.
In Missouri, Revised Statute Section 273.036 makes our state one that practices 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 their intention or whether there was fault. In application, it means that your Foristell, MO dog bite injury attorney does not need to demonstrate that the dog owner 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 that the owner’s dog bit you. In more certain terms, the Missouri statute lays out that the Foristell or Missouri dog bite owner is liable for your injuries if:
- you were injured by a dog bite;
- you were on public property or were on a private property legally (in other words, you were not trespassing); and
- you did nothing to 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 Foristell, 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 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 through an action or omission, 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 seen as negligent and your Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer can fight to hold them accountable in a negligence case. 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 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 Foristell, 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 ban dogs from being on others’ properties without the property owner’s permission. 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?
Because of the possibility of additional claims of negligence beyond the strict liability statute in Missouri, you may have a case against other parties other than the owner of the dog. Depending on the circumstances of the parties that were present, where the bite occurred, and how the parties behaved, your dog bite injury lawyer in Foristell, MO may build a case against other defendants in your Foristell, 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 someone you love were bitten by a dog but you believe that additional parties share the 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 Foristell, MO about your case as soon as possible. Combs Waterkotte is equipped with a dedicated team of talented Foristell, MO dog bite injury attorneys willing 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 Missouri law provides. Let Combs Waterkotte help you get a just recovery. Call us now at (314) 900-HELP.
Our Foristell, 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:
Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Foristell, 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 Foristell, MO with Combs Waterkotte will work hard to bring you justice. A dog bite can be quite traumatic, often leaving you with lasting physical and mental scars that can affect your life in profound, unrelenting ways. Give yourself a chance to be made whole again by consulting with an accomplished Foristell, 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 as soon as possible at (314) 900-HELP or send us a message to learn how we can help you with your case.