Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Wright City, MO
Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Wright City, MO. We love our pet dogs and may even go so far as to call them members of our family or fellow staff members. A lot of us have dogs at home in Wright City, 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. 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. Though we have a number of laws in Wright City and Missouri and recommendations responsible pet owners can follow to prevent dogs from attacking humans, but dog bites and dog bite injuries still occur in Wright City, MO. When it happens to you or a loved one, 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 Wright City, 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 deal with the consequences on your own. Missouri law provides a path for you to recover full compensation for the damages and losses you have experienced because of the attack, but in order to receive a fair settlement, you will likely need a reputable Wright City, MO dog bite injury lawyer fighting by your side. Our distinguished team of attorneys have the skills and resources to get you full compensation that will restore you after been harmed. Discuss your Wright City, MO case with Combs Waterkotte for free today. Begin your recovery by reaching us now.
What compensation can I get with the help of a dog bite injury lawyer in Wright City, MO?
Each dog bite injury case in the Wright City, 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 value of a dog bite claim in Wright City, MO could be anywhere from $10,000 in bites that cause minor but evident 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 expect to receive for your Wright City, MO dog bite case, speak to a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Wright City, MO about your case. Your compensation depends, in addition to other factors, on how extensive and debilitating your injuries and other damages are.
Types of damages available in your Wright City, MO dog bite injury case include:
- Medical expenses
- 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 depends greatly on many variables, including whether or not you hire a lawyer in Wright City, MO. Remember that a dog bite injury lawyer in Wright City, MO like a member of the Combs Waterkotte team 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 our contingency-fee model, which means that Combs Waterkotte will not bill you for anything unless your Wright City, 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 Wright City, MO area provide quality legal support at no out-of-pocket costs to you. There is no reason not to speak to our Wright City, 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 Wright City, 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 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. 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 Wright City, MO. Count on the Wright City, MO dog bite attorneys of Combs Waterkotte and contact us for a free review of your dog bite injury case today.
Factors That Affect the Value of a Dog Bite Case
The following factors determine the value of your case:
- 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 suffered psychological harm from the dog bite incident that required professional mental health treatment.
When you hire Combs Waterkotte, your Wright City, MO dog bite injury lawyer will remain committed to investigating and proving the statements above that apply in your case. We put the full weight of our resources behind obtaining evidence, evaluating liability and building an infallible argument to get you an excellent result in your Wright City, MO dog bite injury claim.
In addition to the situation surrounding the accident and the extent of your injuries, the total sum your Wright City, MO dog bite injury lawyer can secure for 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 cost of your medical bills
- How your dog bite injury lawyer calculates your non-economic damages
- The ability of your dog bite injury lawyer to negotiate a settlement for your case
Average settlements in personal injury claims like dog attacks are threefold for victims who hire a dog bite injury lawyer for representation than for plaintiffs in dog bite cases who try to settle their case without legal representation. Discover how Combs Waterkotte can help you collect a higher, more just settlement in your Wright City, MO dog bite case by reaching us at (314) 900-HELP today to go over your case with a knowledgeable Wright City, MO dog bite injury lawyer.
Wright City, MO Dog Bite Injury Lawyer: Who Is Liable
To settle your case at a sum that can help you move forward in life after being harmed in a dog bite incident, you will need a dog bite injury lawyer in Wright City, MO you can trust to help you figure out 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 describes who is responsible for your losses. With a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Wright City, 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 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 assigns legal accountability to a party — in this case, the dog owner — regardless of their intention or whether there was fault. In application, it means that your Wright City, MO dog bite injury attorney does not necessarily have to show that the dog owner 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 that the owner’s dog bit you. In more certain terms, the Missouri statute lays out that the Wright City 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 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 Wright City, MO will use our expertise to get you a fair settlement in your strict liability claim against the dog’s owner, 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 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 they are expecting visitors to their home could be considered negligent and your Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer can fight to hold them accountable in a negligence claim. 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 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 Wright City, 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 cities and municipalities have laws that require owners to keep their dogs on leashes or ban 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 that dog bit you, you may have a case of negligence per se.
Who is responsible for my dog bite injury?
Due to the potential for negligence claims beyond Missouri’s strict liability policy, it is possible that you have other cases against other defendants in addition to the owner of the dog. Depending on the circumstances of who was present, where the bite happened, and what the parties in question did or did not do, your dog bite injury lawyer in Wright City, MO may identify additional responsible inidividuals in your Wright City, 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 have been injured in a dog bite incident but you believe that additional parties share the blame or that the owner has more blame than strict liability covers, act right away and speak to a dog bite injury lawyer in Wright City, MO about your case as soon as possible. Combs Waterkotte is equipped with a dedicated team of talented Wright City, MO dog bite injury attorneys ready 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 avenues of compensation Missouri law provides. The legal team at Combs Waterkotte will get you the recovery you deserve. Call us now at (314) 900-HELP.
Our Wright City, 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 Wright City, Missouri: Talk to a Lawyer Today
After facing the unexpected tragedy of a dog bite injury, a dog bite injury lawyer in Wright City, MO with Combs Waterkotte can help you seek 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. Give yourself a chance to receive the recovery you deserve by speaking to an accomplished Wright City, 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 right away at (314) 900-HELP or reach us online to discover how we can help you with your case.