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Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Black Jack, MO

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Posted by Emily Herr on March 23, 2022

Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Black Jack, MO

Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Black Jack, MO. Dogs are beloved pets and, to some, even considered family members or honorary coworkers. A lot of us have pet dogs in Black Jack, 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 given a recovery. There are Black Jack 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 happen in Black Jack, MO. When it happens to you or a loved one, we hare here to help you recover fair compensation.

If your or someone you love has been harmed by a dog that bit, contact Combs Waterkotte today at (314) 900-HELP. Our Black Jack, MO dog bite injury lawyers handle each case fervently and with great care and dedication. You did nothing to 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 collect a complete financial recovery for the damages and losses you have experienced because of the attack, but for a chance to receive the full value of your damages, you will likely need a reputable Black Jack, MO dog bite injury lawyer fighting by your side. Our distinguished team of attorneys have the skills and resources to make sure you are made whole again and allowed to move forward from this experience. Review your Black Jack, MO case with Combs Waterkotte today in a complementary consultation today. Start your recovery by reaching us now.

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What compensation can my Black Jack, MO dog bite injury lawyer help me receive?

Each Black Jack, MO dog bite injury claim is unique and you are likely to have a number of questions running through your mind after being injured by a dog. The value of a dog bite claim in Black Jack, MO could be anywhere from $10,000 in bites that cause minor but evident injuries to well over $100,000 for bites that result in severe, lasting damage and expensive medical bills. However, to truly understand what kind of settlement you can expect to receive in your Black Jack, MO dog bite injuries, speak to a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Black Jack, 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 a dog bite injury case in Black Jack, MO 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 recover is determined by a combination of a variety of factors, including whether you hire an experienced Black Jack, MO lawyer. Remember that a dog bite injury lawyer in Black Jack, 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 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 Black Jack, 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 Black Jack, MO area provide quality legal support at no out-of-pocket costs to you. There is no reason not to speak to our Black Jack, 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 Black Jack, 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 settle for closer to $100,000 and dog bites that result in permanent disability can settle for over $200,000.

Unfortunately, these numbers are not guarantees in your particular case. Because your recovery depends on the unique circumstances and characteristics of your individual case, you need to talk to a dog bite injury lawyer in Black Jack, MO about your case. Count on the Black Jack, MO dog bite attorneys of Combs Waterkotte and ask us to review your dog bite injury case today.

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.
  • 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 Black Jack, 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, determining liability and building an infallible case to make sure you get the best possible outcome in your Black Jack, MO dog bite injury claim.

Beyond the circumstances of the accident and the severity of your injuries, the total compensation your Black Jack, MO dog bite injury lawyer can get 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 total cost of all of your medical bills
  • How your dog bite injury lawyer calculates the value of 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 plaintiffs who hire a dog bite injury lawyer to represent them in their claim than for those 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 Black Jack, MO dog bite case by calling us at (314) 900-HELP today to ask an experienced Black Jack, MO dog bite injury lawyer about your case.

Black Jack, MO Dog Bite Injury Lawyer: Determining Who Is Liable

In order to settle your case at a sum that can help you move forward in life after the losses you have suffered following a dog bite incident, you will need a dog bite injury lawyer in Black Jack, MO you can trust to help you figure out 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 damages. A knowledgeable dog bite injury lawyer in Black Jack, 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 help you hold the right people accountable and make sure they pay for the damages you have experienced.

dog bite injury lawyer Black Jack, MO | Combs Waterkotte Missouri dog bite injury lawyers

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 fault or intention. That means that your Black Jack, MO dog bite injury attorney does not need to prove 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 Black Jack 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 bitten by a dog that you did not provoke and you were not trespassing, your Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Black Jack, MO will work to get you an excellent 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 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 strangers or children visit their home could be considered 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 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 Black Jack, MO dog bite lawyer proves that the defendant is liable for your injuries by default because they broke a law that was meant to protect you. For example, certain cities 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 violated one of these rules and that dog bit you, ask your attorney about a possible case of negligence per se.

Who is responsible for my dog bite injury?

Due to the possibility of additional claims of negligence outside of the strict liability statute in Missouri, you may have a case against other defendants other than the owner of the dog. Depending on considerations such as the parties that were present, where the bite occurred, and how the parties behaved, your dog bite injury lawyer in Black Jack, MO may identify additional responsible parties in your Black Jack, 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 a loved one were bitten by a dog and you suspect that additional parties share the 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 Black Jack, MO about your case as soon as possible. Combs Waterkotte has a team of exceptional Black Jack, 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 legal remedies Missouri law provides. The legal team at Combs Waterkotte will get you a just recovery. Call us now at (314) 900-HELP.

Our Black Jack, 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 Black Jack, Missouri: Hire 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 Black Jack, MO with Combs Waterkotte can help you seek justice. A dog bite can be quite traumatic, often leaving you with lasting physical and mental scars that can have a significant impact on your life. Give yourself a chance to be made whole again by consulting with an accomplished Black Jack, 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 send us a message to learn how we can help you with your case.

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