Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Jefferson City, MO
Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Jefferson City, MO. We love our pet dogs and may even go so far as to call them family members or honorary coworkers. A lot of us have dogs at home in Jefferson City, MO and interacting with any dog can bring us a lot of joy. 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. Though we have a number of laws in Jefferson City and Missouri and recommendations responsible pet owners can follow to prevent dogs from attacking humans, but dog bites and dog bite injuries still happen in Jefferson 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 injured in a dog bite incident, contact Combs Waterkotte today at (314) 900-HELP. Our Jefferson City, MO dog bite injury lawyers represent each case fervently and with great care and dedication. You did nothing to deserve to be injured and you should not have to suffer the consequences on your own. Our laws in Missouri offer you a path for recourse to collect a complete financial recovery for the damages and losses you have suffered as a result of your injuries, but in order to receive a fair settlement, you will likely need a reputable Jefferson 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 Jefferson City, MO case with Combs Waterkotte for free today. Begin by reaching us now.
What compensation can my Jefferson City, MO dog bite injury lawyer help me receive?
Every dog bite injury case in the Jefferson 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 amount in damages you could recover in your Jefferson City, MO dog bite case ranges anywhere from $10,000 in bites that cause minor but demonstrable injuries to well over $100,000 for bites that result in severe, permanent damage and expensive medical care. Remember, though, that to truly understand the possible settlement amount you can recover in your Jefferson City, MO dog bite case, you must speak to a qualified St. Louis dog bite injury lawyer like the attorneys of Combs Waterkotte. Among other outside variables, the amount of compensation you can recovery depends on the extent of the damages or losses you have experienced.
Damages you can recover in your Jefferson City, MO dog bite injury case include:
- Medical expenses
- 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 recover is determined by a combination of a variety of factors, including whether or not you hire a lawyer in Jefferson City, MO. Remember that a dog bite injury lawyer in Jefferson 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 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 Jefferson 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 Jefferson City, MO area provide quality legal support at no out-of-pocket costs to you. You have nothing to lose by contacting our Jefferson City, 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 Jefferson 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 settle for closer to $100,000 and permanent disabilities caused by dog bites can result in settlements of over $200,000.
Unfortunately, these numbers are not guarantees for your particular case outcome. In order to understand the complexities of your unique case and learn what to expect from your recovery, you need to talk to a dog bite injury lawyer in Jefferson City, MO about your case. Count on the Jefferson City, 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 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.
- 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 Jefferson 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 trracking down evidence, evaluating liability and building a strong case to get you the best possible outcome in your Jefferson City, MO dog bite injury claim.
Beyond the situation surrounding the accident and the extent of your injuries, the total recovery your Jefferson City, MO dog bite injury lawyer can secure for you is also related to other factors, such as:
- Who is liable for the dog bite
- The 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 bills
- How your dog bite injury lawyer assesses and calculates the value of your non-economic damages
- The ability of your dog bite injury lawyer to negotiate a settlement for your case
On average, settlements in personal injury claims like dog attacks are threefold for victims who hire a dog bite injury lawyer for representation than for those who try to settle their case on their own. Find out if Combs Waterkotte can help you collect a higher, more just settlement for your Jefferson City, MO dog bite injuries by calling us at (314) 900-HELP today to ask an experienced Jefferson City, MO dog bite injury lawyer about your case.
Jefferson City, MO Dog Bite Injury Lawyer: Who Is Liable
To successfully collect a complete settlement that makes you whole after being harmed in a dog bite incident, you will need a dog bite injury lawyer in Jefferson City, MO you can trust to help you 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 losses. A knowledgeable dog bite injury lawyer in Jefferson City, MO with Combs Waterkotte knows Missouri law and has seen many different situations regarding 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 — regardless of fault or intention. In application, it means that your Jefferson City, 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 Jefferson City or Missouri dog bite owner is legally responsible for your injuries if:
- you were injured as a result of 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 bitten by a dog that you did not provoke and you were not trespassing, your Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Jefferson City, MO will work to get you an excellent recovery in your strict liability claim against the dog’s owner, and typically 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 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 strangers or children visit 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. 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 Jefferson 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 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 ban 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 their dog bit you, you may have a case of negligence per se.
Who is responsible for my dog bite injury?
Due to the possibility of additional claims of negligence 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 involved, where the bite happened, and what the parties in question did or did not do, your dog bite injury lawyer in Jefferson City, MO may build a case against other parties in your Jefferson City, 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 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 accounts for, take the first step toward your recovery and speak to a dog bite injury lawyer in Jefferson City, MO about your case as soon as possible. Combs Waterkotte has a team of exceptional Jefferson City, 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. The legal team at Combs Waterkotte will get you the recovery you deserve. Call us now at (314) 900-HELP.
Our Jefferson 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 Jefferson City, Missouri: Talk to a Lawyer Today
After facing the unexpected tragedy of a dog bite injury, a dog bite injury lawyer in Jefferson 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 affect your life in profound, unrelenting ways. You have a chance to be made whole again by consulting with an accomplished Jefferson City, MO dog bite injury lawyer today.
As your dog bite injury lawyer, we are here to demand that you are justly compensated when a life-changing incident such as a dog attack causes you harm. 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.