Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Wildwood, MO
Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Wildwood, 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 Wildwood, 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. Though we have a number of laws in Wildwood and Missouri and recommendations responsible pet owners can follow to prevent dogs from attacking humans, but dog bites and dog bite injuries still take place in Wildwood, MO. When you or someone you know becomes the victim of a dog bite, we hare here to ensure that you get a fair recovery.
If your or someone you love has been injured in a dog bite incident, call Combs Waterkotte today at (314) 900-HELP. Our Wildwood, 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. Our laws in Missouri offer you a path for recourse to collect a complete financial recovery for the damages and losses you have suffered because of your injuries, but in order to receive a fair settlement, you will likely need a skilled Wildwood, MO dog bite injury lawyer fighting by your side. Our team of competitive attorneys have the experience and resources to make sure you are made whole again and allowed to move forward from this experience. Review your Wildwood, MO case with Combs Waterkotte for free today. Begin by reaching us now.
What compensation can my Wildwood, MO dog bite injury lawyer help me receive?
Every dog bite injury case in the Wildwood, 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 Wildwood, MO could be anywhere from $10,000 for minor but demonstrable injuries to easily over $100,000 for bites that cause severe, permanent damage and costly medical care. However, to find out what kind of settlement you can recover for your Wildwood, MO dog bite injuries, speak to a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Wildwood, MO about your case. Among other details, the amount of compensation you can recovery depends on the extent of the damages or losses you have experienced.
Types of damages available in your Wildwood, 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 final dollar amount you collect is determined by a combination of many variables, including whether you hire an experienced Wildwood, MO lawyer. It is important to note that a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Wildwood, MO will only agree to represent you if they can add value to your case and help you recover more than you could by yourself. This also takes into account our contingency-fee model, which means that Combs Waterkotte will not bill you for anything unless your Wildwood, 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 Wildwood, MO area work on your case at no out-of-pocket costs to you. You have nothing to lose by contacting our Wildwood, 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 Wildwood, MO?
The average dog bite injury settlement is 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. 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 Wildwood, MO about your case. Turn to the Wildwood, 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
The following factors determine the value of your case:
- The dog bite leaves visible scarring or disfigurement.
- Your injuries have caused permanent disability.
- 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 Wildwood, 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, determining liability and building a strong case to get you an excellent outcome in your Wildwood, MO dog bite injury claim.
Beyond the situation surrounding the accident and the extent of your injuries, the total recovery your Wildwood, 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 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
- The ability of your dog bite injury lawyer to negotiate a settlement for your case
On average, settlements in dog bite attacks and other personal injury cases are threefold for plaintiffs who hire a dog bite injury lawyer for representation than for those in dog bite cases who try to reach a settlement without legal representation. Discover how Combs Waterkotte can help you collect a higher, more just settlement for your Wildwood, MO dog bite injuries by calling us at (314) 900-HELP today to go over your case with a knowledgeable Wildwood, MO dog bite injury lawyer.
Wildwood, MO Dog Bite Injury Lawyer: Determining Liability
In order to successfully collect a complete settlement 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 Wildwood, MO you can trust to help you 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 describes who is responsible for your damages. With a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Wildwood, MO, you have a professional who is well-acquainted with Missouri law and has first-hand experience with a variety of situations regarding 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 experienced.

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 fault or intention. That means that your Wildwood, MO dog bite injury attorney does not need 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, you only need to show that you were injured and that the owner’s dog bit you. Specifically, the Missouri statute lays out that the Wildwood 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 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 Wildwood, MO will use our expertise 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 will cover the cost of 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 allows a dog to run free through the neighborhood unsupervised 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 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 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 Wildwood, MO dog bite lawyer proves that the defendant is liable for your injuries by default because they broke a law that was meant to keep you safe. For example, certain towns and municipalities have laws that require owners to keep their dogs on leashes or prohibit dogs from being on others’ properties without the property owner’s permission. If the person in possession of the dog broke 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 injuries?
Due to the potential for negligence claims beyond the strict liability statute in Missouri, it is possible that you have other cases against other defendants other than the owner of the dog. Depending on the circumstances of the parties that were involved, where the bite happened, and how the parties behaved, your dog bite injury lawyer in Wildwood, MO may build a case against other inidividuals in your Wildwood, MO dog bite case, such as:
- 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 and you suspect 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 Wildwood, MO about your case as soon as possible. Combs Waterkotte has a dedicated team of talented Wildwood, MO dog bite injury attorneys ready to fight for your recovery and hold the right parties accountable. 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 a just recovery. Call us now at (314) 900-HELP.
Our Wildwood, 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 Wildwood, 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 Wildwood, MO with Combs Waterkotte can help you seek justice. A dog bite is usually a traumatic experience, 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 Wildwood, 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.