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Cedar Hill, MO

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Posted by Emily Herr on March 23, 2022

Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Cedar Hill, MO

Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Cedar Hill, MO. We love our pet dogs and may even go so far as to call them family members or honorary coworkers. Many of us have pet dogs in Cedar Hill, MO and interacting with any dog can bring us a lot of joy. However, dogs are still 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. There are Cedar Hill 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 occur in Cedar Hill, MO. When it happens to you or a loved one, we hare here to help you recover fair compensation.

If your or your family member has been injured in a dog bite incident, contact Combs Waterkotte today at (314) 900-HELP. Our Cedar Hill, MO dog bite injury lawyers represent each case with compassion and fervor. You did not deserve to be injured and you should not have to suffer 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 are going to need help from a skilled Cedar Hill, MO dob bite injury lawyer. Our distinguished team of attorneys have the experience and resources to get you full compensation that will restore you after been harmed. Review your Cedar Hill, MO case with Combs Waterkotte for free today. Start your recovery by contacting us now.

What compensation can I get with the help of a dog bite injury lawyer in Cedar Hill, MO?

Every dog bite injury case in the Cedar Hill, MO area is different and it is normal to have a number of questions running through your mind after a dog hurts you. The amount in damages you could recover in your Cedar Hill, MO dog bite case ranges anywhere from $10,000 for minor but evident injuries to more than $100,000 for bites that cause more serious, lasting damage and costly medical care. Remember, though, that to truly understand what kind of settlement you can recover for your Cedar Hill, MO dog bite injuries, you must speak to a qualified St. Louis dog bite injury lawyer like the attorneys of Combs Waterkotte. Among other details, the amount of compensation you can recovery depends on how extensive and debilitating your injuries and other damages are.

Types of damages available in a dog bite injury case in Cedar Hill, 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 final dollar amount you recover depends greatly on a variety of factors, including whether or not you hire a lawyer in Cedar Hill, MO. It is important to note that a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Cedar Hill, 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 includes the contingency-fee-basis on which we operate, which means that your Combs Waterkotte Cedar Hill, 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 Cedar Hill, MO area work on your case at no out-of-pocket costs to you. There is no reason not to speak to our Cedar Hill, 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 Cedar Hill, 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 permanent disabilities caused by dog bites 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. 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 Cedar Hill, MO about your case. Count on the Cedar Hill, 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

The settlement you receive in your dog bite case depends on factors like:

  • The dog bite leaves visible scarring or disfigurement.
  • 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 Cedar Hill, 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, examining liability and building an infallible argument to make sure you get the best possible result in your Cedar Hill, MO dog bite injury claim.

In addition to the circumstances of the accident and the severity of your injuries, the total sum your Cedar Hill, 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 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 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 around three times higher for plaintiffs who hire a dog bite injury lawyer to represent them in their claim than for those who attempt to settle their case on their own. Discover how Combs Waterkotte can help you collect a higher, more just settlement in your Cedar Hill, MO dog bite case by calling us at (314) 900-HELP today to go over your case with a knowledgeable Cedar Hill, MO dog bite injury lawyer.

Cedar Hill, MO Dog Bite Injury Lawyer: Determining Who Is Liable

In order to receive a complete settlement that makes you whole after being harmed in a dog bite incident, you will need a dog bite injury lawyer in Cedar Hill, 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 at fault for your damages. With a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Cedar Hill, MO, you have a professional who knows 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 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 their intention or whether there was fault. That means that your Cedar Hill, MO dog bite injury attorney does not need to demonstrate that the owner of the dog that bit you was negligent or had the dog attack you on purpose. In your Missouri dog bite injury case, you only need to show that you were injured and that the owner’s dog bit you. In more certain terms, the Missouri statute lays out that the Cedar Hill 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 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 Cedar Hill, MO can get you a fair 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, 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 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. 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 comparing the defendant’s behavior to that of a reasonable person in the same situation, your Cedar Hill, MO dog bite lawyer can show 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 towns 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 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 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 parties other than the owner of the dog. Depending on the circumstances of the parties that were present, where the bite happened, and how the parties behaved, your dog bite injury lawyer in Cedar Hill, MO may identify additional responsible parties in your Cedar Hill, MO dog bite case, like:

  • 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 but you believe that additional parties share the blame or that the owner has more blame than strict liability accounts for, act right away and speak to a dog bite injury lawyer in Cedar Hill, MO about your case as soon as possible. Combs Waterkotte is equipped with a team of exceptional Cedar Hill, 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 allowed to recover through all legal remedies Missouri law provides. Let Combs Waterkotte help you get a just recovery. Call us now at (314) 900-HELP.

Our Cedar Hill, MO attorneys have the skill and experience necessary to bring you justice in any type of personal injury or criminal case. Some of our practice area specialties include:

    Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Cedar Hill, Missouri: Hire a Lawyer Now

    After facing the unexpected tragedy of a dog bite injury, a dog bite injury lawyer in Cedar Hill, MO with Combs Waterkotte will work hard to bring you 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. You have a chance to receive the recovery you deserve by consulting with an accomplished Cedar Hill, 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.

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