Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Centralia, MO

Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Centralia, MO. Dogs are beloved pets and, to some, even considered family members or honorary coworkers. A lot of us have dogs at home in Centralia, MO and interacting with any dog can bring us a lot of joy. However, dogs are still animals and cannot communicate with us verbally. 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 Centralia 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 Centralia, MO. When you or someone you know becomes the victim of a dog bite, it is our job to ensure that you get a fair recovery.

If your or your family member has been harmed by a dog that bit, call Combs Waterkotte today at (314) 900-HELP. Our Centralia, MO dog bite injury lawyers handle 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 experienced as a result of your injuries, but in order to collect the full value of your damages, you will likely need an experienced Centralia, MO dog bite injury lawyer fighting by your side. Our distinguished team of attorneys have the experience and resources to make sure you are made whole again and allowed to move forward from this experience. Review your Centralia, MO case with Combs Waterkotte today in a complementary consultation today. Start by reaching us now.

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

Every dog bite injury case in the Centralia, MO area is unique and it is normal to experience anxiety and uncertainly about your case after being injured by a dog. The amount in damages you could recover in your Centralia, MO dog bite case ranges anywhere from $10,000 for minor but demonstrable injuries to more than $100,000 for bites that cause severe, lasting damage and costly medical bills. Remember, though, that to truly understand what kind of settlement you can expect to receive for your Centralia, MO dog bite claim, you must speak to a qualified St. Louis dog bite injury lawyer like the attorneys of Combs Waterkotte. Your compensation depends, in addition to other factors, on the extent of the damages or losses you have experienced.

Damages you can recover in a dog bite injury case in Centralia, MO include:

The total sum you recover depends greatly on many factors, including whether you hire an experienced Centralia, MO lawyer. It is important to note that a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Centralia, MO 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 the contingency-fee-basis on which we operate, which means that your Combs Waterkotte Centralia, MO dog bite injury lawyer will not charge you anything unless we win 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 Centralia, MO area work on your case at no out-of-pocket costs to you. You have nothing to lose by contacting our Centralia, MO dog bite injury lawyer team about your case to find out if we can help.

How much is my case worth if I hire a dog bite injury lawyer in Centralia, MO?

On average, a victim in a dog bite injury case can recover 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 result in settlements of over $200,000.

While we wish we could promise an exact number, these averages do not guarantee anything for your particular case outcome. Because your recovery depends on the unique circumstances and characteristics of your individual case, you need to speak to a dog bite injury lawyer in Centralia, MO. Turn to the Centralia, MO dog bite attorneys of Combs Waterkotte and ask us for a free review of your dog bite injury case now.

Factors That Influence the Value of 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.
• Your injuries have caused permanent disability.
• 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 suffered psychological harm from the dog bite incident that required professional mental health treatment.

When you hire Combs Waterkotte, your Centralia, 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 collecting evidence, determining liability and building a strong case to get you an excellent outcome in your Centralia, MO dog bite injury claim.

In addition to the situation surrounding the accident and the severity of your injuries, the total compensation your Centralia, MO dog bite injury lawyer can get you is also related to other factors, such as:

• Who is 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 expenses
• How your dog bite injury lawyer calculates your non-economic damages
• How effectively your dog bite injury lawyer negotiates and how resistant the defendant is

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 try to settle their case without legal representation. Find out if Combs Waterkotte can help you collect a higher, more just settlement in your Centralia, MO dog bite case by reaching us at (314) 900-HELP today to ask an experienced Centralia, MO dog bite injury lawyer about your case.

Centralia, MO Dog Bite Injury Lawyer: Determining Liability

In order to get a complete settlement that makes you whole after being harmed in a dog bite incident, you will need a dog bite injury lawyer in Centralia, MO you can trust to help you determine 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 at fault for your damages. With a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Centralia, MO, you have a professional who is well-acquainted with Missouri law and has seen many different situations related to liability in personal injury cases including dog bite injuries. We will make sure we hold the right people accountable and make sure they pay for the damages you have suffered.

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 Centralia, MO dog bite injury attorney does not need to demonstrate that the dog owner was negligent or that they intentionally allowed the dog to attack you. To win your Missouri dog bite injury case, you only need to show that you were injured and it was the owner’s dog that injured you. Specifically, the Missouri statute lays out that the Centralia 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 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 Centralia, MO can 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 pays out the settlement for 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 upholding their duty of care to you. Someone who allows a dog to run free through the neighborhood unsupervised or fails to crate their anxious dog 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 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 Centralia, 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, some towns 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 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 potential for negligence claims beyond the strict liability statute in Missouri, it is possible that you have other cases against other parties in addition to the owner of the dog. Depending on considerations such as who was involved, where the bite occurred, and what the parties in question did or did not do, your dog bite injury lawyer in Centralia, MO may identify additional responsible defendants in your Centralia, 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 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, take the first step toward your recovery and speak to a dog bite injury lawyer in Centralia, MO about your case as soon as possible. Combs Waterkotte has a dedicated team of talented Centralia, MO dog bite injury attorneys willing to fight for your recovery and hold the right parties accountable. You did not deserve to be attacked or harmed, and you should be made whole through all legal remedies available to you under Missouri law. The legal team at Combs Waterkotte will get you the recovery you deserve. Call us now at (314) 900-HELP.

Our Centralia, MO attorneys can help you seek 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 Centralia, Missouri: Talk to a Lawyer Now

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 Centralia, 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 consulting with an accomplished Centralia, MO dog bite injury lawyer today.

As your dog bite injury lawyer, we are here to demand that you are justly compensated after suffering the harm of something like a dog bite attack. After you or someone you love have been injured by a dog bite, call Combs Waterkotte as soon as possible at (314) 900-HELP or reach us online to learn how we can help you with your case.