Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Cottleville, MO
Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Cottleville, MO. Dogs are beloved pets and, to some, even considered members of our family or fellow staff members. Many of us have pet dogs in Cottleville, MO and we get a lot of joy from spending time with them. 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 Cottleville 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 Cottleville, MO. When it happens to you or a loved one, it is our job 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 Cottleville, MO dog bite injury lawyers handle each case fervently and with great care and dedication. You did not deserve to be injured and you should not have to deal with the consequences on your own. Our laws in Missouri offer you a path for recourse to recover full compensation for the damages and losses you have experienced because of your injuries, but in order to receive just compensation, you will likely need a skilled Cottleville, MO dog bite injury lawyer fighting by your side. Our distinguished team of attorneys have the experience and resources to get you full compensation that will restore you after been harmed. Review your Cottleville, MO case with Combs Waterkotte today in a complementary consultation today. Begin your recovery by reaching us now.
What compensation can I get with the help of a dog bite injury lawyer in Cottleville, MO?
Each Cottleville, MO dog bite injury claim is unique and you are likely to have a number of questions running through your mind after a dog hurts you. The value of a dog bite claim in Cottleville, MO could be anywhere from $10,000 for minor but demonstrable injuries to easily over $100,000 for bites that cause significant, long-term damage and expensive medical bills. However, to find out what kind of settlement you can expect to receive in your Cottleville, MO dog bite case, speak to a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Cottleville, MO about your case. Among other outside variables, the amount of compensation you can recovery depends on how extensive and debilitating your injuries and other damages are.
Types of damages available in your Cottleville, 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 total sum you collect is determined by a combination of a variety of variables, including whether you hire an experienced Cottleville, MO lawyer. Remember that a dog bite injury lawyer in Cottleville, MO like a member of the Combs Waterkotte team will only agree to represent you if they can add value to your case and help you recover more than you could on your own. This also takes into account the contingency-fee-basis on which we operate, which means that Combs Waterkotte will not bill you for anything unless your Cottleville, 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 Cottleville, MO area work on your case at no out-of-pocket costs to you. You have nothing to lose by contacting our Cottleville, MO dog bite injury lawyer team to discuss your case and learn how we can help.
How much can I get for my case with a dog bite injury lawyer in Cottleville, 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 cause permanent scarring and disfigurement could bring 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 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 speak to a dog bite injury lawyer in Cottleville, MO. Trust the Cottleville, MO dog bite attorneys of Combs Waterkotte and contact us for a free review of your dog bite injury case today.
Factors That Affect the Value of a Dog Bite Case
The following factors determine the value of your case:
- The dog bite leaves visible scarring or disfigurement.
- The dog bite has made you permanently disabled.
- Your dog bite injuries necessitated emergency medical attention.
- 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 Cottleville, 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 a strong argument to get you an excellent result in your Cottleville, MO dog bite injury claim.
Beyond the situation surrounding the accident and the severity of your injuries, the total recovery your Cottleville, MO dog bite injury lawyer can secure for you is also related to 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 expenses
- 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 dog bite attacks and other personal injury cases are around three times higher for plaintiffs who hire a dog bite injury lawyer for representation than for those in dog bite cases who try to settle their case without legal representation. Find out if Combs Waterkotte can help you collect a higher, more just settlement for your Cottleville, MO dog bite injuries by calling us at (314) 900-HELP today to go over your case with a knowledgeable Cottleville, MO dog bite injury lawyer.
Cottleville, 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 Cottleville, MO you can trust to help you figure out 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 Cottleville, 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 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 experienced.
In Missouri, Revised Statute Section 273.036 puts into effect a practice of 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. In application, it means that your Cottleville, MO dog bite injury attorney does not need to prove that the owner of the dog that bit you 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. Specifically, the Missouri statute lays out that the Cottleville or Missouri dog bite owner is liable for your injuries if:
- you were injured as a result of a dog bite;
- you were on public property or were on a private property legally (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 Cottleville, MO will work to get you an excellent settlement in your strict liability claim against the owner of the dog, 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 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 seen as negligent and your Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer can fight to hold them accountable in a negligence claim. 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 Cottleville, 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 cities and municipalities have laws that require owners to keep their dogs on leashes or ban dogs from being on others’ properties without permission from the property owner. 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?
Because of the possibility of additional claims of negligence outside of Missouri’s strict liability policy, you may have a case against other defendants in addition to 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 Cottleville, MO may identify additional responsible defendants in your Cottleville, 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 have been injured in a dog bite incident and you suspect that additional parties share the blame or that the owner has more blame than strict liability covers, act right away and speak to a dog bite injury lawyer in Cottleville, MO about your case as soon as possible. Combs Waterkotte has a team of exceptional Cottleville, 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 avenues of compensation available to you under Missouri law. Let Combs Waterkotte help you get a just recovery. Call us now at (314) 900-HELP.
Our Cottleville, 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:
- Homicide Lawyer
- Assault Lawyer
- Rape Defense Lawyer
- Sex Offense Lawyers
- DWI Attorney
- Crime Defense Lawyers
- Domestic Violence Defense Attorneys
- Child Pornography Defense Lawyer
- Criminal Lawyer
Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Cottleville, Missouri: Talk to a Lawyer Now
After facing the unexpected tragedy of a dog bite injury, a dog bite injury lawyer in Cottleville, 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 affect your life in profound, unrelenting ways. You have a chance to receive the recovery you deserve by speaking to an accomplished Cottleville, 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 you or someone you love have been injured by a dog bite, call Combs Waterkotte right away at (314) 900-HELP or reach us online to learn how we can help you with your case.