Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Creve Coeur, MO
Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Creve Coeur, 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 Creve Coeur, MO and we get a lot of joy from spending time with them. However, dogs are 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. There are Creve Coeur 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 take place in Creve Coeur, MO. When it happens to you or a loved one, it is our job to help you recover fair compensation.
If your or your family member has been harmed by a dog that bit, call Combs Waterkotte today at (314) 900-HELP. Our Creve Coeur, 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 deal with the consequences on your own. Our laws in Missouri offer you a path for recourse to recover full compensation for the full extent of the losses you have experienced as a result of your injuries, but for a chance to collect just compensation, you will likely need an experienced Creve Coeur, MO dog bite injury lawyer standing by you. Our team of competitive attorneys have the skills and resources to get you full compensation that will restore you after been harmed. Review your Creve Coeur, MO case with Combs Waterkotte for free today. Begin your recovery by reaching us now.
What compensation can I get with the help of a dog bite injury lawyer in Creve Coeur, MO?
Every dog bite injury case in the Creve Coeur, MO area is different and you are likely to have a number of questions running through your mind after a dog hurts you. The amount in damages you could recover in your Creve Coeur, MO dog bite case ranges anywhere from $10,000 for minor but demonstrable injuries to more than $100,000 for bites that cause severe, permanent damage and costly medical care. However, to truly understand what kind of settlement you can recover for your Creve Coeur, MO dog bite case, 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 the extent of the damages or losses you have experienced.
Types of damages available in a dog bite injury case in Creve Coeur, MO include:
- Medical costs
- 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 many variables, including whether you hire an experienced Creve Coeur, MO lawyer. Remember that a dog bite injury lawyer in Creve Coeur, 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 by yourself. This includes the contingency-fee-basis on which we operate, which means that your Combs Waterkotte Creve Coeur, 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 Creve Coeur, MO area provide quality legal support at no out-of-pocket costs to you. You have nothing to lose by contacting our Creve Coeur, 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 Creve Coeur, 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 permanent disabilities caused by dog bites can settle for over $200,000.
Unfortunately, these numbers are not guarantees for your particular case outcome. Because your recovery depends on the unique circumstances and characteristics of your individual case, it is important that you speak to a dog bite injury lawyer in Creve Coeur, MO. Count on the Creve Coeur, MO dog bite attorneys of Combs Waterkotte and ask us to review 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:
- 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 required mental health treatment for the psychological injuries you suffered due to the dog bite.
When you hire Combs Waterkotte, your Creve Coeur, 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 trracking down evidence, evaluating liability and building a strong argument to make sure you get the best possible result in your Creve Coeur, MO dog bite injury claim.
Beyond the circumstances of the accident and the extent of your injuries, the total sum your Creve Coeur, MO dog bite injury lawyer can secure for 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 sum of the economic damages you have suffered as a result of the bite, including the cost of your medical expenses
- 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 threefold for victims 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. Discover how Combs Waterkotte can help you collect a higher, more just settlement in your Creve Coeur, MO dog bite case by calling us at (314) 900-HELP today to go over your case with a knowledgeable Creve Coeur, MO dog bite injury lawyer.
Creve Coeur, MO Dog Bite Injury Lawyer: Who Is Liable
In order to settle your case at a sum that makes you whole after the losses you have suffered following a dog bite incident, you will need a dog bite injury lawyer in Creve Coeur, MO you can trust to help you determine 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. With a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Creve Coeur, 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 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 assigns legal accountability to a party — in this case, the dog owner — irrespective of fault or intention. That means that your Creve Coeur, MO dog bite injury attorney does not necessarily have to prove 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. In more certain terms, the Missouri statute lays out that the Creve Coeur 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 Creve Coeur, MO will use our expertise to get you an excellent recovery in your strict liability claim against the owner of the dog, and most of the time 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 in their actions or failure to act, in their duty to keep you safe. 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 seen as negligent and your Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer will diligently 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 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 Creve Coeur, 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, 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 permission from the property owner. If the person in possession of the dog violated one of these rules and their dog bit you, ask your attorney about a possible case of negligence per se.
Who is responsible for my dog bite damages?
Because of the possibility of additional claims of negligence outside of the strict liability statute in Missouri, 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 involved, where the bite occurred, and how the parties behaved, your dog bite injury lawyer in Creve Coeur, MO may build a case against other defendants in your Creve Coeur, 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 someone you love were bitten by a dog but you believe that someone beyond the owner is to 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 Creve Coeur, MO about your case as soon as possible. Combs Waterkotte has a team of exceptional Creve Coeur, MO dog bite injury attorneys willing 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 allowed to recover 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 Creve Coeur, MO attorneys can help you seek justice in any type of personal injury or criminal case. Some of our practice area specialties include:
- 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 Creve Coeur, Missouri: Hire a Lawyer Now
After facing the unexpected tragedy of a dog bite injury, a dog bite injury lawyer in Creve Coeur, 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 affect your life in profound, unrelenting ways. Give yourself a chance to be made whole again by speaking to an accomplished Creve Coeur, 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 as soon as possible at (314) 900-HELP or reach us online to discover how we can help you with your case.