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Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Des Peres, MO

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Posted by Emily Herr on March 23, 2022

Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Des Peres, MO

Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Des Peres, 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 Des Peres, 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. Though we have a number of laws in Des Peres and Missouri and recommendations responsible pet owners can follow to prevent dogs from attacking humans, but dog bites and dog bite injuries still happen in Des Peres, 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 your family member has been injured in a dog bite incident, call Combs Waterkotte today at (314) 900-HELP. Our Des Peres, MO dog bite injury lawyers represent 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 suffer the consequences on your own. Missouri law provides a path for you to collect a complete financial recovery for the full extent of the losses you have suffered because of your injuries, but in order to receive just compensation, you are going to need help from a skilled Des Peres, MO dob bite injury lawyer. Our team of competitive attorneys have the skills and resources to make sure you are made whole again and allowed to move forward from this experience. Review your Des Peres, MO case with Combs Waterkotte today in a complementary consultation today. Start by reaching us now.

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What compensation can my Des Peres, MO dog bite injury lawyer help me receive?

Every Des Peres, MO dog bite injury claim is different and it is normal to experience anxiety and uncertainly about your case after a dog hurts you. The amount in damages you could recover in your Des Peres, MO dog bite case ranges anywhere from $10,000 for minor but demonstrable injuries to more than $100,000 for bites that cause significant, long-term damage and expensive medical care. However, to truly understand the possible settlement amount you can recover in your Des Peres, MO dog bite injuries, speak to a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Des Peres, MO about your case. Your compensation depends, in addition to other factors, on how extensive and debilitating your injuries and other damages are.

Types of damages available in a dog bite injury case in Des Peres, MO include:

  • Medical expenses
    • Ambulance bill
    • Emergency room fees
    • Hospital stay costs
    • Doctors’ bills
    • Surgery
  • Treatment costs
    • 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 or not you hire a lawyer in Des Peres, MO. Remember that a dog bite injury lawyer in Des Peres, 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 includes the contingency-fee-basis on which we operate, which means that Combs Waterkotte will not bill you for anything unless your Des Peres, MO dog bite injury lawyer wins 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 Des Peres, MO area offer our dedicated representation at no out-of-pocket costs to you. You have nothing to lose by contacting our Des Peres, 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 Des Peres, MO?

The average dog bite injury settlement is about $40,000 for a “severe but typical dog bite injury”, while dog bites that cause permanent scarring and disfigurement 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 for your particular case outcome. Because your recovery depends on the unique circumstances and characteristics of your individual case, it is important that you talk to a dog bite injury lawyer in Des Peres, MO about your case. Trust the Des Peres, MO dog bite attorneys of Combs Waterkotte and contact us to review your dog bite injury case now.

Factors That Influence the Value of a Dog Bite Case

Factors related to the dog bite that can affect the value of your claim include:

  • The dog bite leaves visible scarring or disfigurement.
  • Your injuries have caused permanent disability.
  • Your dog bite injuries necessitated emergency medical attention.
  • You had to receive surgery or other significant medical treatments for your injuries.
  • You required mental health treatment for the psychological injuries you suffered due to the dog bite.

When you hire Combs Waterkotte, your Des Peres, 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, evaluating liability and building a strong case to get you an excellent result in your Des Peres, MO dog bite injury claim.

Beyond the situation surrounding the accident and the extent of your injuries, the total compensation your Des Peres, 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 total cost of all 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

Average settlements in dog bite attacks and other personal injury cases are around three times higher for victims who hire a dog bite injury lawyer to represent them in their claim than for those in dog bite cases who try to settle their case on their own. Discover how Combs Waterkotte can help you collect a higher, more just settlement for your Des Peres, MO dog bite injuries by reaching us at (314) 900-HELP today to go over your case with a knowledgeable Des Peres, MO dog bite injury lawyer.

Des Peres, MO Dog Bite Injury Lawyer: Determining Who Is Liable

To settle your case at a sum that can help you move forward in life after the losses you have suffered following a dog bite incident, you will need a dog bite injury lawyer in Des Peres, 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 responsible for your damages. A knowledgeable dog bite injury lawyer in Des Peres, MO with Combs Waterkotte knows Missouri law and has first-hand experience with a variety of situations regarding 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 losses you have suffered.

dog bite injury lawyer Des Peres, MO | Combs Waterkotte Missouri dog bite injury lawyers

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. In application, it means that your Des Peres, MO dog bite injury attorney does not necessarily have to show that the dog owner was negligent or that they intentionally allowed the dog to attack you. 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 Des Peres 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 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 not trespassing and a dog bit you unprovoked, your Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Des Peres, MO will use our expertise to get you an excellent settlement 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 allows a dog to run free through the neighborhood unsupervised or fails to crate their anxious dog when strangers or children visit their home could be considered 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 refers to liability that is assigned automatically through the act of breaking a law. Rather than proving that the defendant did not act with care as a reasonable person would, your Des Peres, 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 protect you. For example, some towns and municipalities have laws that require owners to keep their dogs on leashes 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 that dog bit you, ask your attorney about a possible 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, you may have a case against other parties other than the owner of the dog. Depending on the circumstances of who was present, where the bite occurred, and how the parties behaved, your dog bite injury lawyer in Des Peres, MO may build a case against other inidividuals in your Des Peres, 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 Des Peres, MO about your case as soon as possible. Combs Waterkotte is equipped with a dedicated team of talented Des Peres, 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 allowed to recover 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 Des Peres, 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:

Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Des Peres, Missouri: Talk to a Lawyer Today

After facing the unexpected tragedy of a dog bite injury, a dog bite injury lawyer in Des Peres, 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 be made whole again by consulting with an accomplished Des Peres, 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 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 discover how we can help you with your case.

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