Image

Ellisville, MO

Verified Content

Posted by Emily Herr on March 23, 2022

Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Ellisville, MO

Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Ellisville, 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 Ellisville, MO and interacting with any dog can bring us a lot of joy. However, dogs are 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 Ellisville 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 Ellisville, 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 Ellisville, MO dog bite injury lawyers represent each case fervently and with great care and dedication. You did not deserve to be injured and it would be unjust to leave you to deal with the consequences on your own. Our laws in Missouri offer you a path for recourse to collect a complete financial recovery for the full extent of the losses you have experienced because of your injuries, but for a chance to collect a fair settlement, you are going to need help from a skilled Ellisville, 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. Discuss your Ellisville, MO case with Combs Waterkotte today in a complementary consultation today. Begin your recovery by contacting us now.

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

Each dog bite injury case in the Ellisville, MO area 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 Ellisville, MO dog bite case ranges anywhere from $10,000 for minor but demonstrable injuries to well over $100,000 for bites that result in more serious, permanent damage and expensive medical care. However, to truly understand what kind of settlement you can recover in your Ellisville, MO dog bite case, speak to a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Ellisville, MO about your case. Among other considerations, the amount of compensation you can recovery depends on the extent of the damages or losses you have experienced.

Damages you can recover in a dog bite injury case in Ellisville, 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 recover is determined by a combination of many variables, including whether you hire an experienced Ellisville, MO lawyer. Remember that a dog bite injury lawyer in Ellisville, 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 Combs Waterkotte will not bill you for anything unless your Ellisville, 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 Ellisville, MO area provide quality legal support at no out-of-pocket costs to you. There is no reason not to speak to our Ellisville, 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 Ellisville, 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 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 in your particular case. 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 Ellisville, MO about your case. Count on the Ellisville, MO dog bite attorneys of Combs Waterkotte and contact us to review 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:

  • You have scarring or are disfigured as a result of the dog bite.
  • 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.

These are all facts of your case that your Combs Waterkotte Ellisville, MO dog bite injury lawyer will investigate and prove without question. We put the full weight of our resources behind collecting evidence, determining liability and building a strong argument to make sure you get the best possible result in your Ellisville, MO dog bite injury claim.

In addition to the circumstances of the accident and the extent of your injuries, the total compensation your Ellisville, MO dog bite injury lawyer can get 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 sum of the economic damages 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
  • How effectively your dog bite injury lawyer negotiates and how resistant the defendant is

On average, settlements in dog bite attacks and other personal injury cases are threefold for plaintiffs who hire a dog bite injury lawyer for representation than for those in dog bite cases who try to reach a settlement on their own. Discover how Combs Waterkotte can help you collect a higher, more just settlement in your Ellisville, MO dog bite case by reaching us at (314) 900-HELP today to ask an experienced Ellisville, MO dog bite injury lawyer about your case.

Ellisville, MO Dog Bite Injury Lawyer: 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 to work with your Ellisville, MO dog bite injury lawyer to determine 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 describes who is responsible for your losses. With a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Ellisville, 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 will make sure we hold the right people accountable and make sure they pay for the losses 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 assigns legal accountability to a party — in this case, the dog owner — irrespective of fault or intention. In application, it means that your Ellisville, MO dog bite injury attorney does not necessarily have to show that the owner of the dog that bit you 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 that the owner’s dog bit you. Specifically, the Missouri statute lays out that the Ellisville or Missouri dog bite owner is liable 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 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 Ellisville, MO will use our expertise to get you an excellent settlement 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 through an action or omission, 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 they are expecting visitors to their home could be considered 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 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 Ellisville, MO dog bite lawyer can show that the person is liable for your injuries because of the simple fact that 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 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 that dog bit you, you may have a case of negligence per se.

Who is responsible for my dog bite damages?

Due to the possibility of additional claims of negligence outside of 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 the parties that were present, where the bite happened, and what the parties in question did or did not do, your dog bite injury lawyer in Ellisville, MO may build a case against other inidividuals in your Ellisville, MO dog bite case, like:

  • 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 someone beyond the owner is to 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 Ellisville, MO about your case as soon as possible. Combs Waterkotte has a team of exceptional Ellisville, MO dog bite injury attorneys willing to fight for your recovery and make the right parties pay. 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 Ellisville, 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 Ellisville, Missouri: Talk to a Lawyer Today

    After facing the unexpected tragedy of a dog bite injury, a dog bite injury lawyer in Ellisville, MO with Combs Waterkotte can help you seek justice. A dog bite can be quite traumatic, and the physical and psychological injuries it leaves can affect your life in profound, unrelenting ways. You have a chance to receive the recovery you deserve by consulting with an accomplished Ellisville, MO dog bite injury lawyer today.

    As your dog bite injury lawyer, we make it our mission to secure just compensation for you when a life-changing incident such as a dog attack causes you harm. After being bitten and injured by a dog, 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.

    View Service Areas
    Open Video
    Image

    Featured Results:

    Client Review, DUI Case

    Play video
    Image

    Get In Touch:

    St. Louis

    Main Office

    (314) 900-HELP

    Get Directions

    Clayton

    By Appointment Only

    (314) 900-HELP

    Get Directions