Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Gray Summit, MO
Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Gray Summit, MO. Dogs are beloved pets and, to some, even considered family members or honorary coworkers. Many of us have dogs at home in Gray Summit, MO and we get a lot of joy from spending time with them. However, dogs are still animals and do not have the ability to verbally communicate to us how they feel or what they are thinking. 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. Though we have a number of laws in Gray Summit 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 Gray Summit, 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 injured in a dog bite incident, call Combs Waterkotte today at (314) 900-HELP. Our Gray Summit, MO dog bite injury lawyers represent each case fervently and with great care and dedication. You did not deserve to be injured and you should not have to suffer the consequences on your own. Missouri law provides a path for you to recover full compensation 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 are going to need help from a skilled Gray Summit, MO dob bite injury lawyer. Our team of competitive attorneys have the skills and resources to get you full compensation that will restore you after been harmed. Discuss your Gray Summit, MO case with Combs Waterkotte for free today. Start by contacting us now.
What compensation can my Gray Summit, MO dog bite injury lawyer help me receive?
Every Gray Summit, MO dog bite injury claim 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 Gray Summit, MO dog bite case ranges anywhere from $10,000 for minor but evident injuries to well over $100,000 for bites that result in severe, long-term damage and costly medical bills. Remember, though, that to truly understand the possible settlement amount you can expect to receive in your Gray Summit, MO dog bite injuries, speak to a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Gray Summit, MO about your case. Your compensation depends, in addition to other factors, on how extensive and debilitating your injuries and other damages are.
Damages you can recover in a dog bite injury case in Gray Summit, 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 final dollar amount you collect is determined by a combination of many variables, including whether or not you hire a lawyer in Gray Summit, MO. It is important to note that a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Gray Summit, 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 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 Gray Summit, 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 Gray Summit, MO area provide quality legal support at no out-of-pocket costs to you. There is no reason not to speak to our Gray Summit, 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 Gray Summit, 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 permanent disabilities caused by dog bites 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, it is important that you talk to a dog bite injury lawyer in Gray Summit, MO about your case. Turn to the Gray Summit, MO dog bite attorneys of Combs Waterkotte and ask us to review 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:
- You have scarring or are disfigured as a result of the dog bite.
- The dog bite has made you permanently disabled.
- You need emergency medical care due to your dog bite injuries.
- 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 Gray Summit, 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 an infallible argument to get you the best possible outcome in your Gray Summit, MO dog bite injury claim.
Beyond the circumstances of the accident and the extent of your injuries, the total recovery your Gray Summit, 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 liable party’s 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 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
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 plaintiffs who try to settle their case on their own. Discover how Combs Waterkotte can help you collect a higher, more just settlement for your Gray Summit, MO dog bite injuries by reaching us at (314) 900-HELP today to go over your case with a knowledgeable Gray Summit, MO dog bite injury lawyer.
Gray Summit, MO Dog Bite Injury Lawyer: Determining Liability
In order 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 Gray Summit, 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 has to do with who is at fault for your damages. A knowledgeable dog bite injury lawyer in Gray Summit, MO with Combs Waterkotte 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 experienced.
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 — irrespective of fault or intention. In application, it means that your Gray Summit, MO dog bite injury attorney does not necessarily have to prove 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. Specifically, the Missouri statute lays out that the Gray Summit or Missouri dog bite owner is legally responsible for your injuries if:
- you were injured by 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 Gray Summit, MO can 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 pays out the settlement for 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 strangers or children visit their home could be considered negligent and your Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer will diligently 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 comparing the defendant’s behavior to that of a reasonable person in the same situation, your Gray Summit, MO dog bite lawyer can show that the person is liable for your injuries by default because they broke a law that was meant to protect you. For example, some cities 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 that dog bit you, you may have a case of negligence per se.
Who is responsible for my dog bite damages?
Because of the potential for negligence claims outside of Missouri’s strict liability policy, it is possible that you have other cases against other defendants other than the owner of the dog. Depending on considerations such as who was present, where the bite happened, and what the parties in question did or did not do, your dog bite injury lawyer in Gray Summit, MO may build a case against other defendants in your Gray Summit, 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 have been injured in a dog bite incident 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 Gray Summit, MO about your case as soon as possible. Combs Waterkotte is equipped with a dedicated team of talented Gray Summit, MO dog bite injury attorneys willing 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 Missouri law provides. The legal team at Combs Waterkotte will get you a just recovery. Call us now at (314) 900-HELP.
Our Gray Summit, 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 Gray Summit, Missouri: Talk to a Lawyer Today
After facing the unexpected tragedy of a dog bite injury, a dog bite injury lawyer in Gray Summit, 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 affect your life in profound, unrelenting ways. Give yourself a chance to receive the recovery you deserve by consulting with an accomplished Gray Summit, 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 send us a message to discover how we can help you with your case.