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Herculaneum, MO

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Posted by Emily Herr on March 23, 2022

Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Herculaneum, MO

Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Herculaneum, MO. Dogs are beloved pets and, to some, even considered family members or honorary coworkers. A lot of us have pet dogs in Herculaneum, 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 given a recovery. There are Herculaneum 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 happen in Herculaneum, MO. When you or someone you know becomes the victim of a dog bite, it is our job to ensure that you get a fair recovery.

If your or your family member has been harmed by a dog that bit, contact Combs Waterkotte today at (314) 900-HELP. Our Herculaneum, MO dog bite injury lawyers handle each case with compassion and fervor. 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 damages and losses you have experienced as a result of the attack, but in order to receive the full value of your damages, you will likely need an experienced Herculaneum, MO dog bite injury lawyer fighting by your side. 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 Herculaneum, 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 Herculaneum, MO?

Every dog bite injury case in the Herculaneum, MO area is different and you are likely to have a number of questions running through your mind after being injured by a dog. The amount in damages you could recover in your Herculaneum, MO dog bite case ranges anywhere from $10,000 for minor but demonstrable injuries to well over $100,000 for bites that cause severe, lasting damage and expensive medical care. Remember, though, that to truly understand the possible settlement amount you can recover in your Herculaneum, MO dog bite injuries, 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 how extensive and debilitating your injuries and other damages are.

Types of damages available in your Herculaneum, 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 recover is determined by a combination of a variety of factors, including whether or not you hire a lawyer in Herculaneum, MO. Remember that a dog bite injury lawyer in Herculaneum, 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 also takes into account the contingency-fee-basis on which we operate, which means that your Combs Waterkotte Herculaneum, 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 Herculaneum, MO area work on your case at no out-of-pocket costs to you. You have nothing to lose by contacting our Herculaneum, 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 Herculaneum, 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.

Unfortunately, these numbers are not guarantees in your particular case. Because your recovery depends on the unique circumstances and characteristics of your individual case, you need to speak to a dog bite injury lawyer in Herculaneum, MO. Turn to the Herculaneum, MO dog bite attorneys of Combs Waterkotte and ask us for a free review of your dog bite injury case today.

Factors That Affect Your Settlement in a Dog Bite Case

The settlement you receive in your dog bite case depends on factors like:

  • The dog bite leaves visible scarring or disfigurement.
  • 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 suffered psychological harm from the dog bite incident that required professional mental health treatment.

When you hire Combs Waterkotte, your Herculaneum, 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, examining liability and building a strong case to make sure you get the best possible outcome in your Herculaneum, MO dog bite injury claim.

In addition to the situation surrounding the accident and the severity of your injuries, the total recovery your Herculaneum, MO dog bite injury lawyer can secure for you will also depend on other factors, such as:

  • Who is 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 total cost of all 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

Average settlements in personal injury claims like dog attacks are around three times higher for victims who hire a dog bite injury lawyer for representation 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 in your Herculaneum, MO dog bite case by reaching us at (314) 900-HELP today to ask an experienced Herculaneum, MO dog bite injury lawyer about your case.

Herculaneum, MO Dog Bite Injury Lawyer: Who Is Liable

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 to work with your Herculaneum, MO dog bite injury lawyer to 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 responsible for your damages. A knowledgeable dog bite injury lawyer in Herculaneum, MO with Combs Waterkotte knows Missouri law and has seen many different 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 damages you have suffered.

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 — irrespective of fault or intention. In application, it means that your Herculaneum, MO dog bite injury attorney does not necessarily have to demonstrate that the owner of the dog that bit you was negligent or had the dog attack you on purpose. In your Missouri dog bite injury case, you only need to show that you were injured and it was the owner’s dog that injured you. In more certain terms, the Missouri statute lays out that the Herculaneum 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 Herculaneum, MO will use our expertise to get you a fair 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 pays out the settlement for 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 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 considered negligent and your Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer can fight to hold them accountable in a negligence claim. If a property owner or landlord was aware of but neglected to fix a broken fence and a tenant’s dog got out of the property and bit someone, the landlord may be negligent.
  • 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 Herculaneum, MO dog bite lawyer can show that the defendant is liable for your injuries by default because they broke a law that was meant to protect you. For example, certain 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 the property owner’s permission. If the person looking after or responsible for the dog broke 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 beyond the strict liability statute in Missouri, it is possible that you have other cases 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 what the parties in question did or did not do, your dog bite injury lawyer in Herculaneum, MO may build a case against other defendants in your Herculaneum, 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 were bitten by a dog 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 Herculaneum, MO about your case as soon as possible. Combs Waterkotte has a team of exceptional Herculaneum, MO dog bite injury attorneys willing to fight for your recovery and hold the right parties accountable. You did not deserve to be attacked or harmed, 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 Herculaneum, 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 Herculaneum, Missouri: Hire a Lawyer Now

    After facing the unexpected tragedy of a dog bite injury, a dog bite injury lawyer in Herculaneum, MO with Combs Waterkotte will work hard to bring you justice. A dog bite is usually a traumatic experience, and the physical and psychological injuries it leaves can have a significant impact on your life. Give yourself a chance to receive the recovery you deserve by consulting with an accomplished Herculaneum, MO dog bite injury lawyer today.

    As your dog bite injury lawyer, we are here to demand that you are justly compensated 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 as soon as possible at (314) 900-HELP or send us a message to discover how we can help you with your case.

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