Image

Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Jefferson County, MO

Verified Content

Posted by Emily Herr on March 23, 2022

Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Jefferson County, MO

Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Jefferson County, MO. Dogs are beloved pets and, to some, even considered members of our family or fellow staff members. A lot of us have pet dogs in Jefferson County, 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. 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 Jefferson County and Missouri and recommendations responsible pet owners can follow to prevent dogs from attacking humans, but dog bites and dog bite injuries still occur in Jefferson County, 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 harmed by a dog that bit, call Combs Waterkotte today at (314) 900-HELP. Our Jefferson County, 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 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 because of the attack, but for a chance to receive a fair settlement, you are going to need help from a skilled Jefferson County, MO dob bite injury lawyer. Our distinguished team of attorneys have the skills and resources to get you full compensation that will restore you after been harmed. Discuss your Jefferson County, MO case with Combs Waterkotte for free today. Start by reaching us now.

About Us

What compensation can I get with the help of a dog bite injury lawyer in Jefferson County, MO?

Every dog bite injury case in the Jefferson County, MO area 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 Jefferson County, MO dog bite case ranges anywhere from $10,000 for minor but evident injuries to well over $100,000 for bites that result in significant, lasting damage and expensive medical bills. However, to truly understand what kind of settlement you can recover for your Jefferson County, MO dog bite injuries, you must speak to a qualified St. Louis dog bite injury lawyer like the attorneys of Combs Waterkotte. Your compensation depends, in addition to other factors, on the extent of the damages or losses you have experienced.

Damages you can recover in your Jefferson County, MO dog bite injury case include:

  • Medical costs
    • 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 final dollar amount you recover is determined by a combination of a variety of factors, including whether you hire an experienced Jefferson County, MO lawyer. It is important to note that a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Jefferson County, MO 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 Jefferson County, 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 Jefferson County, MO area provide quality legal support at no out-of-pocket costs to you. You have nothing to lose by contacting our Jefferson County, 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 Jefferson County, 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. In order to understand the complexities of your unique case and learn what to expect from your recovery, it is important that you talk to a dog bite injury lawyer in Jefferson County, MO about your case. Turn to the Jefferson County, MO dog bite attorneys of Combs Waterkotte and contact us for a free review of your dog bite injury case today.

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.
  • 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.

These are all facts of your case that your Combs Waterkotte Jefferson County, MO dog bite injury lawyer will work diligently to get to the bottom of and prove. We dedicate our full resources to collecting evidence, determining liability and building an infallible case to get you the best possible outcome in your Jefferson County, MO dog bite injury claim.

In addition to the circumstances of the accident and the severity of your injuries, the total recovery your Jefferson County, MO dog bite injury lawyer can get you will also depend on 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 your non-economic damages
  • How effectively your dog bite injury lawyer negotiates and how resistant the defendant is

Average settlements in personal injury claims like dog attacks are around three times higher for plaintiffs who hire a dog bite injury lawyer for representation than for plaintiffs in dog bite cases who try to reach a settlement without legal representation. Find out if Combs Waterkotte can help you collect a higher, more just settlement in your Jefferson County, MO dog bite case by calling us at (314) 900-HELP today to go over your case with a knowledgeable Jefferson County, MO dog bite injury lawyer.

Jefferson County, MO Dog Bite Injury Lawyer: Determining Liability

In order to receive a complete settlement that makes you whole after the losses you have suffered following a dog bite incident, you will need a dog bite injury lawyer in Jefferson County, 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 describes who is at fault for your damages. With a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Jefferson County, MO, you have a professional who knows Missouri law and has seen many different situations related to liability in dog bites and other personal injury cases. We help you hold the right people accountable and make sure they pay for the losses you have suffered.

dog bite injury lawyer Jefferson County, MO | Combs Waterkotte Missouri dog bite injury lawyers

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 their intention or whether there was fault. That means that your Jefferson County, MO dog bite injury attorney does not necessarily have to demonstrate 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, all you need to prove is that you were injured and it was the owner’s dog that injured you. Specifically, the Missouri statute lays out that the Jefferson County 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 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 Jefferson County, MO can 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 allows a dog to run free through the neighborhood unsupervised or does not put their large, aggressive dog away when strangers or children visit their home could be seen as 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 Jefferson County, MO dog bite lawyer proves 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 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 potential for negligence claims beyond Missouri’s strict liability policy, it is possible that you have other cases against other parties in addition to the owner of the dog. Depending on the circumstances of who was involved, where the bite happened, and how the parties behaved, your dog bite injury lawyer in Jefferson County, MO may build a case against other inidividuals in your Jefferson County, 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 a loved one were bitten by a dog and you suspect 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 Jefferson County, MO about your case as soon as possible. Combs Waterkotte is equipped with a team of exceptional Jefferson County, 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 avenues of compensation Missouri law provides. Let Combs Waterkotte help you get a just recovery. Call us now at (314) 900-HELP.

Our Jefferson County, MO attorneys have the skill and experience necessary to bring you justice in any type of personal injury or criminal case. Some of our practice area specialties include:

Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Jefferson County, Missouri: Hire a Lawyer Today

When you or a loved one are suddenly thrown off course by way of an unexpected dog bite injury, a dog bite injury lawyer in Jefferson County, MO with Combs Waterkotte can help you seek justice. A dog bite can be quite traumatic, often leaving you with lasting physical and mental scars that can affect your life in profound, unrelenting ways. Give yourself a chance to be made whole again by consulting with an accomplished Jefferson County, 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 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.

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

Kansas City

By Appointment Only

(913) 77-CRIME

Get Directions