Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Laclede County, MO
Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Laclede County, MO. Dogs are beloved pets and, to some, even considered family members or honorary coworkers. A lot of us have dogs at home in Laclede County, MO and we get a lot of joy from spending time with them. However, dogs are still animals and cannot communicate with us verbally. 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 Laclede County 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 Laclede County, MO. When you or someone you know becomes the victim of a dog bite, we hare here 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 Laclede County, MO dog bite injury lawyers represent 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 your injuries, but for a chance to collect a fair settlement, you are going to need help from a skilled Laclede 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. Review your Laclede County, MO case with Combs Waterkotte for free today. Begin by contacting us now.
What compensation can I get with the help of a dog bite injury lawyer in Laclede County, MO?
Every dog bite injury case in the Laclede County, MO area is unique and it is normal to have a number of questions running through your mind after a dog hurts you. The value of a dog bite claim in Laclede County, MO could be anywhere from $10,000 for minor but evident injuries to easily over $100,000 for bites that result in severe, permanent damage and expensive medical bills. However, to find out the possible settlement amount you can expect to receive in your Laclede County, MO dog bite case, you must speak to a qualified St. Louis dog bite injury lawyer like the attorneys of Combs Waterkotte. Among other considerations, the amount of compensation you can recovery depends on the extent of the damages or losses you have experienced.
Types of damages available in your Laclede County, MO dog bite injury case 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 depends greatly on many factors, including whether you hire an experienced Laclede County, MO lawyer. It is important to note that a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Laclede 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 Laclede 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 Laclede County, MO area offer our dedicated representation at no out-of-pocket costs to you. You have nothing to lose by contacting our Laclede County, MO dog bite injury lawyer team to discuss your case and learn how we can help.
How much is my case worth if I hire a dog bite injury lawyer in Laclede County, MO?
The average dog bite injury settlement is 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 dog bites that result in permanent disability 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, you need to speak to a dog bite injury lawyer in Laclede County, MO. Trust the Laclede County, MO dog bite attorneys of Combs Waterkotte and contact us to review 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.
- Your injuries have caused permanent disability.
- 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.
These are all facts of your case that your Combs Waterkotte Laclede County, MO dog bite injury lawyer will work diligently to get to the bottom of and prove. We put the full weight of our resources behind obtaining evidence, determining liability and building an infallible case to get you an excellent outcome in your Laclede County, MO dog bite injury claim.
Beyond the situation surrounding the accident and the severity of your injuries, the total sum your Laclede County, 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 liable party’s 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 bills
- How your dog bite injury lawyer calculates 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 threefold for victims who hire a dog bite injury lawyer for representation than for those who attempt to settle their case without legal representation. Discover how Combs Waterkotte can help you collect a higher, more just settlement for your Laclede County, MO dog bite injuries by calling us at (314) 900-HELP today to go over your case with a knowledgeable Laclede County, MO dog bite injury lawyer.
Laclede County, MO Dog Bite Injury Lawyer: Determining 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 Laclede County, MO dog bite injury lawyer to determine who is legally responsible for the damages you have suffered and, thus, who to hold accountable for your suffering.
Liability in a dog bite or any personal injury case describes who is responsible for your losses. A knowledgeable dog bite injury lawyer in Laclede County, MO with Combs Waterkotte knows 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 suffered.
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 — regardless of fault or intention. In application, it means that your Laclede County, 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. 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 Laclede County 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 nothing to provoke the dog to attack.
If you were not trespassing and a dog bit you unprovoked, your Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Laclede County, MO will work to get you a fair recovery in your strict liability claim against the dog’s owner, and most of the time 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 fails to crate their anxious dog when strangers or children visit their home could be seen as 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 Laclede 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 keep you safe. For example, some cities and municipalities have laws in place mandating that people keep dogs on leashes while off their own property 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?
Because of the potential for negligence claims 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 who was present, where the bite happened, and how the parties behaved, your dog bite injury lawyer in Laclede County, MO may build a case against other inidividuals in your Laclede 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 someone beyond the owner is to blame, or that the owner has more blame than strict liability covers, act right away and speak to a dog bite injury lawyer in Laclede County, MO about your case as soon as possible. Combs Waterkotte has a team of exceptional Laclede County, MO dog bite injury attorneys ready 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 legal remedies Missouri law provides. The legal team at Combs Waterkotte will get you a just recovery. Call us now at (314) 900-HELP.
Our Laclede County, 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:
- Homicide Lawyer
- Assault Lawyer
- Rape Defense Lawyer
- Sex Offense Lawyers
- DWI Attorney
- Crime Defense Lawyers
- Domestic Violence Defense Attorneys
- Child Pornography Defense Lawyer
- Criminal Lawyer
Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Laclede County, Missouri: Hire a Lawyer Now
After facing the unexpected tragedy of a dog bite injury, a dog bite injury lawyer in Laclede County, 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. You have a chance to receive the recovery you deserve by speaking to an accomplished Laclede 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 being bitten and injured by a dog, call Combs Waterkotte right away at (314) 900-HELP or reach us online to discover how we can help you with your case.