Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Mehlville, MO

Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Mehlville, 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 Mehlville, MO and interacting with any dog can bring us a lot of joy. However, dogs are animals and cannot communicate with us verbally. 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 Mehlville 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 Mehlville, MO. When you or someone you know becomes the victim of a dog bite, it is our job to help you recover fair compensation.

If your or your family member has been harmed by a dog that bit, contact Combs Waterkotte today at (314) 900-HELP. Our Mehlville, MO dog bite injury lawyers represent each case fervently and with great care and dedication. You did nothing to deserve to be injured and it would be unjust to leave you 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 in order to collect the full value of your damages, you will likely need an experienced Mehlville, MO dog bite injury lawyer fighting by your side. Our distinguished team of attorneys have the experience and resources to make sure you are made whole again and allowed to move forward from this experience. Review your Mehlville, MO case with Combs Waterkotte for free today. Start by reaching us now.

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

Each dog bite injury case in the Mehlville, MO area is different and it is normal to experience anxiety and uncertainly about your case after being injured by a dog. The value of a dog bite claim in Mehlville, MO could be anywhere from $10,000 for minor but evident injuries to well over $100,000 for bites that cause more serious, permanent damage and expensive medical care. Remember, though, that to truly understand the possible settlement amount you can expect to receive in your Mehlville, MO dog bite case, speak to a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Mehlville, MO about your case. Your compensation depends, in addition to other factors, on how extensive and debilitating your injuries and other damages are.

Types of damages available in your Mehlville, MO dog bite injury case include:

The total sum you collect depends greatly on many factors, including whether you hire an experienced Mehlville, MO lawyer. Remember that a dog bite injury lawyer in Mehlville, 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 your Combs Waterkotte Mehlville, MO dog bite injury lawyer will not charge you anything unless we win 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 Mehlville, MO area work on your case at no out-of-pocket costs to you. You have nothing to lose by contacting our Mehlville, 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 Mehlville, 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 could bring 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, you need to speak to a dog bite injury lawyer in Mehlville, MO. Trust the Mehlville, MO dog bite attorneys of Combs Waterkotte and ask us for a free review of 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:

• 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.
• Your injuries require you to undergo surgery or receive other extensive medical care.
• 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 Mehlville, MO dog bite injury lawyer will investigate and prove without question. We put the full weight of our resources behind obtaining evidence, examining liability and building a strong argument to get you the best possible result in your Mehlville, MO dog bite injury claim.

Beyond the circumstances of the accident and the extent of your injuries, the total sum your Mehlville, 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 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 bills
• 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

On average, settlements in personal injury claims like dog attacks are around three times higher for victims who hire a dog bite injury lawyer to represent them in their claim than for plaintiffs who attempt to settle their case without legal representation. Discover how Combs Waterkotte can help you collect a higher, more just settlement for your Mehlville, MO dog bite injuries by reaching us at (314) 900-HELP today to go over your case with a knowledgeable Mehlville, MO dog bite injury lawyer.

Mehlville, MO Dog Bite Injury Lawyer: Determining Liability

To settle your case at a sum that makes you whole after being harmed in a dog bite incident, you will need to work with your Mehlville, MO dog bite injury lawyer to figure out who is legally responsible for the damages you have suffered and, thus, who to hold accountable for your suffering.

The idea of liability in a dog bite or any personal injury case has to do with who is responsible for your damages. With a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Mehlville, MO, you have a professional who knows 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 suffered.

In Missouri, Revised Statute Section 273.036 puts into effect a practice of strict liability in dog bite injury cases. Strict liabillity assigns legal accountability to a party — in this case, the dog owner — regardless of their intention or whether there was fault. That means that your Mehlville, MO dog bite injury attorney does not necessarily have to show that the dog owner was negligent or had the dog attack you on purpose. In 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 Mehlville or Missouri dog bite owner is legally responsible for your injuries if:

• you were injured by 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 not trespassing and a dog bit you unprovoked, your Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Mehlville, MO will work to get you an excellent 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 will cover the cost of 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 through an action or omission, in their duty to keep you safe. Someone who allows a dog to run free through the neighborhood unsupervised or fails to crate their anxious dog 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 case. 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 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 Mehlville, MO dog bite lawyer proves that the defendant is liable for your injuries because of the simple fact that 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 permission from the property owner. If the person in possession of 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 injuries?

Because of the possibility of additional claims of negligence 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 the circumstances of the parties that were present, where the bite happened, and how the parties behaved, your dog bite injury lawyer in Mehlville, MO may build a case against other parties in your Mehlville, 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 someone you love 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 covers, act right away and speak to a dog bite injury lawyer in Mehlville, MO about your case as soon as possible. Combs Waterkotte has a team of exceptional Mehlville, 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 legal remedies available to you under Missouri law. Let Combs Waterkotte help you get the recovery you deserve. Call us now at (314) 900-HELP.

Our Mehlville, 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 Mehlville, Missouri: Talk to a Lawyer Today

After facing the unexpected tragedy of a dog bite injury, a dog bite injury lawyer in Mehlville, 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 have a significant impact on your life. You have a chance to receive the recovery you deserve by consulting with an accomplished Mehlville, 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 being bitten and injured by a dog, 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.