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Mehlville, MO

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Posted by Emily Herr on March 23, 2022

Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Mehlville, MO

Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Mehlville, MO. We love our pet dogs and may even go so far as to call them family members or honorary coworkers. A lot of us have pet dogs in Mehlville, 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. 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. 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 happen in Mehlville, MO. When it happens to you or a loved one, it is our job to help you recover fair compensation.

If your or someone you love has been injured in a dog bite incident, contact Combs Waterkotte today at (314) 900-HELP. Our Mehlville, MO dog bite injury lawyers handle each case fervently and with great care and dedication. You did not deserve to be injured and it would be unjust to leave you to deal with the consequences on your own. Missouri law provides a path for you to collect a complete financial recovery for the full extent of the losses you have suffered as a result of your injuries, but in order to receive just compensation, 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. Discuss your Mehlville, MO case with Combs Waterkotte today in a complementary consultation today. Begin your recovery by reaching us now.

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

Each dog bite injury case in the Mehlville, 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 Mehlville, MO dog bite case ranges anywhere from $10,000 for minor but demonstrable injuries to easily over $100,000 for bites that cause significant, long-term damage and costly medical care. Remember, though, that to truly understand the possible settlement amount you can recover in your Mehlville, 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 Mehlville, 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 depends greatly on a variety of variables, including whether or not you hire a lawyer in Mehlville, MO. It is important to note that a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Mehlville, MO will only agree to represent you if they can add value to your case and help you recover more than you could on your own. This includes our contingency-fee model, which means that Combs Waterkotte will not bill you for anything unless your Mehlville, 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 Mehlville, MO area offer our dedicated representation 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 is my case worth if I hire 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 cause permanent scarring and disfigurement 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 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 Mehlville, MO about your case. Turn to the Mehlville, MO dog bite attorneys of Combs Waterkotte and ask us to review your dog bite injury case now.

Factors That Influence Your Settlement in 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.

These are all facts of your case that your Combs Waterkotte Mehlville, MO dog bite injury lawyer will work diligently to get to the bottom of and prove. We dedicate our full resources to collecting evidence, examining liability and building a strong case to make sure you get the best possible result in your Mehlville, MO dog bite injury claim.

Beyond the situation surrounding the accident and the severity of your injuries, the total compensation your Mehlville, 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 total economic losses you have suffered as a result of the bite, including the cost 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 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 reach a settlement without legal representation. Find out if 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 successfully collect a complete settlement 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 Mehlville, MO you can trust to help you determine who to file a claim against and who, in turn, is responsible for your damages.

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 Mehlville, MO, you have a professional who 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 losses 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 assigns legal accountability to a party — in this case, the dog owner — irrespective of their intention or whether there was fault. In application, it means that your Mehlville, 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, 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 Mehlville 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 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 Mehlville, MO can get you a fair 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 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 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 seen as negligent and your Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer will diligently 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 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 Mehlville, 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 keep you safe. For example, certain 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 looking after or responsible for the dog violated one of these rules and their dog bit you, you may have a case of negligence per se.

Who is responsible for my dog bite injuries?

Because of the potential for negligence claims beyond Missouri’s strict liability policy, it is possible that you have other cases against other parties other than the owner of the dog. Depending on considerations such as who was present, where the bite occurred, and how the parties behaved, your dog bite injury lawyer in Mehlville, MO may identify additional responsible 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 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, take the first step toward your recovery and speak to a dog bite injury lawyer in Mehlville, MO about your case as soon as possible. Combs Waterkotte is equipped with a dedicated team of talented Mehlville, 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 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. Some of our practice area specialties include:

    Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Mehlville, 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 Mehlville, MO with Combs Waterkotte will work hard to bring you 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. 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 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.

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