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New Melle, MO

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Dog Bite Injury Lawyer New Melle, MO

Dog Bite Injury Lawyer New Melle, 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 New Melle, 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 compensated. There are New Melle 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 New Melle, 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 someone you love has been injured in a dog bite incident, contact Combs Waterkotte today at (314) 900-HELP. Our New Melle, MO dog bite injury lawyers represent each case with compassion and fervor. You did not deserve to be injured and it would be unjust to leave you to deal with the consequences on your own. Our laws in Missouri offer you a path for recourse to collect a complete financial recovery for the full extent of the losses you have experienced because of the attack, but in order to receive a fair settlement, you will likely need an experienced New Melle, MO dog bite injury lawyer fighting by your side. Our distinguished team of attorneys have the skills and resources to make sure you are made whole again and allowed to move forward from this experience. Discuss your New Melle, MO case with Combs Waterkotte today in a complementary consultation today. Start your recovery by reaching us now.

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

Every New Melle, MO dog bite injury claim is different and you are likely to experience anxiety and uncertainly about your case after being injured by a dog. The amount in damages you could recover in your New Melle, 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 costly medical bills. Remember, though, that to truly understand the possible settlement amount you can recover in your New Melle, MO dog bite case, 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 the extent of the damages or losses you have experienced.

Damages you can recover in your New Melle, 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 is determined by a combination of many factors, including whether or not you hire a lawyer in New Melle, MO. It is important to note that a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in New Melle, MO will not take on your case unless we can add value, meaning we will not agree to work for you unless we believe we can help you recover more money than you would be able to recover by yourself. This includes the contingency-fee-basis on which we operate, which means that Combs Waterkotte will not bill you for anything unless your New Melle, MO dog bite injury lawyer wins 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 New Melle, MO area provide quality legal support at no out-of-pocket costs to you. There is no reason not to speak to our New Melle, 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 New Melle, 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 could bring 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, it is important that you speak to a dog bite injury lawyer in New Melle, MO. Turn to the New Melle, MO dog bite attorneys of Combs Waterkotte and contact us for a free review of your dog bite injury case today.

Factors That Affect the Value of 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.
  • 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.

When you hire Combs Waterkotte, your New Melle, MO dog bite injury lawyer will remain committed to investigating and proving the statements above that apply in your case. We put the full weight of our resources behind obtaining evidence, evaluating liability and building an infallible argument to get you an excellent result in your New Melle, MO dog bite injury claim.

Beyond the situation surrounding the accident and the extent of your injuries, the total sum your New Melle, 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 insurance coverage policy limits
  • The sum of the economic damages you have suffered as a result of the bite, including the cost of your medical bills
  • How your dog bite injury lawyer assesses and calculates the value of 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 threefold for plaintiffs who hire a dog bite injury lawyer for representation 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 in your New Melle, MO dog bite case by calling us at (314) 900-HELP today to go over your case with a knowledgeable New Melle, MO dog bite injury lawyer.

New Melle, MO Dog Bite Injury Lawyer: Determining Who Is Liable

To successfully collect a complete settlement that makes you whole after being harmed in a dog bite incident, you will need to work with your New Melle, MO dog bite injury lawyer to 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 responsible for your damages. A knowledgeable dog bite injury lawyer in New Melle, MO with Combs Waterkotte is well-acquainted with Missouri law and has first-hand experience with a variety of situations regarding liability in personal injury cases including dog bite injuries. We help you 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 assigns legal accountability to a party — in this case, the dog owner — irrespective of fault or intention. In application, it means that your New Melle, 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. 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 New Melle or Missouri dog bite owner is liable 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 bitten by a dog that you did not provoke and you were not trespassing, your Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in New Melle, MO will work to get you an excellent recovery in your strict liability claim against the dog’s owner, and typically 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 they are expecting visitors to 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 New Melle, 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, 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 looking after or responsible for 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 injury?

Due to the potential for negligence claims outside of Missouri’s strict liability policy, you may have a case against other parties in addition to the owner of the dog. Depending on the circumstances of the parties that were involved, where the bite occurred, and how the parties behaved, your dog bite injury lawyer in New Melle, MO may build a case against other inidividuals in your New Melle, MO dog bite case, like:

  • 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 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 New Melle, MO about your case as soon as possible. Combs Waterkotte is equipped with a dedicated team of talented New Melle, 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 made whole through all legal remedies available to you under Missouri law. Let Combs Waterkotte help you get a just recovery. Call us now at (314) 900-HELP.

Our New Melle, 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 New Melle, Missouri: Hire a Lawyer Now

    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 New Melle, MO with Combs Waterkotte can help you seek justice. A dog bite can be quite traumatic, and the physical and psychological injuries it leaves can affect your life in profound, unrelenting ways. You have a chance to receive the recovery you deserve by speaking to an accomplished New Melle, 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 learn how we can help you with your case.

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