Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Sainte Genevieve County, MO
Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Sainte Genevieve County, MO. Dogs are beloved pets and, to some, even considered family members or honorary coworkers. Many of us have pet dogs in Sainte Genevieve 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. 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 Sainte Genevieve County and Missouri and recommendations responsible pet owners can follow to prevent dogs from attacking humans, but dog bites and dog bite injuries still take place in Sainte Genevieve County, MO. When it happens to you or a loved one, we hare here to help you recover fair compensation.
If your or someone you love has been harmed by a dog that bit, call Combs Waterkotte today at (314) 900-HELP. Our Sainte Genevieve 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 deal with the consequences on your own. Our laws in Missouri offer you a path for recourse to recover full compensation for the full extent of the losses you have suffered as a result of the attack, but for a chance to receive a fair settlement, you will likely need a skilled Sainte Genevieve County, 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 Sainte Genevieve County, MO case with Combs Waterkotte today in a complementary consultation today. Begin your recovery by reaching us now.
What compensation can my Sainte Genevieve County, MO dog bite injury lawyer help me receive?
Every dog bite injury case in the Sainte Genevieve County, MO area is different and you are likely to experience anxiety and uncertainly about your case after a dog hurts you. The amount in damages you could recover in your Sainte Genevieve County, MO dog bite case ranges anywhere from $10,000 in bites that cause minor but demonstrable injuries to well over $100,000 for bites that cause significant, long-term damage and costly medical care. However, to truly understand what kind of settlement you can recover in your Sainte Genevieve County, MO dog bite injuries, 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 a dog bite injury case in Sainte Genevieve County, MO 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 Sainte Genevieve County, MO. It is important to note that a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Sainte Genevieve 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 Combs Waterkotte will not bill you for anything unless your Sainte Genevieve County, 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 Sainte Genevieve County, MO area work on your case at no out-of-pocket costs to you. You have nothing to lose by contacting our Sainte Genevieve 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 Sainte Genevieve 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 could bring closer to $100,000 and dog bites that result in permanent disability can result in settlements of over $200,000.
Unfortunately, these numbers are not guarantees 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 Sainte Genevieve County, MO. Trust the Sainte Genevieve County, MO dog bite attorneys of Combs Waterkotte and contact us to review 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.
- 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 Sainte Genevieve County, MO dog bite injury lawyer will investigate and prove without question. We dedicate our full resources to trracking down evidence, examining liability and building a strong argument to get you an excellent result in your Sainte Genevieve County, MO dog bite injury claim.
Beyond the situation surrounding the accident and the severity of your injuries, the total compensation your Sainte Genevieve County, 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 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 around three times higher for victims who hire a dog bite injury lawyer for representation than for those who try to settle their case without legal representation. Discover how Combs Waterkotte can help you collect a higher, more just settlement in your Sainte Genevieve County, MO dog bite case by calling us at (314) 900-HELP today to go over your case with a knowledgeable Sainte Genevieve County, MO dog bite injury lawyer.
Sainte Genevieve County, MO Dog Bite Injury Lawyer: Determining Who Is Liable
In order to get 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 to work with your Sainte Genevieve 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 at fault for your losses. A knowledgeable dog bite injury lawyer in Sainte Genevieve County, MO with Combs Waterkotte 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 damages 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 — regardless of fault or intention. In application, it means that your Sainte Genevieve County, MO dog bite injury attorney does not need to show 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 it was the owner’s dog that injured you. In more certain terms, the Missouri statute lays out that the Sainte Genevieve County or Missouri dog bite owner is liable 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 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 Sainte Genevieve County, MO will use our expertise to 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 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 in their actions or failure to act, 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 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 comparing the defendant’s behavior to that of a reasonable person in the same situation, your Sainte Genevieve County, MO dog bite lawyer can show that the person 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 that require owners to keep their dogs on leashes or ban 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 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, you may have a case against other defendants other than the owner of the dog. Depending on considerations such as who was involved, where the bite happened, and what the parties in question did or did not do, your dog bite injury lawyer in Sainte Genevieve County, MO may build a case against other defendants in your Sainte Genevieve County, MO dog bite case, such as:
- Landlords
- Stores
- Employers
- Government organizations
- Dog walkers
- Places of business where dogs are present, such as pet stores, dog daycare facilities, etc.
If you or someone you love 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, act right away and speak to a dog bite injury lawyer in Sainte Genevieve County, MO about your case as soon as possible. Combs Waterkotte is equipped with a team of exceptional Sainte Genevieve County, MO dog bite injury attorneys willing 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 avenues of compensation available to you under Missouri law. The legal team at Combs Waterkotte will get you a just recovery. Call us now at (314) 900-HELP.
Our Sainte Genevieve County, 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 Sainte Genevieve County, Missouri: Talk to 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 Sainte Genevieve 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 Sainte Genevieve 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.