Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Ste. Genevieve, MO
Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Ste. Genevieve, MO. Dogs are beloved pets and, to some, even considered family members or honorary coworkers. Many of us have pet dogs in Ste. Genevieve, MO and we get a lot of joy from spending time with them. However, dogs are still 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 given a recovery. Though we have a number of laws in Ste. Genevieve 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 Ste. Genevieve, 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 injured in a dog bite incident, call Combs Waterkotte today at (314) 900-HELP. Our Ste. Genevieve, 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 recover full compensation for the full extent of the losses you have suffered because of your injuries, but for a chance to receive a fair settlement, you will likely need a skilled Ste. Genevieve, MO dog bite injury lawyer standing by you. Our distinguished team of attorneys have the experience and resources to get you full compensation that will restore you after been harmed. Review your Ste. Genevieve, MO case with Combs Waterkotte today in a complementary consultation today. Begin by contacting us now.
What compensation can I get with the help of a dog bite injury lawyer in Ste. Genevieve, MO?
Each dog bite injury case in the Ste. Genevieve, MO area is unique and it is normal to experience anxiety and uncertainly about your case after a dog hurts you. The amount in damages you could recover in your Ste. Genevieve, MO dog bite case ranges anywhere from $10,000 for minor but evident injuries to easily over $100,000 for bites that cause significant, permanent damage and costly medical bills. However, to find out the possible settlement amount you can expect to receive for your Ste. Genevieve, MO dog bite case, speak to a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Ste. Genevieve, MO about your case. Your compensation depends, in addition to other factors, on the extent of the damages or losses you have experienced.
Damages you can recover in your Ste. Genevieve, 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 final dollar amount you recover is determined by a combination of many variables, including whether or not you hire a lawyer in Ste. Genevieve, MO. Remember that a dog bite injury lawyer in Ste. Genevieve, 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 also takes into account our contingency-fee model, which means that Combs Waterkotte will not bill you for anything unless your Ste. Genevieve, 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 Ste. Genevieve, MO area offer our dedicated representation at no out-of-pocket costs to you. There is no reason not to speak to our Ste. Genevieve, 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 Ste. Genevieve, 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 settle for over $200,000.
Unfortunately, these numbers are not guarantees 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 Ste. Genevieve, MO about your case. Count on the Ste. Genevieve, MO dog bite attorneys of Combs Waterkotte and contact us to review your dog bite injury case now.
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.
- Your dog bite injuries necessitated emergency medical attention.
- You had to receive surgery or other significant medical treatments for your injuries.
- You suffered psychological harm from the dog bite incident that required professional mental health treatment.
When you hire Combs Waterkotte, your Ste. Genevieve, MO dog bite injury lawyer will remain committed to investigating and proving the statements above that apply in your case. We dedicate our full resources to trracking down evidence, determining liability and building an infallible argument to get you the best possible result in your Ste. Genevieve, MO dog bite injury claim.
In addition to the situation surrounding the accident and the severity of your injuries, the total sum your Ste. Genevieve, MO dog bite injury lawyer can secure for you is also related to other factors, such as:
- Who is liable for the dog bite
- The 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 expenses
- 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
Average settlements in dog bite attacks and other personal injury cases are around three times higher for victims who hire a dog bite injury lawyer to represent them in their claim than for those in dog bite cases who try to settle their case without legal representation. Discover how Combs Waterkotte can help you collect a higher, more just settlement in your Ste. Genevieve, MO dog bite case by calling us at (314) 900-HELP today to go over your case with a knowledgeable Ste. Genevieve, MO dog bite injury lawyer.
Ste. Genevieve, MO Dog Bite Injury Lawyer: Determining Liability
To settle your case at a sum that makes you whole after the losses you have suffered following a dog bite incident, you will need a dog bite injury lawyer in Ste. Genevieve, MO you can trust to help you figure out 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 Ste. Genevieve, MO, you have a professional who knows Missouri law and has first-hand experience with a variety of situations related to 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 damages you have experienced.
In Missouri, Revised Statute Section 273.036 puts into effect a practice of strict liability in dog bite injury cases. Strict liabillity is a legal policy that names a party accountable — in this case, the dog owner — regardless of their intention or whether there was fault. In application, it means that your Ste. Genevieve, MO dog bite injury attorney does not need to prove 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 that the owner’s dog bit you. Specifically, the Missouri statute lays out that the Ste. Genevieve 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 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 bitten by a dog that you did not provoke and you were not trespassing, your Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Ste. Genevieve, 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 allows a dog to run free through the neighborhood unsupervised or does not put their large, aggressive dog away when they are expecting visitors to their home could be considered 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 Ste. Genevieve, MO dog bite lawyer proves 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 towns 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 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 damages?
Because of the potential for negligence claims beyond Missouri’s strict liability policy, you may have a case against other parties in addition to the owner of the dog. Depending on considerations such as the parties that were involved, where the bite happened, and how the parties behaved, your dog bite injury lawyer in Ste. Genevieve, MO may identify additional responsible parties in your Ste. Genevieve, 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 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 Ste. Genevieve, MO about your case as soon as possible. Combs Waterkotte is equipped with a dedicated team of talented Ste. Genevieve, MO dog bite injury attorneys willing to fight for your recovery and make the right parties pay. You did not deserve to be attacked or harmed, and you should be made whole through all avenues of compensation Missouri law provides. The legal team at Combs Waterkotte will get you a just recovery. Call us now at (314) 900-HELP.
Our Ste. Genevieve, MO attorneys have the skill and experience necessary to bring you justice in any type of personal injury or criminal case. Some of our practice area specialties include:
Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Ste. Genevieve, Missouri: Hire a Lawyer Now
After facing the unexpected tragedy of a dog bite injury, a dog bite injury lawyer in Ste. Genevieve, MO with Combs Waterkotte will work hard to bring you 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 be made whole again by consulting with an accomplished Ste. Genevieve, 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 send us a message to learn how we can help you with your case.