Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Valley Park, MO
Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Valley Park, MO. Dogs are beloved pets and, to some, even considered members of our family or fellow staff members. Many of us have pet dogs in Valley Park, 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 Valley Park 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 Valley Park, MO. When it happens to you or a loved one, we hare here to help you recover fair compensation.
If your or your family member has been harmed by a dog that bit, call Combs Waterkotte today at (314) 900-HELP. Our Valley Park, MO dog bite injury lawyers handle each case fervently and with great care and dedication. You did not deserve to be injured and you should not have to suffer 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 as a result of the attack, but in order to receive just compensation, you will likely need a reputable Valley Park, 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 Valley Park, MO case with Combs Waterkotte for free today. Begin your recovery by reaching us now.
What compensation can I get with the help of a dog bite injury lawyer in Valley Park, MO?
Each dog bite injury case in the Valley Park, MO area is unique and you are likely to experience anxiety and uncertainly about your case after being injured by a dog. The value of a dog bite claim in Valley Park, MO could be anywhere from $10,000 for minor but evident injuries to well over $100,000 for bites that result in severe, permanent damage and costly medical bills. However, to truly understand what kind of settlement you can recover in your Valley Park, MO dog bite case, speak to a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Valley Park, MO about your case. Among other outside variables, the amount of compensation you can recovery depends on how extensive and debilitating your injuries and other damages are.
Damages you can recover in a dog bite injury case in Valley Park, MO include:
- Medical expenses
- Ambulance bill
- Emergency room fees
- Hospital stay costs
- Doctors’ bills
- Surgery
- Costs of treatment
- 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 collect depends greatly on many factors, including whether or not you hire a lawyer in Valley Park, MO. Remember that a dog bite injury lawyer in Valley Park, 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 our contingency-fee model, which means that Combs Waterkotte will not bill you for anything unless your Valley Park, 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 Valley Park, MO area offer our dedicated representation at no out-of-pocket costs to you. You have nothing to lose by contacting our Valley Park, 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 Valley Park, 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 settle for 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 in your particular case. In order to understand the complexities of your unique case and learn what to expect from your recovery, you need to speak to a dog bite injury lawyer in Valley Park, MO. Turn to the Valley Park, 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 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.
- Your injuries have caused permanent disability.
- 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 suffered psychological harm from the dog bite incident that required professional mental health treatment.
When you hire Combs Waterkotte, your Valley Park, 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 trracking down evidence, examining liability and building an infallible argument to make sure you get the best possible outcome in your Valley Park, MO dog bite injury claim.
In addition to the circumstances of the accident and the extent of your injuries, the total recovery your Valley Park, 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 your non-economic damages
- How effectively your dog bite injury lawyer negotiates and how resistant the defendant is
Average settlements in dog bite attacks and other personal injury cases are threefold for victims who hire a dog bite injury lawyer for representation than for plaintiffs who attempt to reach a settlement on their own. Discover how Combs Waterkotte can help you collect a higher, more just settlement in your Valley Park, MO dog bite case by calling us at (314) 900-HELP today to go over your case with a knowledgeable Valley Park, MO dog bite injury lawyer.
Valley Park, MO Dog Bite Injury Lawyer: Determining Liability
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 Valley Park, MO dog bite injury lawyer to 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 has to do with who is at fault for your losses. With a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Valley Park, 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 help you 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 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 Valley Park, 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 Valley Park 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 bitten by a dog that you did not provoke and you were not trespassing, your Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Valley Park, MO will use our expertise to get you a fair settlement in your strict liability claim against the dog’s owner, and typically 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 in their actions or failure to act, in upholding their duty of care to you. Someone who lets their dog roam the neighborhood freely 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 can fight to hold them accountable in a negligence claim. 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 proving that the defendant did not act with care as a reasonable person would, your Valley Park, MO dog bite lawyer proves that the person 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 prohibit dogs from being on others’ properties without the property owner’s permission. If the person looking after or responsible for the dog broke 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?
Due to the possibility of additional claims of negligence outside of the strict liability statute in Missouri, it is possible that you have other cases against other parties in addition to the owner of the dog. Depending on the circumstances of the parties that were present, where the bite occurred, and how the parties behaved, your dog bite injury lawyer in Valley Park, MO may build a case against other inidividuals in your Valley Park, 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 a loved one 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 Valley Park, MO about your case as soon as possible. Combs Waterkotte is equipped with a team of exceptional Valley Park, 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 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 Valley Park, MO attorneys have the skill and experience necessary to bring you 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 Valley Park, Missouri: Talk to a Lawyer Today
After facing the unexpected tragedy of a dog bite injury, a dog bite injury lawyer in Valley Park, MO with Combs Waterkotte can help you seek justice. A dog bite is usually a traumatic experience, and the physical and psychological injuries it leaves can affect your life in profound, unrelenting ways. You have a chance to be made whole again by consulting with an accomplished Valley Park, MO dog bite injury lawyer today.
As your dog bite injury lawyer, we make it our mission to secure just compensation for you after suffering the harm of something like a dog bite attack. After being bitten and injured by a dog, call Combs Waterkotte right away at (314) 900-HELP or reach us online to learn how we can help you with your case.