Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Columbia, MO

Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Columbia, MO. We love our pet dogs and may even go so far as to call them members of our family or fellow staff members. A lot of us have dogs at home in Columbia, 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. Whether they felt threatened, were sick or for one reason or another were prompted to act on their instincts to attack, when a dog bites you, you should be given a recovery. Though we have a number of laws in Columbia 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 Columbia, MO. When it happens to you or a loved one, it is our job 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 Columbia, MO dog bite injury lawyers handle each case fervently and with great care and dedication. You did nothing to 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 your injuries, but in order to collect the full value of your damages, you will likely need a reputable Columbia, MO dog bite injury lawyer standing by you. Our team of competitive attorneys have the skills and resources to make sure you are made whole again and allowed to move forward from this experience. Review your Columbia, MO case with Combs Waterkotte for free today. Start your recovery by reaching us now.

What compensation can my Columbia, MO dog bite injury lawyer help me receive?

Every dog bite injury case in the Columbia, MO area 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 Columbia, MO dog bite case ranges anywhere from $10,000 in bites that cause minor but evident injuries to more than $100,000 for bites that cause significant, lasting damage and costly medical care. However, to find out what kind of settlement you can recover in your Columbia, MO dog bite injuries, speak to a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Columbia, MO about your case. Among other outside variables, 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 Columbia, MO dog bite injury case include:

The final dollar amount you collect depends greatly on a variety of variables, including whether you hire an experienced Columbia, MO lawyer. Remember that a dog bite injury lawyer in Columbia, MO like a member of the Combs Waterkotte team 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 your Combs Waterkotte Columbia, MO dog bite injury lawyer will not charge you anything unless we win 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 Columbia, MO area offer our dedicated representation at no out-of-pocket costs to you. There is no reason not to speak to our Columbia, 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 Columbia, 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 settle for closer to $100,000 and permanent disabilities caused by dog bites can result in settlements of 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 speak to a dog bite injury lawyer in Columbia, MO. Turn to the Columbia, MO dog bite attorneys of Combs Waterkotte and ask us for a free review of your dog bite injury case now.

Factors That Affect Your Settlement in a Dog Bite Case

The following factors determine the value of your case:

• The dog bite leaves visible scarring or disfigurement.
• Your injuries have caused permanent disability.
• 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 Columbia, 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, evaluating liability and building an infallible case to get you the best possible outcome in your Columbia, MO dog bite injury claim.

In addition to the circumstances of the accident and the extent of your injuries, the total sum your Columbia, MO dog bite injury lawyer can get you is also related to other factors, such as:

• Who is 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 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 dog bite attacks and other personal injury cases are threefold for plaintiffs who hire a dog bite injury lawyer to represent them in their claim than for those in dog bite cases who attempt to reach a settlement on their own. Discover how Combs Waterkotte can help you collect a higher, more just settlement in your Columbia, MO dog bite case by calling us at (314) 900-HELP today to ask an experienced Columbia, MO dog bite injury lawyer about your case.

Columbia, MO Dog Bite Injury Lawyer: Determining Liability

To settle your case at a sum 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 Columbia, MO you can trust to help you determine who is legally responsible for the damages you have suffered and, thus, who to hold accountable for your suffering.

The idea of 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 Columbia, MO with Combs Waterkotte knows Missouri law and has first-hand experience with a variety of situations related to 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 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 fault or intention. That means that your Columbia, MO dog bite injury attorney does not necessarily have to demonstrate that the dog owner was negligent or that they intentionally allowed the dog to attack you. 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 Columbia 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 not trespassing and a dog bit you unprovoked, your Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Columbia, MO will use our expertise to get you a fair recovery 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, 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 through an action or omission, 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 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 Columbia, 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 that require owners to keep their dogs on leashes 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 their dog bit you, ask your attorney about a possible case of negligence per se.

Who is responsible for my dog bite damages?

Due to the possibility of additional claims of negligence outside of the strict liability statute in Missouri, you may have a case against other parties other than the owner of the dog. Depending on the circumstances of who was involved, where the bite occurred, and how the parties behaved, your dog bite injury lawyer in Columbia, MO may build a case against other parties in your Columbia, 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 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, take the first step toward your recovery and speak to a dog bite injury lawyer in Columbia, MO about your case as soon as possible. Combs Waterkotte has a dedicated team of talented Columbia, MO dog bite injury attorneys willing 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 avenues of compensation Missouri law provides. Let Combs Waterkotte help you get a just recovery. Call us now at (314) 900-HELP.

Our Columbia, 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:

• Domestic Violence Defense Attorneys
• Child Pornography Defense Lawyer
• Criminal Lawyer
• Juvenile Defense Lawyer
• Sexual Misconduct Lawyer
• Traffic Ticket Lawyer
• Order of Protection Defense Lawyer
• Speeding Ticket Lawyer

Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Columbia, 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 Columbia, 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. Give yourself a chance to be made whole again by speaking to an accomplished Columbia, MO dog bite injury lawyer today.

As your dog bite injury lawyer, we are here to demand that you are justly compensated after suffering the harm of something like a dog bite attack. After you or someone you love have been injured by a dog bite, call Combs Waterkotte as soon as possible at (314) 900-HELP or reach us online to learn how we can help you with your case.