
Dog Bite Lawyer St. Louis, MO
Dog Bite Lawyer St. Louis, MO. Dogs have truly earned their reputation as “man’s best friend.” Dogs are often considered to be members of the family, and tens of millions of American households have them. But when a St. Louis, MO dog owner can’t control their friendly “best friend” and it bites you, you are going to have severe pain, injuries, and medical bills as a result of the dog bite. Call the St. Louis, MO dog bite lawyers of the Missouri Injury Law Firm immediately at 636-333-1717 or reach out to us online.
Regardless of how the St. Louis, MO pet owner tries to console you, or even point the finger at you for their dog's bad behavior, you need to speak with an attorney and hold them responsible for their pet’s demeanor and pursue a claim. The Missouri Injury Law St. Louis, MO dog bite lawyers can help. We understand that a dog bite is an event nobody should have to go through. You did not want a St. Louis, MO dog to bite you, and you should not have to beg to receive excellent legal care and guidance in St. Louis, MO.
Our St. Louis, MO dog bite lawyers> can guide you through your St. Louis, MO claim, and ensure that you get the financial compensation for any losses you suffered, whether it be from lost work, medical bills, legal fees, or more, as well as all of the medical attention you need. We understand how St. Louis, MO residents suffer after a vicious dog bite because we have successfully resolved these cases before. reach out to us for a complimentary, confidential consultation when you are ready to see what our St. Louis, MO dog bite lawyers can do for your dog bite claim|When you are ready to see what our St. Louis, MO dog bite lawyers can do for your dog bite claim, give us a call at 636-333-1717 or contact us for a complimentary, confidential consultation}. We can help.
What Are the Common Reasons a Dog Bites in St. Louis, MO?
Almost half of all dog bites involve an animal owned by the victim’s neighbors or family. St. Louis, MO dog bites can be costly and frequently cause mental, physical, and emotional harm. Recent research stated that the average dog bite settlement in Missouri is almost $47,500, while Illinois is slightly higher at $48,100.
Nobody likes entertaining the thought that their St. Louis, MO dog is capable of biting. Likely one of the most common questions St. Louis, MO dog owners get when someone wants to pet their dog is, “Does your dog bite?” If the dog enjoys meeting St. Louis, MO people, the owner probably tells them no. But the reality is, under certain circumstances, all St. Louis, MO dogs bite. Almost all aggressive behavior from dogs is, on some level, based on fear. Certainly, there are specific situations where a St. Louis, MO dog might have suffered severe abuse or trauma and could lash out at any time, without warning. Typically, a St. Louis, MO dog will bite when they are stressed or threatened because they are in an unfamiliar place. Most St. Louis, MO dog bites occur because of one of the following reasons:
- The dog is startled
- The dog is in a stressful situation
- To protect themselves, their puppies, their food/toy, or their owners
- The dog feels sick or hurt
- The dog feels threatened or frightened
- Issues arising from not being spayed or neutered
- During play
The majority of dog bites take place at the home of the owner or in a St. Louis, MO public place, like when the dog is being walked in the neighborhood or in a St. Louis, MO park or field. If you were injured by a dog when you were trespassing, breaking into a home, or attempting to hurt or attack the owner of the St. Louis, MO dog, you will not have a claim. However, if you were bitten by a dog and were legally permitted on the St. Louis, MO property where the bite occurred, you should speak with a Missouri Injury Law St. Louis, MO dog bite attorney immediately to find out how we can assist you in recovering damages. Contact our St. Louis, MO dog bite lawyer or call us as soon as possible at 636-333-1717.
What Are the Dog Bite Liability Laws in Missouri and Illinois?
Missouri does not have a statewide leash law, but there is an adequate control law under Missouri Revised Statute §578.055 that requires dogs and other animals to be restrained and supervised on public property. The statute defines adequate control as “to reasonably restrain or govern an animal so that the animal does not injure itself, any person, any other animal, or property.” Also, Missouri State Park Regulations prohibit unleashed dogs, along with several St. Louis municipal and local laws throughout the state.
Illinois has far more statutorial support, with the Animal Control Act and 510 Illinois Compiled Statutes section 5/16. Under Illinois statute, “If a dog or other animal, without provocation, attacks, attempts to attack, or injures any person who is peaceably conducting himself/herself in any place where he or she may lawfully be, the owner of such dog or other animal is liable in civil damages to such person for the full amount of the injury proximately caused thereby.”
Both Missouri and Illinois follow rules of strict liability in dog bite cases, as specified by Missouri Revised Statute §273.036 and 735 Illinois Compiled Statutes section 5/13-202. Under strict liability, you have a legitimate St. Louis, MO dog bite claim if:
- The person you are bringing the St. Louis, MO claim against actually owned the dog.
- You have been injured in St. Louis, MO, and your injuries were caused by the dog.
- You did nothing to provoke the St. Louis, MO dog.
- You had the legal right to be where you were in St. Louis, MO, when the attack happened.
Typically, the owner of the dog is liable for any harm or damage the dog causes in St. Louis, MO. However, as an example, in cases where a St. Louis, MO victim was bitten by a stray dog or bitten by a dog while under someone else’s care in St. Louis, MO, things can get a little complicated. Your Missouri Injury Law St. Louis, MO dog bite lawyer can pursue cases against parties involved and help you prove liability in your St. Louis, MO dog bite, such as:
- The St. Louis, MO owner.
- Anyone who violates a St. Louis, MO local law demanding dogs to be kept restrained, on leashes, or off the property.
- Any person whose negligence generated the unprovoked dog bite injury in St. Louis, MO.
- Any person with a St. Louis, MO dog who knew or should have reasonably known that the dog was vulnerable to aggressive behavior.
What Does Your St. Louis, MO Dog Bite Lawyer Do For Me?
Missouri Injury Law offers a variety of services for our St. Louis, MO clients who have sustained injuries at the hands of a negligent dog owner. The majority of dog bite claims settle quickly with liable insurers due to the fact that Missouri and Illinois are strict liability states. But, most St. Louis, MO dog owners do not have the finances or insurance necessary to pay for expensive surgeries, hospital bills, lost wages, etc. These St. Louis, MO services include the following:
- Collecting Evidence
- Interviewing Witnesses
- Filing Your Claim and Speaking with the Insurance Company
A St. Louis, MO dog attack can be terrifying and leave victims with permanent scars, pain, and fear. These do not go away. The St. Louis, MO dog bite lawyer team at Missouri Injury Law is here to help. We will investigate every detail of your St. Louis, MO attack to collect evidence.
After a traumatic dog bite in St. Louis, MO, the last thing you want to do is talk to people. Maybe a St. Louis, MO neighbor has noticed an increased aggressiveness in the dog. The Missouri Injury Law St. Louis, MO dog bite lawyer will step in and interview anyone nearby who may have seen the dog prior to, or even after, the attack. We will be sure to find out.
Insurance companies often engage in tricks and tactics to get victims to say things that will justify a lower settlement or even a complete denial of claims in St. Louis, MO. It should come as little surprise that they do everything they can to settle cases for less than St. Louis, MO victims’ claims are actually worth. Luckily, when you hire a Missouri Injury Law St. Louis, MO dog bite lawyer we recognize the games they like to play in order to devalue your claim and downplay your injuries. We stop them. We will not hesitate to take your case to court to continue to fight for the compensation you are legally entitled to because, after all, we work for you in St. Louis, MO.
We leave nothing looked into in our fight for the justice and compensation you deserve after a preventable St. Louis, MO dog bite. Give us a call today at 636-333-1717 or contact us for a no-cost, no-risk consultation.
What Are Common Injuries Sustained in a St. Louis, MO Dog Bite?
The most common injuries our St. Louis, MO dog bite lawyer sees are:
- Lacerations and Puncture Wounds
- Surface-Level Cuts and Bruises
- Infections from Canine Saliva
- Tetanus
- Broken or Cracked Bones
- Avulsion Injuries
- Nerve Damage
- Emotional and Psychological Trauma
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Rabies
How Much is My St. Louis, MO Dog Bite Claim Worth?
Calculating and demanding the correct amount in damages is one of the most important responsibilities of the Missouri Injury Law St. Louis, MO dog bite lawyers. Call us now at 636-333-1717 or contact us for a no-cost, no-risk case review. A dog bite attack in St. Louis, MO can affect you in several ways, including mentally and physically. Understanding the extent of the damages will permit your St. Louis, MO lawyer to go after a complete settlement. No two dog bite cases, or really, any personal injury cases in St. Louis, MO for that matter, are exactly alike. The exact damages depend on how long and how much you are affected by your injuries, but typical St. Louis, MO dog bite damages are:
- Medical bills, both current and future
- Cost of surgeries, therapies, and other treatments for the psychological and physical effects of the St. Louis, MO attack
- Accommodations for disabilities (assistive devices, nurses, medical assistants, etc.)
- Lost wages from missed work
- Reduced earning capacity because of the long-term effects of injuries
- Emotional distress
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment
- Personal property damage
Dog bites should never happen, but when they do, St. Louis, MO residents need a dog bite attorney with experience in fighting and litigating for the recoveries and rights of dog bite victims in St. Louis, MO. The Missouri Injury Law Firm has experienced and skilled dog bite lawyers in St. Louis, MO that residents have relied upon for years.
We are successful in our dog bite cases because we fully comprehend how to best pursue a St. Louis, MO dog bite claim, the laws regarding dog bites, and how to make sure that you get the most for your recovery. Our dog bite attorneys in St. Louis, MO know what it takes to win a dog bite claim.
Call our St. Louis, MO dog bite attorney at 636-333-1717 or reach out to us when you are ready to discuss your claim in St. Louis, MO.