St. Peters Dog Bite Lawyers Serving St. Charles County, MO

Were you bitten and injured by someone else’s dog in St. Peters, St. Charles County? In Missouri, dog bite victims can recover compensation through personal injury lawsuits filed against the dogs’ owners. This compensation can cover your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other losses.

Contact Holland Injury Law, LLC, today for a free consultation with a skilled member of our legal team. We’ll review your case, explain your legal options, and help you take the first steps toward seeking the compensation you deserve.

Why Do Dogs Bite?

Dogs bite for various reasons, often related to owner negligence or abuse.

How Owner Negligence Leads to Dog Bite Injuries

The owner failed to properly train their dog to prevent it from biting people.
The owner failed to properly restrain their dog with a leash or fence.
The owner abused their dog, making the dog more violent or afraid of people and causing it to bite.
The owner failed to spay or neuter their dog to prevent it from becoming aggressive.
The owner intentionally trained their dog to be aggressive to others.

However, dogs can bite even if their owners are not negligent or abusive. Luckily, even in these cases, dog bite victims can seek compensation for their injuries because Missouri uses strict liability in dog bite cases. Unlike in many other personal injury cases, dog bite victims do not need to prove negligence to have a successful claim.

Who Is Liable for Dog Bite Injuries in St. Peters, MO?

In most cases, the dog’s owner will be liable for your dog bite injuries in St. Peters. However, anyone in possession of the dog when it bites you could be liable. For example, if a dog walker doesn’t keep a tight hold on the leash and the dog attacks you, they could be at least partially liable for your injuries, even if they did not own the dog.

Even Without Warning Signs, Owners Are Still Responsible

Additionally, strict liability means that the dog’s owner doesn’t have to have prior knowledge of the dog’s vicious tendencies. Some states have a “one bite rule” that states owners are not liable the first time their dog bites someone because they didn’t know that their dog was dangerous. However, Missouri doesn’t have such a rule, so owners can be held liable for the first bite.

Finally, the dog owner’s homeowner’s or renter’s insurance will likely cover your injuries. This means you do not need to worry about filing a lawsuit against a family member or friend whose dog bites you, as they are unlikely to be the ones directly paying for your injuries.

Compensation Available to Dog Bite Victims in St. Charles County

After suffering a dog bite injury in St. Peters, Missouri, you can seek compensation for the following losses:

Medical Expenses: Compensation for your past and future medical treatments, surgeries, medical devices, prescription medications, and physical therapy
Lost Income: Compensation for the income you lost while recovering from your injury
Loss of Future Income: Compensation for the income and benefits you will lose in the future because of your injury
Permanent Disability: Compensation for accommodating any permanent disability you suffered because of your injury
Scarring and Disfigurement: Compensation for permanent scarring and disfigurement you suffered, particularly to the face, head, and neck
Pain and Suffering: Compensation for the physical pain and emotional suffering you experience because of your injury
Emotional Distress: Compensation for anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other emotional distress you suffer from because of the dog bite incident

Pure Comparative Negligence in Dog Bite Cases

Pure comparative negligence is a rule stating that liable parties are only liable for the degree of harm they caused. Missouri’s dog bite statute has a line confirming that pure comparative negligence is at work in these cases, reducing the amount of compensation a victim can recover by their degree of fault.

In practice, this means that if you contributed to the dog bite you received by harassing or abusing the dog, your compensation will be reduced accordingly. The liable party may attempt to place blame for the bite on you to reduce their own liability, which is one reason why working with a skilled attorney is essential.

Steps to Take After a Dog Bite in St. Charles County

You can protect your right to seek compensation by taking the following steps after a dog bite injury in St. Charles County, MO:

Report the Bite: Always report a dog bite to the St. Peters Police Department so they can file an official report. An official police report of the incident can help you secure compensation from the dog owner’s homeowner’s or renter’s insurance company, as it serves as proof of the incident.
Seek Medical Attention: While seeking immediate medical attention is important, it’s also important to follow up with your medical treatment after a dog bite. Following up with your treatment will not only improve your recovery but will also make it harder for the insurance company to claim that you weren’t actually injured.
Keep Medical Bills: Keep track of any medical or service bills you receive related to your injury. Your lawyer will use these bills when calculating your past and future medical expenses.
Avoid Providing a Statement: Due to Missouri’s use of pure comparative negligence, it’s essential that you don’t provide a recorded statement to an insurance adjuster without first speaking to an attorney. You could inadvertently say something the insurer could use to reduce the value of your claim.
Contact an Attorney: The best way to protect your right to seek compensation after a dog bite injury in St. Peters is to hire an experienced injury attorney.

What Is the Deadline for Filing a Dog Bite Lawsuit in St. Peters

Under Missouri’s statute of limitations for personal injury cases, dog bite victims in St. Peters have five years to file their lawsuits against the liable parties. That may seem like a long time, but it’s crucial that you begin working with a personal injury attorney as soon as possible so they can collect the necessary evidence before it disappears.

It’s also important to remember that failing to file your lawsuit within this deadline will likely result in the courts barring you from seeking compensation for your injuries.

Contact Our Dog Bite Lawyers Serving St. Peters, St. Charles County

If you were bitten by a dog in St. Peters, Missouri, contact Holland Injury Law, LLC, for a free consultation with an experienced and compassionate personal injury lawyer. Our firm has recovered over $300 Million for our 7,000+ clients, and we’re prepared to help you seek the compensation you deserve. During your initial consultation, we’ll review the details of your case, explain your options for seeking recovery, and answer any questions you have about the process.

Directions to Our Office

Our office in Clayton, located at 101 S Hanley, Suite 1025, is about half an hour from St. Peters and St. Charles County. Here’s how to find our office if you want to discuss your case with us in person:

From the North:

Take I-70 E, and exit onto I-170 S and exit onto Forest Park Parkway E. Take the Central Ave exit and turn right onto Carondelet Ave. Our office will be on the right.

From the West:

Use the route that’s most convenient from your location.

Take I-70 E, and exit onto I-170 S and exit onto Forest Park Parkway E. Take the Central Ave exit and turn right onto Carondelet Ave. Our office will be on the right.

Take I-64 E and exit onto Hanley Road N. Continue north on S Hanley Road. Our office will be on the left.

LOOKING FOR A TRUSTED TEAM
TO REPRESENT YOUR CASE?

Email to request a free consultation.

Fields marked with an * are required