If you or someone you care about has been hurt by a dog bite in Missouri, you might wonder if you need a St. Louis dog bite lawyer to help with your claim. Dog bite incidents can cause physical injuries and emotional stress, often leading to high medical bills and time out of work.
If this happens, you might be able to get compensation by filing an insurance claim or a dog bite injury lawsuit against the owner of the dog. In these cases, it’s usually a good idea to speak with a St. Louis dog bite attorney and let them help you with this. Schedule your free consultation with Meyerkord & Kurth today.
Dog Bite Laws in Missouri
In Missouri, dog bites are governed by strict liability. If a dog bites someone, the owner is generally responsible for the harm the dog causes. The person who got bitten does not have to prove the owner was careless or negligent or that the dog was dangerous or bit someone in the past.
273.036. Owner liable, when — fine, amount. — 1. The owner or possessor of any dog that bites, without provocation, any person while such person is on public property, or lawfully on private property, including the property of the owner or possessor of the dog, is strictly liable for damages suffered by persons bitten, regardless of the former viciousness of the dog or the owner’s or possessor’s knowledge of such viciousness. Owners and possessors of dogs shall also be strictly liable for any damage to property or livestock proximately caused by their dogs.
The bite itself makes the owner responsible most of the time.
So, Why Do I Need a Lawyer if I Don’t Have to Prove Negligence?
Strict liability may sound simple, and you might be wondering why you need a dog bite lawyer in St. Louis. There’s a few reasons:
Proving You Had a Legal Right to Be On The Property
Missouri laws generally only protect those who were on public property or who had permission to be on private property when the bite took place. Examples include walking on a sidewalk, shopping at a business, or visiting a friend’s house after being invited in.
It’s common for the dog owner or their insurance company to question whether you were lawfully where you were. If you were trespassing, your right to compensation becomes incredibly difficult if not impossible.
If you were bitten by a dog on someone else’s property, contact our St. Louis premises liability attorneys to discuss your legal options today.
Defending Against Provocation Claims
If a dog bite happens after someone provokes the dog, Missouri law may allow the owner to avoid liability. “Provocation” could mean teasing, hitting, or any act that upsets the dog. Sometimes just reaching over a fence or stepping close to a dog too fast could be seen as provocation. Dog owners and insurance adjusters sometimes claim the victim started it, mistakenly or not. Your lawyer’s job is to push back on these claims.
Calculating How Much Your Damages are Worth
Several costs come up when you’re the victim of a dog bite – doctor’s visits, missed work, long-term care, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and more. A dog bite injury attorney in St. Louis will make sure all of these damages are taken into account, not just the immediate medical expenses and lost wages you’re facing.
Negotiating with Insurance Companies
Owners or insurance companies might contact you to offer a quick settlement. Many times their offer doesn’t come close to covering costs once all your losses are really calculated. A lawyer works on your behalf to push back against these low offers and prevents you from being shortchanged.
Missouri law protects dog bite victims, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to get exactly what you are entitled to. Let us help you. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.