Dog Bite Cases – How an Experienced Attorney Can Help

An experienced attorney handling dog bite cases in St. Louis can help a victim get the compensation they deserve. This can cover the cost of their medical expenses and other damages.
Dog bite injuries are traumatic and costly. They can result in hospital stays, excessive medical bills and rabies vaccinations. A Missouri dog bite injury lawyer can assist victims in getting the money they need to recover.
Medications
Most dog bites result in lacerations and puncture wounds that require medical intervention. Doctors clean the wounds, administer preventative rabies treatments and prescribe antibiotics to block infections.
Even if a person is in their own yard playing with their pets or is visiting friends and family, they could be attacked by an unruly animal. Uncontrolled dogs may knock over individuals or bite them while grabbing for toys or treats.
Medical treatment following a dog attack can result in expensive medical bills and loss of income from missed work. An experienced personal injury attorney could help victims recover compensation for these expenses. This might include assessing their medical records and calculating the value of lost future earning potential. It could also include compensation for emotional distress and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Medical bills
Dog bites can result in expensive medical bills. Victims may need surgery or treatment for lacerations, infections, and scarring. Insurance companies may be able to reimburse victims for these expenses.
Many dog owners carry homeowners’ insurance that covers their dogs and their property. In addition, local regulations often require dog parks to hold liability insurance. A dedicated St. Louis dog bite lawyer can demand compensation from these insurers on behalf of claimants.
A lawyer can also establish the negligence of a dog owner by reviewing a dog’s past history of attacks or other dangerous behavior. In some cases, a lawyer can even establish that an owner encouraged or tolerated a dangerous dog in violation of city regulations. Then, the victim can pursue punitive damages against that dog owner.
Pain and suffering
The traumatic impacts of dog bite injuries extend well beyond lacerations and broken bones. A victim may suffer permanent scarring, loss of function, and a lifetime of pain and suffering.
Victims of a dog attack should take all the steps they can to recover maximum compensation for their damages. That includes taking legal action against the owner of a dangerous pet.
A seasoned attorney will help victims build strong cases for the full amount of their damages. They will also fight the tactics used by insurance companies to minimize or deny claims.
The law allows a victim to file a claim against a pet owner who violated local leash laws or otherwise failed in their responsibility to keep their pets safely contained on their property. It also allows family members to pursue wrongful death claims in the event of a fatal dog attack.
Disfigurement
A dog bite often causes disfiguring wounds that require reconstructive surgery. Because health insurance does not cover such procedures, claimants often struggle to pay for them. An experienced attorney can negotiate litigation liens with local cosmetic surgeons so that the doctors are paid out of the proceeds of the settlement.
Claimants may also suffer psychological trauma after a dog attack. Trauma-related conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can have serious, lifelong effects.
An experienced dog bite attorney can help St. Louis victims recover damages from careless dog owners. This might include those who violate local leash laws or other safety regulations, as well as those who keep dogs that have previous dangerous propensities. The location of a dog bite can have an impact on liability.
Injuries to children
Survivors who have experienced severe injuries as a result of dog attacks deserve substantial compensation. These damages may include general personal injury damages such as lost income and medical expenses, as well as non-economic factors like pain and suffering and emotional distress.
For instance, lacerations are among the most common types of injuries sustained by dog bite victims. These deep cuts can require surgery to close and prevent infection from entering the wound site.
Other injuries caused by dog attacks might lead to life-altering consequences. For example, someone whose spinal cord was bitten might develop a paraplegia that could make it impossible to walk or work. This might also impact their ability to live a happy and fulfilling life.