Injuries from Dog Bites

 

It has often been said that a dog is a man’s best friend. But, that’s not always the case. As animals, they can pose a danger to humans in certain situations. Though some love walking around at parks and greeting dogs they meet, even pets on leashes can be unsafe to touch. You never know when a dog is potentially vicious or aggressive, and dog bites can happen to anyone. The personal injury lawyers at Lanzotti & Rau can help you receive compensation if you’ve been attacked and hurt by someone else’s dog.

Key Factors in Your Case

Dog bite cases can be tricky to figure out, since there are many different variables at play, like status of insurance, particular state laws, ownership of the animal, property regulations, and liability. Here are a few things to consider which could impact your case:

• Whether the dog owner knew their dog had a history of biting or attacking
• Whether the person in control of the dog knew the dog had aggressive tendencies
• Whether the bite happened on the property of someone knowingly owning a dangerous dog
• Whether you were provoking the dog or acting negligently to cause the attack
• Whether you were trespassing on private property

All of this basically boils down to determining responsibility for the dog bite. Because states treat dog bites differently, you need an experienced attorney to help you discern whether your case is viable.

Missouri Dog Bite Law

Missouri is a “strict liability” state, which means that a dog bite victim doesn’t have to prove that the dog owner or handler was being negligent. If you’ve been bit by a dog, you are entitled to compensation for your injury. The only exceptions in the state of Missouri are if you were trespassing on the dangerous dog owner’s property, or if you were provoking the dog to attack.

But, that doesn’t necessarily make your case a guaranteed win. Less than 1 percent of all dog bite victims are awarded damages in court. You need a knowledgeable, experienced lawyer to fight for your legal rights. At Lanzotti & Rau, we work on a contingency fee basis, which means that if we don’t win your case, you don’t pay a dime. If you think you might have a dog bite case, run it by us in a free initial consultation to hear how we can help you. Call us today at 573-335-9300.