A dog attack is sudden, and afterward, you may be left dealing with much more than the bite itself. There are medical appointments, pain, time away from work, and sometimes lasting scars or anxiety that wasn’t there before. More serious attacks can cause puncture wounds, broken bones, nerve damage, or infections that require ongoing care.
If you’re facing these problems after being bitten, our dog bite lawyer in Columbia can help you determine what to do next and pursue compensation for your injuries. At Kevin McManus Law, we help injured people deal with the legal and insurance issues that follow serious animal attacks.
As your Columbia personal injury lawyer, we will investigate what happened, explain your options, and handle the insurance company while you focus on recovering. Our attorneys bring more than 60 years of combined experience to our clients, and we believe in education first. We provide free legal information, videos, books, and reports because people deserve useful answers.
How Our Dog Bite Attorney Serving Columbia Can Help
Dog bite claims can get complicated quickly. A dog owner may dispute what happened. An insurance adjuster may ask for a recorded statement or try to argue that you provoked the animal. There may also be questions about homeowner’s insurance, rental insurance, vaccination records, witness accounts, surveillance footage, or previous incidents involving the dog.
Our dog bite attorney serving Columbia will build the claim around evidence rather than assumptions. We will also communicate with insurance adjusters and pursue the financial recovery available for your injuries. Depending on your case, important evidence may include:
- Medical records: These documents can establish your diagnosis, treatment, medical bills, and the extent of your bite injuries.
- Photos and videos: Wound documentation and surveillance footage can help show how the attack happened and how your injuries progressed.
- Witness accounts: Statements from people who saw the attack may help resolve disputes about provocation or the dog’s behavior.
- Animal records: Rabies vaccination records and other available records may provide important information about the dog.
- Official reports: Reports from animal control or law enforcement can preserve details that might otherwise be lost.
You don’t have to figure out which evidence matters on your own. We will look at the full picture and determine what can strengthen your dog bite claim.
Get the compensation you deserve with trusted legal guidance.
Missouri Law Can Hold Dog Owners Responsible
Missouri’s dog bite law doesn’t require every victim to show that a dog had caused trouble in the past. Under Missouri Revised Statutes § 273.036, an owner or possessor can be held responsible when their dog bites someone without provocation in a public place or while that person is lawfully on private property.
That strict liability rule matters. You generally don’t have to prove that the owner already knew the dog was dangerous to pursue a statutory dog bite claim that meets the law’s requirements. But the details still matter. The statute also provides that damages can be reduced by the same percentage of fault attributed to the injured person.
Our dog bite injury attorney in Columbia will examine where the attack occurred, whether there are allegations of provocation, who owned or possessed the dog, and what evidence exists. Insurance companies may focus heavily on any facts they believe could reduce what they have to pay. We focus on protecting your side of the story.
Compensation After a Serious Dog Attack
Some dog bites heal fairly quickly. Others don’t. A serious attack can leave someone dealing with puncture wounds, damaged nerves, broken bones, infection, or scars that remain long after the incident. Surgery may be necessary in some cases, including procedures to repair or reduce scarring.
A personal injury claim may seek compensation for the financial and personal effects of those injuries. Depending on the facts, damages may include:
- Medical expenses: Compensation may include emergency care, follow-up appointments, medication, surgery, rehabilitation, and other necessary medical treatment.
- Lost income: Serious dog bite injuries can prevent you from working while you recover.
- Future care: Significant scarring, nerve injuries, or other complications may require ongoing treatment.
- Pain and suffering: A claim may account for physical pain and the disruption the attack has caused in your life.
- Emotional harm: Psychological trauma and post-traumatic stress can be significant consequences of a violent animal attack.
Our dog bite accident attorney serving Columbia will evaluate what the attack has actually cost you, not just the first round of medical bills.
What Should You Do After a Dog Bite?
Medical care should be one of the first things you think about after a bite. Some wounds need more attention than they initially appear to, particularly when there’s heavy bleeding, infection, or a possible rabies exposure. Explain to your provider that a dog caused the injury and don’t skip recommended follow-up treatment.
You’ll also want to keep track of what happened. Take a few pictures, get the owner’s contact and insurance details, and save any messages about the attack. If someone saw it happen, get their information as well. A report to local animal control can be useful later. An insurance adjuster may call quickly, but you don’t need to give a detailed recorded statement.
Waiting too long can create another problem. Missouri Revised Statutes § 516.120 generally gives people five years to bring certain personal injury actions and claims involving statutory liabilities. That five-year period shouldn’t be treated as a guarantee for every dog bite case, though. Your actual deadline depends on the claim and the circumstances surrounding it.
We’ll help you appeal and secure your rightful benefits.
Talk With a Lawyer for Dog Bite Injuries in Columbia
You may be dealing with pain, medical appointments, questions about the dog’s rabies vaccination, and an insurance company that wants to move the claim along quickly. That’s a lot at once. Our lawyer for dog bite injuries in Columbia will explain what comes next, help you understand the value of your claim, and pursue the compensation you deserve.
Kevin McManus Law works on a contingency fee basis for personal injury cases, which means there is no attorney fee unless we win. We are accessible, responsive, and ready to litigate when a case requires it.
Our firm has recovered millions of dollars for clients, and we bring that experience to every case we accept. Contact Kevin McManus Law today for a free consultation and find out how we will help you move forward.
