Dog Bites & Attacks in Kansas City

A dog attack may be one of the most frightening experiences that an adult or child will ever experience. These incidents may cause more than physical injury but lasting emotional trauma and a permanent wariness of dogs. One of the most important things you can do if you were bitten by a dog is to review your legal options by discussing the matter with an experienced Kansas City personal injury lawyer from our firm. With proper legal counsel, you have the opportunity to hold the dog owner responsible for the injuries you experienced.

Owner Liability

In Missouri, a dog owner may be held strictly liable for any injuries his or her animal inflicts upon another person. Unlike in other states where a dog essentially gets "one bite free" and an owner cannot be held responsible if the dog showed no previous aggressive or dangerous behavior, a Missouri dog owner will be held accountable regardless of the dog's past actions.

The only exception to the strict liability rule in this regard may apply if the dog bite victim provoked the dog or was trespassing on the dog owner's property. If a victim was partially responsible, he or she would be held accountable for that percentage of financial damages. For example, it may be decided that the victim was 20% accountable. The dog owner would therefore only be liable for the remaining 80% of the financial damages in the claim.

Make sure you are not held responsible in a case where you were attacked without provoking the situation. Retaining the legal counsel of an experienced lawyer will enable you to focus on healing and moving on while your claim is in competent hands. Contact one of our lawyers at Wendt Goss, P.C. for a free, confidential review of your case. If you are affected by a dog bite, get in touch with someone who can help!