ATTACKED BY A DOG?
NO FEES UNLESS YOU COLLECT
In the last 3 years, we’ve made TopVerdict’s annual Texas “Top 50 Personal Injury Settlements” list 43 times.
YOU CAN TRUST OUR FAMILY TO FIGHT FOR YOURS™
If you were bitten or attacked by a dog, our skilled St. Louis attorneys fight tenaciously to ensure the maximum available settlement while offering you the lowest contingency fee. We handle your case the way we would want our own case handled.
Mullen & Mullen is consistently recognized by TopVerdict for obtaining some of the largest recoveries in the entire state of Texas. In the last 3 years our firm made the Texas “Top 50 Personal Injury Settlements” list 43 times. Our stellar results allow us to offer a below industry standard 29% pre-suit contingency fee which means more money in your pocket.
Our experienced local team has an incredibly strong work ethic and truly cares. We’ve been privileged to serve North Texas for over 40 years. This is our backyard. Call (314) 465-8733 now for a free consultation and some excellent advice.
My spouse and I are the proud owners of two rescue dogs, Max and Tobey, who hold an irreplaceable place within our family, and we cherish them dearly.
While most canines tend to be amicable, living their lives without causing any issues, it is regrettable that some dogs can pose a genuine threat to people. I have vivid memories of disturbing images showing injuries suffered by individuals following dog attacks, memories that will stay with me forever.
It is crucial to recognize that a dog owner may bear responsibility for any injuries you suffer if they were aware that their dog had previously bitten someone before attacking you. Importantly, this liability can also extend to situations where the owner had reason to believe that the dog had previously exhibited behaviors suggesting it might bite or attack someone. Furthermore, it’s essential to understand that not all dogs are given the benefit of a “one free bite.” Certain breeds, like Akitas and Pit Bulls, are considered inherently dangerous under the law, making their owners strictly liable for any injuries their dogs cause.
Additionally, some municipalities and counties enact their own animal control regulations. These local ordinances often mandate that dogs be leashed, and a violation of these “leash laws” generally implies that the owner is automatically considered negligent under the law.
Lastly, dog owners and handlers can also be held accountable for the negligent management of non-aggressive animals. In short, they have a duty to exercise reasonable care to prevent their animals from harming others.
I vividly recall a case where we represented a five-year-old girl. She accompanied her father to deliver an item to a neighbor, who had a small dog that wasn’t deemed an inherently dangerous breed and had no history of biting. Regrettably, the homeowner’s mother negligently allowed the dog to escape when she opened the door. The dog leaped toward the young child, and its claws caught her in the eyelid. Subsequently, a minor plastic surgery procedure was necessary to repair the damage. It was undoubtedly a traumatic experience for anyone to endure, especially a child.
In cases involving dog bites, it’s crucial to seek legal counsel well-versed in all potential legal avenues. In the case I mentioned earlier, the young child’s share of the settlement exceeded $110,000. These funds were then placed into an annuity, ensuring a guaranteed contractual payout of at least $179,864.81 over a specified period. This financial support will sufficiently cover her future college education, and we extend our best wishes to her.
Gross Settlements Before Fees & Expenses
We have achieved numerous multimillion-dollar settlements across all practice areas, but we are restricted from displaying some very large results due to settlement confidentiality. Here are a few recent results without confidentiality agreements:
$6,150,000.00
Work Accident
$4,000,000.00
Wrongful Death
$2,978,104.95
Vehicle Accident
$2,550,000.00
Vehicle Accident
$2,550,000.00
Vehicle Accident
$2,250,000.00
Premises Liability
According to TopVerdict.com, our Dallas attorneys consistently achieve some of the highest recoveries in the state of Texas. As a matter of fact, in the last three years we’ve made their “Texas Top 50 Personal Injury Settlements” list 43 times. For example, in 2021 one of our claims made the Top 10 list, eight made the Top 11-20 list, and ten made the Top 21-50 list. When you factor in our reduced 29% contingency fee, we are confident we will help you recover more. At Mullen & Mullen, we pride ourselves on routinely recovering full policy limits for our clients without the necessity of costly and time-consuming litigation.
We have access to state-of-the-art diagnostic technology through well-established relationships with medical doctors, surgeons, physical therapists, chiropractors, neurologists, counselors, and other healthcare providers in the entire DFW Metroplex. You receive the quality medical attention you need from local providers near where you live or work. These providers specialize in treating people hurt in accidents of all kinds and they know how to properly document injuries to meet the legal burden of proof in your personal injury case. These providers are also willing to delay billing collections until after your case is resolved so you can focus on recovering without additional stress. Physicians that don’t routinely treat accident victims as part of their practice usually turn away patients over fear of being involved in the legal process or fear of health insurance companies refusing to pay accident-related healthcare bills. Please call us at 214-747-5240 for a free consultation and some advice.
Even if you don’t have health insurance or can’t afford your deductible, Mullen & Mullen will secure you the quality healthcare and state-of-the art diagnostics you deserve with no upfront out of pocket costs.
Shane, Joseph and Regis have almost 100 years of combined experience practicing personal injury law. That doesn’t even include the combined experience of the attorneys that serve as of-counsel to Mullen & Mullen at no additional cost to our clients. Our firm continues to evolve, but we never forget our Core Values. We do the right thing, handle cases the way we would want our own case handled, and we truly listen to clients. We have over 40 years of local knowledge, and that matters!
Some lawyers forget that they represent the client, but we never have. Our legal team will make YOU the priority. You are the boss, and we will respond quickly to your requests for case updates and assistance. We guarantee that when you need to speak to your counsel, you will speak directly to your counsel, not to a paralegal or secretary, because that’s the way it should be.
Most firms hire an investigator to help develop evidence on your case and charge you back for that service. Our firm, however, has 2 full-time accident investigators on staff and we offer their services to you for free. This is another way we will maximize your compensation.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Video footage is worth a lot more. Our in-house videographer allows us to capture the true impact the accident has on your life beyond mere words on a piece of paper.
When necessary, Mullen & Mullen Law Firm uses cutting edge technology like 3D imaging videos to fully demonstrate the extent of our clients’ injuries to the insurance companies. This also helps maximize the value of your claim.
Mullen & Mullen’s attorneys live and work right here in Dallas, and always have. We believe in paying our success forward by helping people in the North Texas community, and are dedicated to supporting these local charities.
Our Managing Partner, Shane V. Mullen, has been handling personal injury cases for 21 years. He is “Top-rated” by Thompson Reuters who named him as a Texas Super Lawyer 3 consecutive years. Shane is also a lifetime member of both the Million & Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forums, solidifying his expertise in handling significant cases. He is also an esteemed member of Rue Ratings’ Best Attorneys of America, further attesting to his exceptional legal prowess. Shane brings hard-won, battle born knowledge to your case.
With 18 years of personal injury experience, Attorney Joseph R. Morrison has established himself as a highly skilled legal professional. Notably, he served as counsel of record in a case that garnered recognition from VerdictSearch.com as a top 5 Premises liability (slip and fall) verdict in Texas. The defendant in this case was a Fortune 500 company with an annual revenue exceeding 11 billion. The specific case, Jeffrey Young v. ConAgra Foods, Inc., showcased Joe’s exceptional abilities in achieving favorable outcomes.
Joe is a distinguished member of The National Trial Lawyers: Top 100 Civil Plaintiff Trial Lawyers, solidifying his standing among the nation’s most esteemed legal practitioners. Furthermore, his membership in both the Million & Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forums further attests to his expertise in handling substantial cases.
Both Shane and Joseph are lifetime members of the Million & Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forums, meaning they have each settled cases in excess of two million. This solidifies their expertise in handling significant personal injury cases.
Our Founder, Attorney Regis L. Mullen, has 56 years of personal injury experience. Regis received his Admission to practice law in 1967. Previously a Litigation Supervisor at Allstate Insurance Company, he knows all the tactics liability carriers use to deny or reduce personal injury settlements. Drawing upon his profound comprehension of the inner workings of the insurance industry, Regis established a law firm dedicated to meeting the legal needs of injured individuals in North Texas.
We delay the billing of medical expenses until your St. Louis dog bite case concludes.
Our legal team has established relationships with medical providers, enabling you to settle your medical bills using the final settlement amount. This approach allows you to concentrate on recovering from your injuries without the burden of mounting medical debt and constant pressure from bill collectors.
Unlike high-volume law firms where attorneys may only become involved at the end of the process, our St. Louis lawyers at Mullen & Mullen actively oversee and develop dog bite cases at every stage. This ensures proper development and presentation of your case, potentially resulting in a larger settlement amount.
We have two in-house private investigators, and their services are provided at no cost to our clients. Many firms outsource this service, passing the expenses on to clients as case-related costs.
If you mention that you found us through this website, we will reduce our fee to 29% of your final settlement if it settles pre-suit (compared to the industry-standard of 33.3%-35%). This reduction allows you to retain more of your settlement money, made possible by the consistently high settlement values we achieve for our clients.
Owners of dogs in Missouri are strictly liable for bite injuries and property damage caused by their animals. Missouri – unlike many states – does not follow the “one bite” rule requiring the victim to prove the owner knew or should have known the dog was dangerous. To win a dog bite case the victim must simply demonstrate that they were injured by a dog bite while on public property or lawfully on private property and that they did not provoke the dog.
Yes. Injured victims who were not bitten can win their case by establishing the owner was negligent or by establishing negligence per se.
Owners are required to be prepared for typical dog behavior such as running around when off-leash or excitedly jumping on people. In deciding if an owner was negligent a key consideration will be establishing what the owner knew about his or her animal’s habits. For example, if an owner knew its dog loved to hit full speed while unleashed at a park and allowed the animal to do so anyway, the owner could be found liable if his or her dog ran into someone and tripped them causing injuries. Please note strict liability can apply to non-bite injuries when owners have knowledge their dog has a particularly dangerous tendency. The behavior, however, has to be “abnormally” dangerous not typical of canines as a species.
Negligence per se can be utilized to establish liability when someone is injured due to the disregard of a law designed to protect the public. For example, many ordinances are in place requiring dogs to be leashed in public places. If an owner violates a “leash law” they will be found negligent per se i.e. the law itself establishes liability.
The amount depends on the severity of your injuries and their impact on your life. Your actions in the situation also play a role.
Owners may claim they behaved reasonably under the circumstances in non-bite injury cases. For example, they could argue it was not negligent to allow their dog off leash in a park (provided no “leash law” was in place) if the animal had always previously been very calm and never ran at high speeds in the past.
Dog bite cases can sometimes be straight forward regarding liability but establishing fair and adequate compensation will always be a battle with the insurance company. Non-bite injury cases are much more difficult to win.
In most cases, you’re filing against their homeowner’s insurance. A true friend or family member should want you to be compensated for damages. If they resist, it raises questions about their true intentions.
While no one plans for accidents or injuries, understanding Missouri dog bite law myths can help you protect yourself. If you’re a victim, consult our St. Louis dog bite lawyers for a free consultation at (314) INJURED.
Not all dogs are inherently dangerous, but a subset demands cautious consideration. With proper training and attentive ownership, many dogs can be well-behaved. However, some may exhibit aggressive behavior due to inadequate training.
While every dog aspires to be a “good” dog, the failure of owners to instill proper behavior can lead to biting and attacks. Encountering a stray or barking dog doesn’t automatically imply an imminent attack.
Certain dog breeds are associated with a higher risk of aggression. Meeting these dogs in the company of their owners can help establish trust and prevent potential threats:
The term “pit bull” encompasses various breeds like the American Pit Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, and American Bulldog. Historically bred for bull and bear baiting, they have a reputation for aggressive behavior, often seen in news reports of attacks.
Originally bred by the Roman army for herding cattle, Rottweilers have a history intertwined with butchers and cattle markets. Their temper requires a calm, assertive owner to manage their emotions and potential aggression.
Bred to assist shepherds in protecting flocks, German Shepherds possess loyalty that has led them to be used as guard dogs. While they can be friendly with proper training, an irresponsible owner may trigger aggressive behavior.
Originating from the work of a German tax collector in the 1800s, Doberman Pinschers were bred for protection. Their potential for aggression necessitates responsible ownership to prevent untoward incidents.
While any dog breed can make an excellent family pet with adequate attention, certain breeds, due to their genetics, may have a higher likelihood of aggressive behavior. Owners are expected to recognize and manage the inherent risks associated with these breeds.
If you’ve experienced a dog bite, seeking legal advice from a personal injury lawyer is advisable.
Though rare, incidents of aggressive dog attacks can occur. How can you equip yourself to handle such situations or halt an attack if you become a target? Gain a clear understanding of the necessary steps.
In terms of fatal dog attacks, Texas leads the nation, though complete maulings are fortunately infrequent. If you find yourself facing a dog attack, what steps should you take?
Predicting a dog’s potential for aggression is challenging, as not all exhibit overt warning signs such as growling, lunging, snarling, or baring teeth. Some dogs may freeze momentarily, making it crucial to discern subtler cues.
Successfully navigating a dog attack demands a composed approach in a high-pressure scenario. While encountering an aggressive dog alone is an undesirable situation, knowing these precise actions can be invaluable if the need arises.
Call (314) 465-8733 to talk to a St. Louis dog bite attorney right now. We won’t put any pressure on you to hire us on the spot. Simply learn how we’ll approach your case and get some excellent free advice. Make your decision only when you feel 100% ready. Do remember though, that the Missouri statute of limitations gives you just 5 years from the date of your accident to file a claim. BUT if you wait to contact a lawyer it may be too late to gather evidence. It’s critical to your potential claim to ACT FAST.
We’ll come to your home or hospital room if it makes it easier on you! Phone and Zoom consultations are also available. You can call us, or use the form or chat feature on this page to request a free consultation now.
Seriously Hurt? We’ll Come to You!
ST. LOUIS OFFICE
Mullen & Mullen Law Firm in St. Louis
100 S 4th St #550
St. Louis, MO 63102
Phone: (314) 465-8733
By Appointment Only
The Mullen & Mullen family is here to address your concerns and make the path to recovery smooth. There are no fees to get started and you pay $0 if we don’t settle your case.
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LICENSED BY THE STATES OF TEXAS & MISSOURI FOR THE GENERAL PRACTICE OF LAW. The information on this website is not intended to be legal advice. That can only come from a qualified personal injury lawyer who is familiar with all the circumstances and facts of your specific case and the law relevant to it.
