Personal injury law enables a victim to seek compensation for being unjustly injured due to the negligent actions of another party. South Carolina law dictates that dog owners are often responsible for injuries sustained when their dog bites someone.
Dog bites can be emotionally and physically traumatic. Laws regarding dog bites can vary and be complicated. Some states have a one-bite rule. Simply put, this means if it’s the dog’s first time biting and injuring someone, the owner will likely not be held liable. If it’s the dog’s second biting offense, the owner’s negligence will be called into question. If the dog has bitten and injured victims before, it insinuates to the courts that the owners have not taken adequate precautions to keep innocent people safe from their dog.
What is the Richland County Dog Bite Law?
In South Carolina, dog bite victims are more comprehensively protected under the law. This makes demonstrating the owner’s liability easier and increases the likelihood of the victim being able to recover compensation.
If you’ve been bitten by a dog it’s incredibly important to seek medical assistance immediately after becoming injured. Even if you feel fine or even well “enough,” you must seek medical care to ensure your injuries aren’t more serious than you think. Dog teeth can easily break skin tissue, and what appears to be a minor cut can lead to more serious injuries long-term. If you find yourself needing to stay home from work to take care of your injuries, it may be difficult to uncover lost-wage compensation if you don’t have documentation of proactively seeking medical care.
If you immediately seek medical attention, you’ll have a well-documented medical history that explains the repercussions of the dog bite. Having this evidence makes a tremendous difference in court. If you never go to the doctor or hospital after a dog bite, it might be difficult to prove the homeowner or dog owner is at fault for anything. If that was the circumstance however, a skilled personal injury attorney may still be able to help.
What if the Other Party Claims the Dog Was Provoked?
In certain specific cases, a homeowner may try to argue that the dog was provoked. This can mean the dog bite victim antagonized the dog, was acting inappropriately, or otherwise in any way encouraged the dog to react violently. The Leddy Law Firm, LLC understands that a guilty party will often try to argue any point in order to evade liability.
Trust a personal injury lawyer with over a decade of experience in serving South Carolina personal injury victims. If you find yourself in a situation where you’ve been injured by a dog bite, don’t hesitate to contact a professional. You need an experienced dog bite lawyer to fight for what’s owed to you.
Can a Personal Injury Lawyer Help with My Dog Bite Case?
If you have general questions or concerns regarding a dog bite injury you or a loved one have sustained, The Leddy Law Firm, LLC will work with you. Only a personal injury lawyer is knowledgeable enough about the dog bite laws to help. If you’ve suffered a dog bite and aren’t sure how to proceed, contact The Leddy Law Firm, LLC as soon as possible. You deserve to be compensated for your injuries, wages lost, and pain and suffering.
