Get help from a Columbia dog bite lawyer. We can help you to claim compensation for a dog bite. The Louthian Firm Accident & Injury Lawyers represents victims to receive payment for injuries, damages and harms.
With more than 80 years of combined experience, our Columbia dog bite lawyers provide experienced, focused representation that gets results. Call or message us now.
Columbia SC Dog Bite Lawyer
If you have been bitten by a dog or attacked by an animal, you may receive monetary compensation. You may have the right to payment for your medical bills, other economic losses, pain and suffering and other harms. A Columbia SC dog bite lawyer can pursue your case, representing your interests while you focus on your recovery.
To learn more and start your case today, contact us for your consultation.
How Legal Representation for a Dog Bite Can Help You
A Columbia dog bite lawyer from The Louthian Firm Accident & Injury Lawyers may assist you with:
- Preserving evidence that may be important to your claim.
- Investigating animal ownership and legal responsibility, if necessary.
- Determining how the law applies to your claim
- Taking your claim to the insurance company
- Filing in court, if necessary
- Responding to defenses and excuses
- Valuing your case and proving your right to compensation
Throughout our representation, we take the time to answer your questions. We’ll always explain the steps in the case and keep you informed. It’s our goal to handle the legal aspects of your claim while you focus on your recovery.
Representing adults and children
Many dog bite victims are children. Whether you are hurt or looking for a lawyer for a child, we are here to assist you. As lawyers for dog bites, we represent adults and children. We handle claims throughout the Columbia, SC area.
When Are Dog Owners Liable for a Bite in SC?
Dog owners are strictly liable for bites in South Carolina. S.C. Code § 47-3-110 establishes strict liability for a dog bite when a person is:
- In a public place
- Lawfully in a private place
Even if a dog bite occurs on the owner’s property, if the victim is lawfully present there, the dog owner is liable. Lawfully present people may include delivery drivers, postal workers, meter readers, family members and invited guests.
South Carolina Dog Bite Law
South Carolina dog bite law says the following:
- Victims may be compensated for dog bites.
- Liability is generally strict for dog bites and attacks. You don’t have to prove that the dog owner acted negligently.
- Negligence may be required for other animal attacks, but not for dog bites.
- Compensation may include economic and non-economic damages. It is proportional to the losses and suffering of the victim.
- To receive compensation, you must initiate a case.
- You may bring your claim to court, proving your right to compensation and appropriate damages.
- An attorney may represent you.
The Louthian Firm Accident & Injury Lawyers is your lawyer when you’ve been injured by a dog bite. We are here to take care of everything related to the legal process while you recover. Dog bites often result in serious harm. We are dedicated to your claim and seeking the financial compensation that you are due under the law.
Does South Carolina follow the one bite rule?
The one bite rule does not apply in South Carolina. In states with a one bite rule, the dog owner is not liable for the dog’s first bite if they didn’t know the dog had a propensity to be dangerous.
However, South Carolina uses strict liability instead, making a dog owner liable for the first bite, unless an exception applies.
Common Dog Bite Injuries
Common dog bite injuries include:
- Broken bones, fractures
- Deep tissue damage, organ damage
- Paralysis
- Damage to the senses
- Scars, disfigurement
- Traumatic brain injury
- Mental injury
A person may need serious medical intervention, with a prolonged recovery period. We gather the evidence to prove current and future damages related to injuries.
How do dog bites cause psychological trauma?
A dog bite can cause psychological trauma because it is a stressful event. It can cause anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, avoidance, irrational thoughts and other psychological injury.
Mental injury is a very real type of harm from a dog bite. It requires treatment, and it is deserving of compensation. A lawyer can assist you to document this type of injury and claim related compensation.
Are there defenses to dog bite claims in South Carolina?
S.C. Code § 47-3-110 doesn’t apply to dog bite claims when:
- The person attacked provoked the dog, causing the attack.
- The dog was a police dog, used in compliance with law enforcement and not as an excessive use of force.
- The victim was trespassing at the time of the attack.
Insurance companies often try to minimize compensation by blaming the victim. When we represent you, we fight any defenses raised, building the evidence to prove your right to compensation.
What if the dog owner is family or a friend?
Even if a dog owner is a family member or friend, you may still receive compensation for a dog bite. Many claims are settled out of homeowner and rental insurance. A lawyer can help you explore all opportunities to claim compensation.
Choose Our Experienced Dog Bite Lawyers
Here are some reasons people rely on The Louthian Firm Accident & Injury Lawyers when they need legal representation for a dog bite:
- Experience in Columbia, SC courts and surrounding areas
- Many decades of combined legal experience
- Thorough knowledge of the law and legal procedures for claims
- Cases resolved through settlement and trial
- Focus on the individual needs of each client
Work with a well-established law firm with an experienced and dedicated team. Our sole focus is protecting your rights and pursuing your compensation.
Talk to an Experienced Columbia, South Carolina Dog Bite Attorney
Have you been hurt by a dog bite? Talk to a Columbia dog bite lawyer at The Louthian Firm Accident & Injury Lawyers.
We are here for you when life goes wrong.
See how we can help you get compensated, learn about your case and start today. Call or message us now.
