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Dog bites can cause life-threatening harm.
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Give Us A Call »How George Sink Injury Lawyers Can Serve You
George Sink Injury Lawyers is a personal injury law firm that exclusively represents South Carolinians who have suffered unexpected, life-disrupting injuries. From our offices around the state, including one on East Evans Street in Florence, we routinely help victims of pet attacks – especially dog bites and maulings – seek justice and compensation.
Our lawyers can never guarantee an outcome for a particular client, but we always promise that our dog bite and animal attack attorneys in Florence, SC, will provide intelligent, diligent, client-focused legal services.
Florence Dog Bite and Animal Attack Lawyer Near Me843-474-2700
South Carolina Laws on Dog Bites and Animal Attacks
In South Carolina, state statutes and local laws protect the public from aggressive, dangerous pets. Florence city ordinances, for example, provide that “[n]o pet or animal shall be permitted to be on school grounds, in a shopping area, or similar public place unless on a leash.”
Laws like this one reduce the frequency of pet attacks but cannot eliminate them altogether. Accordingly, when a pet attack injures a Florence resident or visitor, state law gives the victim rights to take legal action for damages.
Strict Liability for Dog Bites in South Carolina
South Carolina addresses the frequency of dog bites and maulings in S.C. Code § 47-3-110 by imposing “strict liability” on any “dog owner or person having [a] dog in the person’s care or keeping” for “the damages suffered by [a] person bitten or otherwise attacked” by the dog. Only three exceptions excuse a dog owner or handler from this liability:
- When the victim was trespassing on property at the time of the attack;
- When the victim “provoked or harassed the dog and that provocation was the proximate cause of the attack”; or
- When a police dog acting on the lawful command of its police handler committed the attack.
Dog owners and others having a dog in their care in Florence may also risk criminal prosecution for failing to comply with state and local dog laws.
“Premises Liability” and “Owner Negligence” in Non-Dog Animal Attacks
Attacks by non-canine pets may also lead to legal liability under South Carolina law. If a domestic animal attacks a visitor on someone else’s property, the law of “premises liability” may make the owner of that property liable to the visitor for damages, provided the visitor wasn’t trespassing. An attorney who advocates for pet attack victims can help determine whether a property owner has legal liability in any particular case.
Pet owners can also have legal liability for harm their pets cause, regardless of where an attack occurs. This liability will arise if pet owners fail to take reasonable measures to prevent their pets from assaulting someone.
For example, the owner of a cat known to be especially vicious may have liability for damages if the cat escapes its owner’s house and attacks a neighbor’s child if the owner failed to take reasonable steps to prevent the cat from getting out.
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843-474-2700Seeking Help from a Dog Bite and Animal Attack Lawyer in Florence, SC
Pet attack victims should seek prompt medical attention for their injuries, especially bites or lacerations that break the skin and have a risk of developing an infection. Victims should also report the attack to animal control authorities, who can decide whether to quarantine the animal. If a family member passed away as a result of a dog bite or animal attack, you may be eligible for compensation upon pursuing a wrongful death claim.
It can also be important for pet attack victims to speak with a pet attack liability lawyer as soon as possible. Dog bites and other injuries caused by pets often inflict long-term physical and emotional trauma, especially on children. George Sink Injury Lawyers has the know-how and resources to investigate pet attacks, pursue settlement negotiations, and (if necessary), litigate pet attack matters in Florence County courts.
If a pet attack in the Florence, South Carolina area leaves you or a family member struggling with a serious injury, you may have rights to compensation. Don’t wait to seek help. Contact us today online or by phone to schedule a free case review. A dog bite and animal attack lawyer serving Florence, SC, would be glad to meet with you in our Florence office, your home, or the hospital.
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