Carolina Forest Dog Bite and Animal Attack Lawyer

Dog maulings and pet assaults can leave victims struggling financially.

If a dog bite or other pet attack in the Carolina Forest, SC area leaves you or your child injured, call George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers today. Our dog bite and animal attack lawyers in Carolina Forest, SC, help Horry County residents and visitors assert their legal rights to compensation when someone else’s pet does them harm.

About Us

George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers is a personal injury law firm. Our attorneys exclusively represent victims of unexpected injuries, including all types of domestic animal attacks, especially dog bites and maulings.

Our past successes on behalf of animal attack victims do not guarantee future results, however, because every case we handle has its own unique circumstances. Still, our lawyers can promise to bring our determination and compassion to every fight for our clients’ rights.

Carolina Forest Dog Bite and Animal Attack Lawyer Near Me(888) 612-7001

Important Information on South Carolina Dog Bite & Animal Attack Law

State laws and local ordinances contain broad provisions aimed at protecting the public from dog bites and other animal attacks. Under Horry County’s animal control ordinance, for example, pet owners must not allow their animals to run at-large off their own properties.

Unfortunately, even when Carolina Forest residents obey pet-ownership regulations, dogs, cats, and other domestic animals still attack people from time to time. To address these assaults, South Carolina law gives pet attack victims rights to take legal action seeking damages for their injuries.

Dog Owners Have “Strict Liability” Under South Carolina Law

S.C. Code § 47-3-110 addresses dog bites and maulings as a special category of incident since they are the most common of all domestic animal attacks. When a dog assaults anyone other than its owner in a public place or on private property in Carolina Forest, “the dog owner or person having the dog in the person’s care or keeping is liable for the damages suffered by the person bitten or otherwise attacked,” unless:

• The victim was a trespasser on someone’s property when the attack happened;
• The victim “provoked or harassed the dog and that provocation was the proximate cause of the attack”; or
• The dog was a police canine acting on the lawful command of its handler.

Horry County ordinances also impose criminal liability on dog owners for failing to follow regulations relating to the care and handling of dogs.

Non-Canine Animal Attacks: Your Right to Compensation

Victims of attacks by pets other than dogs may have rights to compensation under South Carolina’s legal principles of “premises liability” and negligence. “Premises liability” refers to the rules that make a property owner potentially liable to a visitor injured by a pet on the owner’s property, depending on the visitor’s legal status on the property at the time of the attack. A dog bite and animal attack attorney in Carolina Forest, SC, can help victims determine whether a property owner owes them damages.

Pet owners also have a legal obligation to take reasonable steps to keep fellow Carolina Forest residents safe from misbehaving pets, regardless of where an attack occurs. A pet owner who fails to prevent a pet from assaulting someone may have a legal liability to the victim. For example, if the owner of a ferret takes it out in public but fails to warn those that want to pet it that ferrets often bite without warning, the owner may have legal liability for injuries the ferret inflicts.

Consult with a Dog Bite or Animal Attack Lawyer in Carolina Forest

Seek medical help right away after a dog bite or if another domestic animal attacks you. Bites and scratches that break the skin require immediate medical attention because they can easily become infected. Horry County residents should also report a pet attack to animal control authorities as a precaution against rabies.

At George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers, we help people injured in domestic animal attacks recover compensation from insurance companies and, if necessary, from pet and property owners directly through legal action in Horry County courts.

Has a dog or other pet in the Carolina Forest area attacked you, your child, or another family member? If so, then you may have a right to recover substantial compensation for your injuries. Contact us by phone or through our online form today to discuss the details of your case free of charge. One of our dog bite and animal attack lawyers serving Carolina Forest, SC, can meet at any location that is convenient for you, including at our Myrtle Beach office, at your home, or in the hospital.