Gaffney Dog Bite and Animal Attack Lawyer

Dog bites and pet attacks can cause serious injuries.

If someone’s pet in the Gaffney, South Carolina area assaults and injures you or a family member, call George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers today. Our dog bite and animal attack lawyers in Gaffney, SC, help Upstate South Carolinians take legal action to recover damages for injuries caused by out-of-control pets.

How George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers Can Help

George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers is a law firm that exclusively represents victims of unexpected personal injuries. Pet attacks, especially dog bites and maulings, constitute a core part of our law practice. Although we are proud of these successes, our lawyers cannot guarantee similar results in the future because every pet attack matter we handle is different.

But we do promise every client we represent that our dog bite and animal attack attorneys in Gaffney, SC, will bring maximum compassion and determination to the task of seeking appropriate damages on their behalf.

Gaffney Dog Bite and Animal Attack Lawyer Near Me888-612-7001

About South Carolina Dog Bite & Animal Attack Law

South Carolina statutes and local laws protect Gaffney citizens from misbehaving pets. Under Gaffney’s animal control ordinance, for example, all pets must be inoculated against rabies, and dog owners must keep their pet on a leash no longer than ten feet when the dog is off of the owner’s property.

While these regulations provide a measure of protection against animals assaulting humans, they are not foolproof. When a dog bite or other pet attack injures someone in Gaffney, state law allows the victim to seek compensation in a legal action against the parties responsible.

Dog Bite Laws in SC

Dog bites and maulings constitute the majority of pet attacks that occur each year in South Carolina. Accordingly, S.C. Code § 47-3-110  makes every “dog owner or person having [a] dog in the person’s care or keeping” strictly liable for “the damages suffered by [a] person bitten or otherwise attacked” by the dog. Only three exceptions excuse the owner from this legal liability:

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

Dog owners in Gaffney may also face criminal sanctions if they fail to comply with state and local dog laws.

Recovering Compensation in a Non-Dog Animal Attack in SC

Attacks by non-dog pets can also result in legal liability under South Carolina law. For example, if an animal attacks a visitor to someone’s property in Gaffney, the owner of the property may have legal liability for the visitor’s injuries depending on the visitor’s legal “status” on that property. An attorney who represents pet attack victims can help victims figure out if a property owner owes damages under this legal doctrine of “premises liability.”

Separately, pet owners can also have legal liability when their pets attack, regardless of the location of the incident. Every South Carolinian has a legal duty not to act in a way that could reasonably be expected to cause harm, and that includes how a Palmetto State citizen handles his or her pet.

So, for example, the owner of a cat that’s known to attack children may have liability if the cat escapes its owner’s house and injures a neighbor’s child if the owner failed to take reasonable steps to keep the cat confined.

Legal Aid for a Gaffney, South Carolina Dog Bite or Animal Attack

Victims of pet attacks should seek prompt medical attention. Bites and lacerations inflicted by a pet can lead to life-threatening infections if not treated with appropriate care. Victims should also report the attack to animal control officers, in case the official needs to quarantine the pet involved.

Pet attack victims can also protect their rights by consulting with an animal attack liability lawyer. Dogs and other unruly pets can cause permanent physical and emotional harm, especially to children. George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers’ team has the know-how and resources to do what it takes to obtain compensation for pet attack victims in and out of Cherokee County courts.

If you or a family member fall victim to a pet attack in the Gaffney, South Carolina area, you may have rights to substantial compensation under South Carolina law. Learn more by contacting us by phone or online to schedule a free case review. A dog bite and animal attack lawyer serving Gaffney, SC, would be glad to meet with you at one of our offices around the state, at your home, or the hospital if that’s most convenient for you.