Irmo Dog Bite and Animal Attack Lawyer

If you were injured in an attack by a dog or other pet, you may have the right to recover compensation.

If the injury from a dog bite or other pet attack disrupts your life, call George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers today. We help Greater Columbia-area residents and visitors seek compensation for injuries inflicted by domestic animals. Get a free consultation with one of our dog bite and animal attack lawyers in Irmo, South Carolina.

How We Can Assist You

George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers is a South Carolina personal injury law firm that represents victims of domestic animal attacks, especially dog bites and maulings. Of course, our results for past clients cannot predict the successful outcome of future representations, because every pet attack matter is unique. But, our lawyers do give clients our word that we will always pursue their best interests with determination, compassion, and aggression if need be.

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

Dog Bite & Animal Attack Law in South Carolina

Many Irmo-area residents don’t realize how broad and detailed state and local laws are in regulating pet ownership here in The Palmetto State. For example, Irmo ordinances require pet owners to keep their pets leashed at all times when off of the owner’s property, and ban any pet owner from trying to domesticate a wild animal.

These rules help protect the public from pet attacks, but they’re not foolproof. Pet attacks still happen, and when they do, South Carolina law gives victims the right to take legal action for compensation.

Dog Bite Laws of South Carolina

Under S.C. Code § 47-3-110, the state’s dog attack law, “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.” The dog owner can escape this “strict liability” only in three circumstances:

• When the victim was trespassing on someone’s 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 the attacking dog was a police canine acting on the lawful command of its handler.

Irmo dog owners who fail to comply with state and local dog laws may also face criminal penalties. Our Irmo dog bite and animal attack attorneys can investigate the circumstances of your case to determine liability.

Recovering Damages in Non-Dog Animal Attacks

When a non-dog pet (even one as unexpected as a pet raccoon) attacks someone in Irmo, general tort law principles enable the victim to recover damages.  Under the legal doctrine of “premises liability,” for example, a property owner may have to pay damages to a visitor who gets injured by a pet while on the owner’s property. A dog bite and animal attack lawyer in Irmo, SC, can help victims determine the liability of a property owner for a pet attack.

Pet owners, too, may have legal liability for injuries their pets inflict on others if they fail to take reasonable steps to prevent their pet’s misbehavior (in other words, if they act negligently in keeping their pets). So, if a housecat known to be aggressive escapes its kennel and attacks a child visiting the house, the cat’s owner may have legal liability for the child’s pain and suffering.

Your Legal Options in a Lexington, South Carolina Dog Bite or Animal Attack

The first priority for any victim after a dog bite or other pet attack should be to seek immediate medical treatment. Bites, lacerations, or contusions caused by an animal can lead to dangerous infection. Irmo residents attacked by a pet should also report the incident to local animal control officials in case the animal requires quarantine.

Irmo dog bite and pet attack victims can also benefit from consulting with an animal attack liability lawyer to learn about their potential rights to seek damages. Pet attacks can leave victims physically and emotionally traumatized, especially young children. At George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers, we have the resources and know-how to recover damages on behalf of victims in Lexington and Richland County courts.

When a dog or other pet attacks an Irmo-area resident, we may be able to help in recovering substantial compensation from those who should have taken steps to prevent the injury. Contact us by phone or online to schedule a free case review with one of our dog bite and animal attack lawyers serving Irmo, SC, at our Columbia office, at your home, or even in the hospital if that’s most convenient for you.