West Columbia Dog Bite and Animal Attack Lawyer

Hold a negligent pet owner responsible if you've been injured by their dog or other animal.

If you or a family member has sustained injuries caused by someone else’s pet in the West Columbia area, call George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers today. Dog bite and animal attack lawyers serving West Columbia, South Carolina, help families and visitors seek damages from those who fail to prevent pet attacks.

What George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers Does

Our team of personal injury lawyers has represented clients injured by a wide variety of pets, from dogs to cats to ferrets and more. Of course, because every pet attack has its own distinct circumstances, we can never promise the outcome for a certain case. However, we give clients our promise that we will treat them with compassion and fight hard to secure the best possible outcome for their case.

West Columbia Dog Bites and Animal Attacks Lawyer Near Me(888) 612-7001

South Carolina/ West Columbia Ordinances on Dog Bites and Animal Attacks

The laws of South Carolina and West Columbia ordinances state that pet owners have a legal duty to keep their neighbors safe from dog bites and other pet attacks. For instance, West Columbia residents may not keep more than six pets (including no more than three dogs) and must post signs to warn visitors of guard dogs.

Even when West Columbia pet owners follow ordinances, pet attacks still occur. In South Carolina, victims have the legal right to recover damages for injuries caused by unruly pets.

South Carolina Laws on Dog Bites: The Most Common Domestic Animal Attack

Dog bites are the most common domestic animal attack. S.C. Code § 47-3-110 makes dog owners “strictly liable” to anyone their dogs injure in a public place or on private property. “Strict liability” means it does not matter if the owner acted negligently in handling the dog; the owner will always have liability to the victim unless:

• The victim sustained the injury while trespassing on the owner’s property.
• The victim “provoked or harassed the dog and that provocation was the proximate cause of the attack.”
• The dog that attacked was a police canine acting on the lawful command of its handler.

Dog owners and others tending to dogs in West Columbia could also face criminal liability if they fail to obey town ordinances and state laws imposing duties to keep the public safe from dog attacks.

Examining Non-Dog Animal Attacks

South Carolina’s general legal principles of “premises liability” and negligence give rights to victims of all other non-canine pet attacks. The laws of “premises liability” make a property owner liable for compensating a visitor who sustains an injury from a pet attack on his property under certain conditions. An attorney who represents pet assault victims can help figure out whether a property owner has liability in any case.

Pet owners also have legal liability to anyone their pets attack under the South Carolina common law doctrine of negligence. Every pet owner owes a duty to take reasonable steps to keep the public safe from his or her pet. So, for instance, if the owner of a particularly vicious cat fails to keep it indoors, and it attacks a neighbor’s child, the owner may have liability to that child and the child’s family for the injury the cat caused.

Seeking Help for Your Dog Bite and Animal Attack Case

After a dog bite, anyone injured should seek immediate medical care, especially if a bite or scratch draws blood (which creates a risk of life-threatening infection). West Columbia residents should also report any pet assault to animal control authorities, as it may be important to quarantine the animal to check for rabies. If a loved one passed away from a dog bite or animal attack, you may be able to recover compensation through a wrongful death action.

At George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers, dog bite and animal attack lawyers serving West Columbia, SC, have the resources and know-how to seek compensation on behalf of victims by negotiating with insurance companies and, if necessary, taking legal action in Lexington County courts.

Have you or a family member sustained an injury in a Greater Columbia-area pet attack? If so, then you may have the right under South Carolina law to seek compensation from those responsible. Contact us to discuss your case. We can meet at the location most convenient for you, including our Columbia office, your home, or the hospital.