Sumter Dog Bite and Animal Attack Lawyer

Domestic animal attacks can be dangerous and costly.

If you or your family have seen your life upended by a domestic animal attack, call George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers today. Our dog bite and animal attack lawyers in Sumter, SC, help victims of dog maulings and other pet attacks seek compensation for their injuries.

Enlisting Our Help in Your Case

With offices around The Palmetto State, our firm exclusively represents victims of personal injuries. Over the years, many of our clients have sought our help after suffering injuries in pet attacks, including dog bites and maulings. Of course, because every domestic animal attack has unique facts and circumstances, we cannot guarantee our clients results.

Instead, we guarantee a dog bite and animal attack attorney in Sumter, SC, will deliver their maximum level of commitment to every representation, which is how we have established our long track record of success on behalf of injured South Carolinians.

Sumter Dog Bite and Animal Attack Lawyer Near Me803-402-3164

What You Should Know About South Carolina Dog Bite & Animal Attack Law

South Carolina statutes and Sumter ordinances regulate pet ownership to minimize the risk of pet attacks. For example, in Sumter it is “unlawful for the owner or person in possession of any dog or cat to permit such dog or cat to run at large within the corporate limits of the city; provided, however, that a dog may be allowed on the streets of the city when the same is on a leash held by the person in charge of such dog.”

Even when residents follow these rules (and that’s not always the case), pets attack people on a predictably regular basis. That is why South Carolina law also gives victims of pet attacks the right to recover compensation as damages for their injuries.

South Carolina’s Dog Bite Laws

South Carolina has a specific dog bite statute on the books (S.C. Code § 47-3-110) that makes dog owners “strictly liable” to anyone their dog injures in a public place or on private property. This law applies regardless of whether the owner acted negligently in handling the dog and has only three exceptions:

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

Sumter dog owners may also face criminal sanctions for failing to comply with state laws and town ordinances regulating dog ownership.

Non-Dog Animal Attack Cases in SC

Attacks by pets other than dogs can also lead to legal liability under South Carolina law. For instance, the legal doctrine of “premises liability” can make a property owner legally liable for injuries visitors to his property sustain in pet attacks under certain circumstances. An attorney representing victims of pet attacks can help determine whether a property owner has liability in a particular case.

South Carolina pet owners also face legal liability when their pets harm fellow citizens. Under principles of “negligence,” every Sumter resident has a duty to keep his pet under control in a manner that prevents reasonably foreseeable injuries to others. For instance, the owner of a cat that habitually chases and scratches humans may have legal liability for injuries the cat causes if the owner doesn’t warn people about the cat’s tendencies.

George Sink, P.A Injury Lawyers’ Guidance in a Sumter, South Carolina Dog Bite or Animal Attack

If a domestic animal injures you or a family member in Sumter, seek immediate medical care. Bites and scratches that break the skin can lead to serious, even deadly, infection. Sumter residents should also report any pet attack to animal control authorities, in case it should become necessary to quarantine the animal. If you lost a family member to a dog bite or animal attack, you may be eligible to recover damages by pursuing a wrongful death claim.

After seeking medical attention, victims can also benefit from consulting with a personal injury attorney to determine whether they have a right to compensation for injuries a pet inflicted. Pet attacks can cause long-lasting emotional and physical trauma, especially to children. At George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers, we help victims seek damages in and out of Sumter County courts.

Has a Sumter-area pet attack left you or a family member reeling from an unexpected injury? If so, then you may be able to recover substantial compensation if you act quickly. Contact the friendly, diligent attorneys at our firm by phone or online to schedule a free case review. A dog bite and animal attack lawyer serving Sumter, SC, can meet at the location most convenient for you, including our Charleston, Orangeburg, or Florence offices, at your home, or in the hospital if that’s most convenient for you.