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A dog bite can have serious consequences, especially when the victim is a child. Even bites from small dogs can have devastating repercussions, including scarring, disfigurement, or nerve damage. A compassionate injury lawyer might be able to help a family dealing with a dog bite injury collect monetary damages from the owner of the dog.
If you or a loved one suffered an injury from a dog bite, call a York County dog bite lawyer right away. Time is of the essence, and it is critical to investigate a dog bite claim immediately.
York County Dog Bite Laws
In many states, a dog owner is only considered liable for injuries caused by their dog if they knew the animal was violent. In most cases, this required evidence that the dog had previously bitten someone without provocation before. This is known as the “one bite rule,” which means a dog essentially gets a free bite before their owner faces responsibility for their damages. While this was once the rule in South Carolina, the state legislature has adopted a more generous standard.
According to South Carolina Code of Laws §47-3-110, a dog owner is responsible for injuries caused by their pet regardless of the animal’s prior history of violence. As long as the injury victim was lawfully present on public or private property at the time of the attack, the dog’s owner could face liability. It is worth noting that the statute refers to bites or other attacks, meaning damages could be available when a victim is knocked down or injured in another way.
The statute also highlights the most commonly used defense in these cases: provocation. A dog owner has an absolute defense if they can establish the plaintiff provoked the dog before the attack. Provocation can include physical or verbal actions that a dog could perceive as threatening. Given that negligence is not at issues in these cases, refuting claims of provocation could be a York County dog bite attorney’s primary focus.
Holding Property Owners Accountable
The owner of a dog is not the only party that could face liability for a dog attack. Under certain circumstances, a York County attorney handling a dog bite case might be able to establish the property owner where the attack occurred was also at fault.
For example, when dog attacks happen in the common area of an apartment complex or another multi-family dwelling, the plaintiff might have a negligence claim against the landlord. While the standard is much higher compared to that of the dog’s owner, a landlord could face liability if they were aware the dog was loose on their property or knew the dog was dangerous and failed to take action.
A landlord is not responsible for any injuries that occur on the premises of a tenant, however, as long as the landlord was not possession or control of the animal. In other words, if a dog attack occurs at a kennel paid to house the dog, the landlord will likely not face liability.
Call a York County Dog Bite Attorney
A significant number of dog bites result in injuries severe enough to require immediate medical attention. When these injuries occur, the dog’s owner could face liability for any injuries resulting from a bite.
If you suffered injuries from a dog attack, you have the right to pursue monetary compensation from the animal’s owner. Reach out to a York County dog bite lawyer right away to discuss your case