If you were bitten by your neighbor’s dog in South Carolina, then your neighbor can be found liable and must account for the damages that their dog has caused. According to South Carolina’s dog bite law, a dog owner is strictly held responsible for their dog’s actions, which means that your neighbor will be required to compensate you for any medical bills and other expenses related to the incident.
How to Recover Compensation After a Dog Bite
Try finding out if your neighbor has coverage, and then you can contact a dog bite attorney who can assist you with filing a personal injury claim. You may feel bad about filing a dog bite lawsuit against your neighbor, but the fact of the matter is that they were being negligent for letting this happen to you.
How to Win Your Dog Bite Claim
In order to ensure that you receive compensation for your or your child’s injuries in South Carolina, it is important that you have evidence of the dog bite attack as well as can prove that you did not provoke the dog in any way. If you did provoke your neighbor’s dog, then you will not be able to recover anything from the lawsuit.
Also, it may be hard to prove a dog bite took place if there are no witnesses or if you do not have any substantial injuries. That is why it is important to get the contact information of any witnesses and fully document any injuries that were sustained in the dog bite attack.
What to Expect from the Dog Bite Claims Process
The dog bite claims process can be overwhelming, particularly when you are dealing with the physical, emotional, and financial impact of your injuries. Fortunately, when you have a powerful legal advocate on your side, you can recuperate while demanding justice.
Although every person’s dog bite injury claim is different, the process for pursuing maximum compensation is generally the same. With that in mind, here is a breakdown of what to expect once you decide to take legal action against the dog’s owner or other liable party:
- You begin by hiring a dog bite lawyer who can investigate your dog bite attack, gather valuable supporting evidence, and explore your legal options going forward.
- Next, we determine who is responsible for causing your injuries. Your neighbor (the dog’s owner) will more than likely share the majority of the blame under South Carolina’s strict liability laws. However, equipment or parts manufacturers, dog walkers, and other third parties could also share fault.
- We will need to comb through your losses in detail to accurately calculate the value of your dog bite injury claim. We will be sure to consider the effect your injuries are likely to have well into the future to ensure you receive fair compensation and do not get stuck covering the costs of your neighbor’s negligence.
- Depending on who is responsible for your damages, our next step will be to file a homeowners insurance, renters insurance, or general liability insurance claim. If your neighbor or other liable party does not have insurance coverage, or the insurance company’s offer is insufficient, we will be prepared to move forward with a dog bite lawsuit.
Contact a South Carolina Dog Bite Lawyer for Help
If you or your child has been bitten by a neighbor’s dog, it is important to consult with an attorney so that a better evaluation of your case can be made.
Filing a South Carolina dog bite claim against your neighbor can seem like a daunting task, but with the help of a South Carolina dog bite attorney, you can focus more on your recovery and less on your mounting medical bills. Contact our personal injury attorneys at Shelly Leeke Law Firm for a 100% free consultation today and find out what is next for your case.
