Hiring a North Charleston dog bite lawyer may be one of the most important decisions you make in your lifetime. If you are suffering from serious injuries, financial loss, and trauma, you need a dedicated, experienced attorney from Shelly Leeke Law Firm to start fighting for you. Expect our North Charleston personal injury lawyer, a member of the American Association For Justice, to be there to fight to recover all of the damages you are owed.
Hire a Trusted North Charleston Dog Bite Attorney Now
Dog bites are known for being especially traumatic. If you have suffered critical injuries and emotional trauma after being attacked by a dog, you may have the right to compensation for your losses. Our dog bite lawyers in North Charleston can help prove the owners owe you compensation.
However, the claims process may seem overwhelming. If you are hoping to heal from your injuries and avoid the legal hassles of an insurance claim or civil lawsuit, make sure you retain a powerful legal advocate. Contact a reputable North Charleston personal injury lawyer at Shelly Leeke Law Firm for a free consultation and find out how you can make the dog’s owner pay the compensation you need.
When you hire our dog bite attorneys in North Charleston, you get exceptional, reliable help. You can expect us to fight hard for your full and fair compensation. If we do not win your case, you owe us nothing.
South Carolina Dog Bite Laws
The law is clear. Dog owners are required to maintain control over their pets. If they fail to do so, and that leads to injuries and losses, you can hold them accountable.
Our attorneys take this seriously. When you have medical bills and other losses, put our dog bite lawyer in North Charleston to work for you. Knowing your rights – and fighting for them – ensures you can recover the losses you are owed.
The dog bite laws in the state of South Carolina will directly impact your opportunities for financial recovery. It is important to understand how the state’s dog bite laws work if you hope to hold the liable party accountable and recover compensation for your suffering.
Strict Liability
Your dog bite lawyer in North Charleston, SC, will need to evaluate your dog bite case to determine who is responsible for causing your injuries. Typically, dog owners are held accountable when their dogs bite or attack someone else. This is because the state of South Carolina has strict liability laws in place that require dog owners to maintain control of their pets at all times.
Any time a dog owner fails to maintain this control, they can be held accountable. However, there are limited circumstances in which other parties could also be partly responsible for your dog bite injuries. For instance, if a dog owner purchased fencing to contain their dog within their yard, but the fencing was defective or malfunctioned in some way, the fence manufacturer, installer, and other third parties can also share fault.
If you are unsure of your situation, contact our North Charleston dog bite attorneys. With the help of our legal team, we can offer insight into the liability in play. Do not wait to give us a call for a free consultation.
Dog Owner Liability Exclusions
Dog owners are always responsible for ensuring their pets are under their control, but there are some instances in which dog owners may be able to avoid liability for a victim’s damages. This typically occurs in situations where the dog was provoked into acting aggressively. If the injury victim was teasing the dog, hitting, kicking, or punching the dog, or otherwise attempting to incite an aggressive or violent reaction from the dog, the dog’s owner may not be held accountable for the dog’s actions.
Shared Fault
South Carolina follows a modified comparative negligence system. This means when you are found partially at fault for the injuries you sustained, you will not be barred from financial recovery unless your portion of the liability is greater than 51%. In instances where the dog’s owner has accused you of provoking their pet (read more: how dog bite claims work if you were trespassing) or otherwise sharing liability for your injuries, you may be able to utilize the state’s shared fault laws to ensure the dog’s owner is still held accountable for their negligence.
Statute of Limitations
You do not have much time to take action, even if it may seem that way. Your dog bite attorney in North Charleston, SC, will need to get started on your claim as soon as possible if you hope to avoid putting your right to compensation at risk. The statute of limitations for dog bite claims in South Carolina is just three years.
This is a limited amount of time to pursue your case. The sooner we can get started, the more likely it is we will be able to gather the evidence we need to prove the dog owner’s negligence in your case. Unfortunately, if you make the mistake of waiting to get your claim filed and the deadline passes, you will lose your right to have your case heard in civil court.
Our North Charleston dog bite lawyers are standing by and ready to get started on your case as soon as possible so you can avoid issues with the statute of limitations in your case. Even if you are not sure if you can still take action, we strongly recommend giving us a call. With a free consultation, there is no risk involved.
Common Injuries from Dog Bites
There are many ways that a dog bite can impact a person. Various factors impact this, including the size of the dog, the strength of their bite, the location, and even the dog’s temperament. Some of the most common injuries from dog bites include:
- Lacerations to the skin
- Deep scratches that are disfiguring
- Tissue, ligament, tendon, and muscle damage
- Traumatic brain injuries if a person falls as a result of the incident
- Broken bones
- Skin infections from the dog bite
- Disfigurement
- Loss of vision
Emotional distress is very commonly a part of this loss as well. A dog bite can be frightening, no matter the size or type of dog. Our goal is to help ensure you receive compensation for all of the losses you are owed.
Complications to Dog Bite Injuries Are Also Possible
In addition to the short-term injuries, there may be complications to many injuries, including the need for amputations if infection spreads and the need for revisions to disfigurement repair procedures. These are just some of the injuries a person with a dog bite may face. You may be able to pursue damages for all of these losses.
Common Reasons Dog Bites Happen
When a dog bite occurs, one of the first questions many people have is this one: “What did you do to provoke the dog?” It is true that some dogs are unlikely to bite a person unless they are provoked. Yet, without a doubt, all dogs can be aggressive and cause an injury that is substantial.
There are various reasons this can happen. One of the goals of our North Charleston dog bite lawyer will be to better understand that reason so that we can hold people accountable who are responsible. Here are a few of the most common reasons that these types of injuries occur.
- The dog was afraid. The dog’s natural reaction to fear is to bite and safeguard themselves. This is true for even aggressive dogs in that their behavior is rooted in some fear of what could occur to them or those they are protecting.
- They were startled. A dog will bite if they are startled, like being woken up suddenly, which can cause the dog to be disoriented and confused for a moment and react in poor behavior. A person sneaking up on a dog, for example, may do this.
- The dog was taught to react to intruders. In some situations, dogs are taught to bark and even bite when someone enters an area, even if that person does not seem to pose a risk. Dogs trained like this are often used to guard areas, for example.
- Pain. There are some situations where a dog is in pain, and as a result of that, they react in a negative way. Pain can be stressful and overwhelming for the dog, causing them to react poorly.
- They were taught to play bite. Most owners know that it is not safe to encourage a dog to bite while playing, but that does not mean they always follow that rule. The key here is that some bites, even playful ones, can lead to substantial injuries.
Why Does This Matter in Your Case?
In situations where a dog bite occurs and the damages are significant, it is likely that insurance companies and dog owners will try to blame the victim. For example, they may claim the victim approached the dog, antagonizing it, and that led to the injury. Under the state’s laws, you may not be able to claim compensation if you did, in fact, do anything to encourage the dog to bite, like hit it.
However, it is also important for victims to remember that dog bites are not typically the result of this behavior. Most people do get bites without approaching the dog themselves. Whenever a dog bite occurs, it often means that the owner did not take steps to ensure their home or property was safe, and as a result, they may owe you compensation for your losses.
Should You Settle Your Dog Bite Case with the Insurance Company
It can be difficult to determine how long it takes to settle a dog bite injury claim, but that only applies in situations where you are receiving fair compensation for the losses you have incurred. In other words, do not settle unless you are sure you are getting a fair settlement. Unless you know that is the case after speaking to our attorneys, we strongly encourage you not to settle.
Our dog bite attorneys in North Charleston are often able to provide proof of why you deserve more compensation than just to cover your medical bills. Consider a few examples. Did the dog bite lead to mobility limitations?
If so, that may mean that, 5 or 10 years later, you may need to have a surgical procedure because your condition worsens. We work to understand the long-term implications of your loss to ensure you consistently receive the compensation you are owed. We can talk to doctors to prove this.
Determining if the Incident Was Traumatic
Even someone who loves dogs will be faced with some level of trauma as a result of being bitten by a dog. As a result of this, we want to be sure that you receive enough compensation to make up for that. More so, we want to ensure that you can continue to receive the medical care and mental health care you need to recover.
Are there special cases in which more is justifiable? For example, if a property owner consistently allows their dog to run loose or has repeatedly caused injuries to a person, the court may award additional damages as a way to get the owner to take more drastic measures. It is our goal to help you obtain those awards if they are justified.
For children, dog bite accidents can be specifically traumatic as well as carry a lifetime of implications, which is why you need a dog bite lawyer. That may include difficulty with quality of life, enjoying things they used to do, and engaging in meaningful employment, especially if this leads to permanent injury, disfigurement, and emotional trauma. We want to be sure you are receiving comprehensive compensation in these situations.
Recoverable Damages in North Charleston Dog Bite Cases
After suffering debilitating dog bite injuries, you might be surprised to learn that you are entitled to compensation for every single loss you have suffered. These losses are not only monetary in nature but can also account for the way in which your entire life has been affected (and may continue to be affected) by your injuries. When you meet with our dog bite attorney in North Charleston, we will go through each potential area with you to ensure we know what all of your losses are.
Collectively, these are commonly referred to as economic damages and non-economic damages, also commonly referred to as general damages or special damages. Your economic damages and special damages account for all of your monetary losses. Here, you may be able to seek compensation for any out-of-pocket or financial expenses, some of which could include:
- Money you were unable to earn when you had to take time off of work.
- Your inability to continue earning a living.
- Ambulance and hospital bills.
- Transportation costs, co-pays, and costs of prescription medications.
- Medical equipment fees and the costs of making home accommodations.
- All of your future medical expenses.
- Your diminished earning capacity, including loss of employee benefits, such as paid time off, bonuses, holiday pay, vacation time, and contributions to your retirement savings accounts.
Non-Economic Damages
However, these are only a couple of the different types of financial losses for which you could seek compensation in your claim. There are a wide variety of losses you are entitled to that have nothing to do with money at all. These are commonly known as general damages or non-economic damages, and some examples of such losses could include:
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Diminished quality of life
- Skin scars
- Disfiguring injuries
- Chronic physical pain
- Emotional trauma
- Psychological distress
- Inconvenience and reputation of damages
- Embarrassment and shame
These are only a few of the damages that could be recovered following an attack or bite by a dog in North Charleston. Our dog bite attorneys are here to help you maximize the amount of compensation you are awarded and ensure the dog’s owner or other liable parties are compelled to cover your damages in their entirety. Take a moment to give our dog bite attorney a call now to discuss your case and review our frequently asked questions to learn more.
There Is No Risk in Reaching Out to Us for the Guidance You Need
Your dog bite injuries may have a significant impact on your life for years to come. It is important that you access the compensation you are entitled to so you are not stuck covering the cost. Make the dog’s owner pay for their negligent actions.
When you contact our dog bite attorney, we will provide a free and comprehensive consultation to discuss each one of your needs. When we do, you will have insight into what your legal options are and what steps you may wish to take. There is no cost to you.
If, for any reason, we take your case and you do not win it, you will owe us nothing. That means we will not charge you for our services. There is no risk in reaching out to us for immediate help, so review our case results to see how we can help you.
Get Help from a Dog Bite Lawyer in North Charleston Today
Reach out to an experienced North Charleston dog bite attorney at Shelly Leeke Law Firm for a no-cost, risk-free consultation today. You can reach us through our quick contact form or by phone to take advantage of this opportunity. We are here to guide, support, and advocate for you.
