Every year, approximately four million people are attacked and bitten by dogs. Nearly a quarter of them will need some type of medical treatment for their injuries.
South Carolina law allows you to receive compensation when a dog has bitten or injured you or a loved one. Even though the law is clear, the insurance companies may still try to avoid their obligation to fully pay you for your injuries.
Charleston dog bite attorney Frank Hartman fights to make insurers keep their promise. The Hartman Law Firm, LLC will go to bat for you if someone else’s animal has injured you. Call us if you or a loved one were injured in a dog attack.
Injuries and Complications from Dog Bites
Dog bites can bruise and puncture the skin, and larger breeds of dogs can do much worse.
Among adults and children, the most obvious complication of a dog bite injury is scarring. You could be left with prominent scars in a visible part of your body that permanently change your appearance. Not only can this cause social embarrassment, but it can also affect other aspects of your life, like your career.
Infection is one of the most serious risks of a dog bite injury. Roughly 20% of dog bites become infected, and the risk of infection begins several hours after the dog has bitten you. Serious infections could result in sepsis or septic shock. You must get any infection treated immediately.
Depending on where the bite occurred, you may be left with a permanent loss of function in the area. For example, the dog may have bitten you on the arm, causing you permanent nerve damage. This injury may restrict your movement and ability to use your arm.
Each injury requires a careful treatment plan. We tell every potential dog bite client to stick to their doctor’s medical advice.
South Carolina Dog Bite Law
As a dog bite lawyer, Frank finds that South Carolina law is typically friendly to dog attack victims.
However, proving liability is only part of your case. You must fight for all the damages you deserve when the insurance company is trying to keep you from getting them.
Like many states, South Carolina uses the law of strict liability for dog bites. Strict liability does not mean that the dog’s owner is responsible in every single case. What it does mean is that, when a dog has bitten you, the burden shifts to the dog’s owner to give a reason why they do not owe you money.
Typically, the dog’s owner may claim that you provoke the dog, although that is a difficult defense for them to use. In practical terms, you would almost always receive compensation when a dog has bitten you.
The law says it also does not matter whether you are bitten by the dog. South Carolina law imposes strict liability for all injuries that you suffer from a dog attack. If a dog charges at you, and you are knocked over and hurt, the owner would be liable for any injuries you have suffered.
How Frank Can Help You
In many cases, the real fight comes down to whether you get enough compensation for your dog bite injuries. The insurance company will try to settle your case for far less than you deserve. Frank knows that even when liability may not be in question, you still need to fight.
To wage the most effective battle against the insurance company, contact an attorney right away to handle your case. As an experienced dog bite injury lawyer, Frank can do the following for your case:
- Help prove that the dog at issue was the one who attacked you
- Defend you from any wrongful allegations that you may have been responsible for being attacked
- Quantify the amount of damages that you have suffered
- File an insurance claim or a lawsuit against the dog’s owner on your behalf
- Negotiate a dog bite injury settlement with the insurance company
- Try your case in court if we cannot reach a settlement agreement together
Compensation for a Dog Bite Injury
Your compensation for a dog bite injury can be more substantial than you think. The dog’s owner has the legal requirement to pay for all the damages that their animal caused you. Dogs are covered under a homeowners insurance policy, and you are dealing with the dog owner’s insurance company.
The compensation can be substantial, especially when a child was the one injured by the dog.
Children must live with the effects of a vicious dog attack for the rest of their lives. They may suffer extreme emotional distress and post-traumatic stress disorder that can change the rest of their life.
You owe it to your child to fight for every dollar that they deserve, and the first thing that you can do is hire a dog bite lawyer to handle your case from start to finish. Let us focus on you so you can focus on recovery.
Contact Our Charleston Dog Bite Lawyer Today
Frank knows what his clients go through when they get the runaround from the insurance company. He has been representing injured Charlestonians for years, and he takes the time to listen to each of their stories so he can effectively fight for them.
If a dog has injured you, call Frank to discuss your case and learn of the legal options you have to seek financial compensation. To schedule a free case review with Frank, you can message us through our website or call us today at 843.300.7600.
Dog Bite Injury FAQs
Does South Carolina have a “one-bite” rule?
Some states use a one-bite rule, which only holds a dog’s owner liable for bites caused by dogs known to be dangerous.
Strict liability is a different law, and it is what South Carolina uses. The dog’s owner would be strictly liable to pay you, even when the dog has bitten someone for the first time.
Is there an average settlement for a dog bite injury?
Never listen to anyone who purports to give you an average settlement for a dog bite injury.
Home insurance companies publish these figures, but you can never quite trust their motivation.
Your dog bite compensation is tied to your situation, and it does not depend on what someone else may have gotten.