Dogs bite, that is just a fact of life. But dog attacks are not a childhood rite of passage.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 4.5 million Americans of all ages are bitten by dogs. Â Of those 4.5 million bite victims, approximately 885,000 of those will need medical assistance – at least half of those being kids. Â In a single recent year, over 27,000 individuals got reconstructive surgery due to being attacked by a dog.
Pet owners have a duty for his or her animals when somebody is attacked by them and for the damage they cause. The personal injury lawyers at David R. Price, Jr., P.A., can help you recover damages for medical bills and additional lost funds related to a severe dog bite, attack, or mauling in South Carolina.
INJURIES AND OTHER LOSSES IN DOG ATTACKS
South Carolina’s dog bite legislation is clear-cut: If you were attacked or otherwise injured by a dog while you are in a public space or another place that you are legally entitled to be, the owner of the dog or person handling the dog is responsible for the harm to you. Unlike many other states, there is no “one bite” provision making an allowance for the first time a dog attacks someone.
The only situations where strict liability does not apply is if the person who was injured has first harassed or induced the dog.
Otherwise, damages may be obtained by a dog bite victim from a dog owner for damages like:
- Health-related expenses
- Property-damage (torn clothes, damaged watch, jewelry, glasses, etc.)
- Restitution for lost wages
- Pain and suffering
Frequent injuries that happen in dog attacks as reported by the CDC include:
- Puncture wounds
- Lacerations and abrasions (wounds and scrapes)
- Avulsion (ripping)
- Dislocations
- Breaks
- Amputations
- Mashing (brain and cranial injuries)
The CDC also states that traumas happen mostly to the head or throat, hands or arm, and leg or feet. Hospital care, surgery and bodily rehab treatment may be required for serious harms.
Additionally, the jolt of a canine attack and the ensuing harms may possibly trigger emotional injury, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Some dog bite victims require counseling in the aftermath of a mauling.
Children and the elderly are the most at risk, which is a troubling part of dog attacks. Â Often times this is due to their inability to escape the situation or adequately defend themselves. Â The overall head and neck injury rate was greatest for kids five to nine years of age, because children at these ages are most likely to be at eye-level with the dog.
RESTITUTION FOR A DOG BITE CLAIM
What a lot of people don’t understand is the dog owner’s homeowners’ insurance policy likely includes coverage for payment of restitution to the victim. According to the Insurance Information Institute, more than 1/3 of all homeowners insurance policy money paid out annually is to indemnify homeowners for dog attacks.
Regardless of whether the dog owner is a relative, friend or neighbor, you can and should seek restitution through their homeowner’s insurance policy.
In the instance where a victim is someone hired to do work on the property, such as postal employee or a sanitation worker, they may actually be eligible for restitution under a worker’s compensation claim in addition to the homeowner’s insurance policy, in the event they are bitten by the homeowner’s dog.I
The attorneys at the David R. Price, Jr., P.A.,  will completely investigate your dog bite suit to determine your losses and further decide what restitution you deserve for your injuries. From there they can assist you with recover the aforementioned restitution from the dog owner’s insurance company or through workers’ compensation.
CONTACT OUR SOUTH CAROLINA DOG BITE LAWYERS
Our dedicated South Carolina personal injuries attorneys can help you return to the life you enjoyed before the incident, in the event you or a loved one was harmed as the result of a dog bite, attack, or mauling. We can help you obtain compensation for medical bills and other losses, including your pain and suffering.
Call the David R. Price, Jr., P.A. now at (864) 271-2636 or use our convenient online contact form for a free review of your case today.
David Price is a Personal Injury, Civil Litigation, Collections, and Criminal Defense Attorney who practices in Greenville, SC. He graduated from the University of Georgia School of Law, and has been practicing law for 12 years. David Price believes in helping those who have been injured. Learn more about his experience by clicking here.
