After a Dog Bite in Columbia
Wound care comes first. A relative or friend can take on the calls and paperwork.
- Get treated. Put distance between you and the dog. Go to the ER or call 911 for a torn lip or cheek, a mangled hand, bleeding that won't stop, or a stray whose shots are unknown. Then stay on schedule with stitches out, plastic surgery consults and rabies shots if ordered.
- Identify the dog and owner. Name, address, phone, and whether the dog's shots are current, with proof if they have it.
- Report it. Call animal control. Rabies follow-up in South Carolina is handled through the S.C. Department of Public Health. Ask about the dog's vaccine records and any observation period, and keep a copy of the report.
- Photograph the bite. On day one, then every few days. Also the torn clothes, the yard or sidewalk, and the dog if that can be done safely.
- Get witness numbers. Neighbors, joggers or delivery drivers who saw it.
- Keep receipts and messages. ER bills, prescriptions and any texts with the owner.
- Ask questions before signing. Many people talk to a lawyer first.
Where Bites Happen Around Columbia
Dog bites in the Midlands happen in neighborhood yards in Forest Acres, Shandon and Irmo, on greenways and park trails, at apartment complexes near USC, and on mail and delivery routes across Richland and Lexington counties. Whether you were invited or there on legitimate business, like a meter reader, can come up later.
How the Dog Bite Law Works
The statute generally covers a dog's owner or the person who has the dog in their care or keeping. It applies when the person attacked was in a public place or lawfully on private property, which can include the owner's own yard. A dog's owner or keeper is generally liable even without proof they knew the dog was dangerous.1
The owner isn't liable under the statute if the person provoked or harassed the dog into the attack. The law also reaches attacks, not just bites, though a playful collision may fall outside it.1 A fall from a dog attack can mean a broken hip or a head injury, especially for older adults.
Want someone to look at your situation?
Talk with our team about what happened and ask the questions on your mind.
Time to File
Most personal injury claims in South Carolina must be filed within three years.2 The clock is about filing suit, and talking with the owner's insurer does not stop it.3 If a government agency was responsible for the dog, a separate deadline applies, and it can be shorter.4
If Your Child Was Bitten
- Take photos of the wound often, through every stage of healing.
- Track follow-ups and any scar care.
- Notice changes in sleep, school or fear of dogs.
Under South Carolina law, children may have more time than adults to file personal injury claims, but that additional time is limited.5 Talk to a lawyer early. See the statewide dog bite page for more.
Talk With Us
A bad bite can leave scars and a lasting fear of dogs. Tell us what happened, one moment at a time. If the owner is someone close to you, we take that into account when we talk through options.
Our office is on King Street in Charleston. We take cases across South Carolina, including Columbia and the Midlands. The first conversation can happen by phone. If a bite happened on the job, see Columbia workers' comp claims.
South Carolina Law on This
- Under South Carolina law, a dog's owner or keeper is generally liable, even without proof they knew the dog was dangerous, when it bites or attacks someone in a public place or lawfully on private property, unless the person provoked or harassed the dog into the attack.1
- Most personal injury claims in South Carolina must be filed within three years.2
- South Carolina's statute of limitations generally sets the deadline for filing a lawsuit in court. Simply opening a claim with an insurance company or negotiating with an insurance adjuster does not stop the statute of limitations from running.3
- Claims against a South Carolina state or local government agency have their own filing deadline, which can be shorter, and there could be caps on damages under the South Carolina Tort Claims Act, depending on the facts of the case.4
- Under South Carolina law, children may have more time than adults to file personal injury claims. However, that additional time is limited, and certain exceptions may apply.5
Frequently Asked Questions
Who pays when a dog bites someone in the Midlands?
Usually the question starts with the owner or whoever was keeping the dog. Under South Carolina law, that person is generally liable when the dog bites or attacks someone in a public place or lawfully on private property, unless the person provoked or harassed the dog into the attack.1 A dog sitter or a relative walking the dog may count as the keeper.
The dog didn't bite, but it took me down on the sidewalk. Does the law cover that?
It may. The statute covers a dog that bites or attacks someone, so an attack without a bite can still count.1 Whether a dog jumping up or barreling into someone qualifies depends on what happened, and other claims may exist too.
A neighbor's dog bit my son. Is there extra time because he's a kid?
Possibly, but don't count on it. Children may have more time than adults to file personal injury claims, but that additional time is limited and certain exceptions may apply.5 Getting advice early is safer than waiting until your child grows up.
It was my brother-in-law's dog. Now what?
That's a hard spot, and the worry about family is real. You can ask a lawyer questions, including about whether insurance might be involved, without committing to anything.
Sources
This page is general information about South Carolina law, not legal advice for your situation. Every case depends on its own facts.
