What to Do After a Dog Bite in Greenville
Put distance between you and the animal, then get care. A spouse or friend can handle the rest while doctors work on the wound.
- Get the bite looked at. Deep punctures, heavy bleeding, bites to the face or hands, or a possible rabies exposure call for 911 or the ER. Keep every wound check, plastic surgery consult and follow-up.
- Identify the owner. Name, address and phone, and whether the dog's rabies shots are current, with the paperwork if possible.
- Make the bite official. Phone animal control or the S.C. Department of Public Health, give them the dog and owner details, and ask about rabies records and any observation period. Keep a copy of what you file.
- Pictures, over and over. Shoot the bite the day it happens and keep shooting as stitches come out and scars form. Ripped sleeves, the gate or yard, and the dog itself belong in the camera roll too, from a safe distance.
- Get witness numbers. Joggers, cyclists and neighbors who saw it.
- Bag the evidence. Damaged clothing or glasses, plus medical bills, pharmacy receipts and any texts with the owner.
Where Bites Happen Around Greenville
Dogs are everywhere on the Swamp Rabbit Trail, at Unity Park and Falls Park, and on neighborhood walks in Taylors, Mauldin and Simpsonville. Delivery drivers, meter readers and others who go door to door also get bitten. A loose dog can also knock a cyclist off the trail.
South Carolina's Dog Bite Law
Under South Carolina law, a dog's owner or keeper is generally liable when it bites or attacks someone in a public place or lawfully on private property, even without proof the owner knew the dog was dangerous. That includes the owner's own yard, if you had a lawful reason to be there.1
There are exceptions, chiefly when the injured person provoked or harassed the dog into the attack. The statute covers attacks and not only bites, so a dog that charges and knocks someone over may fall under it.1
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 Calls with a homeowner's insurance adjuster don't stretch it.3 A county-owned or city-owned dog, such as a police dog, brings government claim rules, which can mean a shorter deadline.4
For a child, keep dated photos through healing, track scar treatment, and note changes in sleep, school or fear of dogs. Children may have more time than adults to file, but the extra time is limited.5
See our statewide dog bite page. If you were bitten on the job, see workers' comp in Greenville.
Talk With Us
Scars from a dog attack can last, and so can the fear. Both matter to us. The first call is about the walk, the dog and the minutes after. If the dog lives next door or belongs to someone from church, that relationship is part of the conversation.
Our office is on King Street in downtown Charleston. The first conversation can happen by phone. We take cases across South Carolina, including Greenville and the Upstate.
Call and tell us whose dog it was and where it happened.
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 attacks someone in Greenville County?
Under South Carolina law, a dog's owner or keeper is generally liable 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 So the location and the person holding the leash, or supposed to be, are key details.
The dog didn't bite. It knocked my mother down on the trail. Does the law cover that?
Possibly. Because the statute speaks of dogs that bite or otherwise attack, an injury from an attack can count even when no teeth broke the skin.1 A friendly dog that simply ran into someone may be a different story, and other claims may still exist. A hard fall on pavement can mean a broken hip or a head injury, so get her seen.
Our son was bitten at a friend's house. Do children get more time?
Under South Carolina law, children may have more time than adults to file personal injury claims, but that extra time is limited and exceptions may apply.5 Talk with a lawyer early instead of assuming the clock can wait until he's grown.
The dog belongs to a neighbor I like. What now?
That worry is common and fair. You can ask a lawyer questions, including whether any insurance may 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.
