First Steps After a Dog Bite in North Charleston
Get away from the dog. Then get care.
- Call 911 for deep wounds, face or hand bites, heavy bleeding or rabies worries.
- Keep every wound check and surgery.
- Get the owner's name, address and phone.
- Ask for the shot records.
- Report it to animal control. Keep a copy.
- Photograph the wound every few days.
- Bag torn clothes and broken glasses.
- Save texts with the owner.
Where Bites Happen Around North Charleston
Dogs get loose from yards in the older blocks off Rivers Avenue and Montague Avenue, wander apartment complexes along Ashley Phosphate Road and Dorchester Road, and meet mail carriers, meter readers and delivery drivers on routes all over North Charleston. Where you were standing, and why you were there, can matter under the law below.
South Carolina Law on Dog Bites
The Statute
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. The exception is when the person provoked or harassed the dog into the attack. Because the law protects someone in a public place or lawfully on private property, your reason for being there can matter.1
Attacks Without a Bite
The statute reaches a dog that bites or attacks someone. A dog that charges and knocks a person down may be covered with no bite at all, while a friendly dog that bumps into someone by accident may not.1 A knockdown can break a hip or cause a head injury, especially for an older adult.
Time to File
Most personal injury claims in South Carolina must be filed within three years.2 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.4
Children
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 Meanwhile, photograph the wound often, track scar care and note changes in sleep, school or how your child acts around dogs.
More on dog bite claims in South Carolina.
Want someone to look at your situation?
Talk with our team about what happened and ask the questions on your mind.
Talk With Us
Scars fade slowly. Fear of dogs can last longer. Tell us what happened, step by step. Owner a neighbor or relative? We get it.
We take cases across South Carolina, including North Charleston. Our office is on King Street in downtown Charleston. Bitten while delivering packages? See our North Charleston workers' comp page.
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?
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. The exception is when the person provoked or harassed the dog into the attack.1 Location matters. So does the keeper.
A loose dog knocked me flat on the sidewalk but never bit. Covered?
Maybe. The law reaches a dog that bites or attacks someone.1 Whether a jump or a knockdown counts turns on the details, and other claims could apply too. Get seen by a doctor and write it all down.
My son was bitten by a neighbor's dog. What first?
Doctor first. Pictures next. 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 Ask a lawyer early rather than counting on years of extra time.
It was my cousin's dog. Now what?
Family makes this hard. A lawyer can walk you through your choices, insurance included, before you decide. Asking costs you no commitment.
Do I have to come downtown to talk?
The first conversation can happen by phone. Our office is on King Street in downtown Charleston, south of North Charleston by way of I-26 or Rivers Avenue. When getting to King Street is hard, we can come to the hospital, to your home or to another place that's easier for you.
Sources
This page is general information about South Carolina law, not legal advice for your situation. Every case depends on its own facts.
