What to Do After a Dog Bite in Summerville
Once you are away from the animal, treatment is the priority. A spouse, friend or neighbor can work through the rest.
- Get medical care fast. Deep bites, heavy bleeding, bites to the face or hands and possible rabies exposure call for 911 or the ER. Then keep every wound check, follow-up and surgery.
- Identify the owner. Name, address and phone number, plus whether the dog's shots are current and any proof.
- Report it. Animal control or the S.C. Department of Public Health can take the report and explain rabies records and any observation period. Keep a copy.
- Photograph the bite right away and every few days as it heals, along with torn clothes, the spot where it happened and the dog if you can do it safely.
- Get names and numbers of anyone who saw it.
- Bag damaged clothing or glasses. Save medical bills, pharmacy receipts and messages with the owner.
- Ask before signing anything. A lawyer can read it first.
Where Bites Happen Around Summerville
Bites happen on morning walks through the newer streets of Nexton, Cane Bay and Summers Corner, in older yards near downtown, on delivery routes and at a friend's cookout. Mail carriers, delivery drivers, kids on bikes and runners are often the ones who meet a loose dog.
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, including the owner's own property. You generally do not have to show the owner knew the dog was dangerous.1
There are exceptions. One is when the injured person provoked or harassed the dog into the attack. Why you were on the property can matter too, since the statute covers people in a public place or lawfully on private property.1
The statute reaches attacks, not only bites. A dog that attacks and knocks someone down may be covered without a bite, while a playful collision may not.1 Separate legal theories may also fit. For a grandparent pulled off their feet on a driveway, a fall alone can mean a broken hip.
Want someone to look at your situation?
Talk with our team about what happened and ask the questions on your mind.
How Long You Have
Most personal injury claims in South Carolina must be filed within three years.2 That limit is for a lawsuit, and an insurance claim doesn't pause it.3 If a government agency is responsible for the dog, a separate deadline applies and may be shorter.4
If Your Child Was Bitten
Photograph the wound often from day one, track scar treatment and note 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 extra time is limited and exceptions may apply.5 Talk with a lawyer early instead of counting on it.
The statewide page has more on South Carolina dog bite claims.
Talk With Us
Some people carry a scar on the forearm for life; others flinch at every bark on the block. We start by hearing exactly what happened. If the owner is a neighbor or relative, we keep that in mind and talk through your choices honestly.
Our office is on King Street in downtown Charleston. We take cases across South Carolina, including Summerville. If you were bitten on the job, read about workers' comp around Summerville.
Tell us where it happened and whose dog it was.
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
Can we talk by phone first?
Yes. The first conversation can happen by phone. Our office is on King Street in downtown Charleston.
Who is responsible when a dog bites someone?
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. There is an exception when the person provoked or harassed the dog into the attack. Whether you were on a sidewalk in Knightsville or inside a neighbor's fence can make a difference.1
The dog didn't bite me, but it knocked me down on the walking path. Does the law cover that?
It may. The statute covers a dog that bites or attacks someone, so an attack without a bite may qualify.1 A dog jumping on you or bumping into you may or may not count, depending on what happened, and other claims may be available.
A dog bit my son. What should we do first?
Get him seen promptly and keep the treatment records, photos and the owner's details. Under South Carolina law, children may have more time than adults to file, but that added time is limited and exceptions apply.5 Get advice early instead of planning to wait until he is grown.
The dog belongs to a neighbor I like. Now what?
That worry makes sense on a street where everyone knows each other. A lawyer can explain your options, including whether insurance may be involved, before you decide anything. A first call is just a conversation.
Sources
This page is general information about South Carolina law, not legal advice for your situation. Every case depends on its own facts.
