South Carolina law holds dog owners and keepers accountable for bites, but many folks are shocked to discover the same law, South Carolina Code section 47-3-110, gives you the right to recover when you’re “otherwise attacked” instead of being bitten.
Our courts’ interpretation of that phrase—“otherwise attacked”—creates even more rights than you might think, paving the way for a settlement for seriously injured victims of dog attacks that don’t feature a bite.
Victims can recover when a dog pounces or jumps on them. That’s what happened in a 1997 Court of Appeals case called Elmore v Ramos. In that case, a dog pounced on the victim, knocking her off a ramp and causing a devastating leg fracture requiring three operations and an external fixator to straighten the leg. The Court also ruled the victim need not prove the dog had an evil motive in pouncing. This means victims can become eligible for settlements by proving the pounce or jump caused the injury, even if the dog was just being "frisky" or "friendly".
Protecting Your Right to Compensation
While the courts have created more rights for victims, that doesn’t make getting a good dog bite settlement easy. If you’ve been seriously hurt by a dog jumping on you, get your questions answered for free by an experienced dog attack attorney. Call us toll-free at 888-230-1841 or fill out a Get Help Now form.
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