You expect your child to be safe in a public park. After all, there are leash laws and dog owners should look after their pets. What if a dog bite occurs? What should you do? Does your child have rights?
Our dog bite lawyer in Greenville, SC, explains what you need to know if a dog attacks your child in a public or private park.
1. Compensation may be available
Your child may have the right to monetary compensation. They may receive a fair payment for their medical bills, pain and suffering, and disfigurement. To the extent that they require personal care, and you must take time off work to care for them, the amount claimed may include this expense.
2. Compensation may be realistic
You may think that it’s impossible for you to get compensation for your child’s dog bite. It may be easier than you think for two reasons.
First, South Carolina has strict liability for dog bites. The law applies to bites that happen in parks and other places. That means you don’t have to prove the owner knew the dog was vicious or even that they acted negligently.
Second, insurance policies are often available to provide compensation. Homeowners insurance may apply even if the bite didn’t occur at home. Don’t discount the ability for your child to receive the compensation that they need and deserve. It may be more realistic than you think.
3. Compensation takes careful case preparation
For your child to receive a payment, you must diligently prepare the case. That means documenting what occurred and your child’s injuries. It means proving who is liable.
You may have an attorney represent you. Bobby Jones Law handles claims for dog bites in parks. If a dog bit your child, contact us to talk about your case.
What To Do When a Dog Bites a Child in a Park
When a dog bites a child in a park, you should:
- Move to immediate safety: Take steps to prevent additional harm.
- Call 911 if your child is injured: Injuries may be more serious than you realize.
- Seek prompt medical attention: Fast medical attention can reduce harm.
- Document what happened: Do what you can to photograph the dog, the area where the bite occurred, and your child’s injuries.
- Save records of expenses: Begin to document costs like medical bills, supplies, and lost income. Journal about ways your child has been impacted, like missed school and time spent away from usual childhood activities.
- Get legal help: Legal help allows you to focus on your child while a professional takes care of your claim. Bobby Jones Law can handle your child’s claim, using our knowledge to assist your child.
Child dog bite injuries can be serious
Dog bite injuries to children are often worse than they are to adults. That’s because children are usually smaller in size than adults. A dog may overpower a child more easily than a typical adult. The child may not be able to fight back effectively. In addition, a child’s smaller size may make injuries more severe. An injury may cut deeper through tissue and bone.
The result for a child can be severe injuries. These injuries may take a long time to heal — or they may never heal. The compensation that your child may claim may be especially important for their medical bills, personal care needs, and for justice for what has occurred.
Liability for Dog Bites in a Public Place
Under South Carolina law, a dog owner may not allow their dog to run at large off the owner’s property. (S.C. Code § 47-3-50). In addition, South Carolina law creates legal liability when the dog bites or otherwise attacks a person. The law applies in public places, including parks. It applies to victims of all ages, including children.
Provocation may be a defense, but a dog owner must account for the fact that children have the right to be in a public park.
There may be a question of who owned or was keeping the dog at the time of the bite. A case must also prove that the injuries were the result of the bite. When a bite involves a child, it’s important to look at the future impact of injuries when determining the appropriate amount of compensation.
Could someone else be liable?
In addition to the dog owner, it’s important to consider all parties who may have liability. For example, if someone else was caring for the dog, like a dog walker, they may have liability, too.
A third party who provokes the dog or allows it to get loose may have liability. The property owner may have liability for negligence if there is a history of dogs running loose or acting aggressively on the property.
As an attorney for dog bites harming children, we explore all sources of compensation.
Your Child May Receive Insurance Compensation
Even when a bite happens in a public place, like a park or sidewalk, compensation may be available through insurance. A significant number of home insurance claims are related to animal bites, even ones that occur outside the home.
Contact an Attorney for Dog Bites in Greenville, SC
Your child may receive compensation for a dog biting them in a park. Bobby Jones Law can help. Robert “Bobby” Jones helps parents of children who suffered from a dog bite.
Contact us online or call 864-362-2640 now.