What Is a Dog Bite Case in Myrtle Beach, SC?

Roden Law represents dog-bite and animal-attack victims across Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand — Murrells Inlet, Conway, Surfside Beach, Pawleys Island, and Georgetown. South Carolina is a strict-liability state: a dog owner is liable for a bite or attack even if the dog never showed aggression before. We take every case on a contingency […]

— Reviewed by Graeham C. Gillin, Partner, COO at Roden Law

Key Takeaways

If you were injured in a dog bite in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, you generally have 3 years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit (S.C. Code § 15-3-530). South Carolina follows a modified comparative negligence rule — you can still recover as long as you are Modified — recover if less than 51% at fault, with your award reduced by your percentage of fault. There is no cap on compensatory damages in an ordinary South Carolina injury case. Roden Law represents Myrtle Beach injury victims on a contingency fee: the consultation is free and there is no fee unless we win.

Roden Law represents dog-bite and animal-attack victims across Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand — Murrells Inlet, Conway, Surfside Beach, Pawleys Island, and Georgetown. South Carolina is a strict-liability state: a dog owner is liable for a bite or attack even if the dog never showed aggression before. We take every case on a contingency fee basis: you pay nothing unless we win. Roden Law has recovered more than $300 million for injured clients across Georgia and South Carolina and holds a 4.9-star average from hundreds of client reviews. Call (843) 612-1980 for a free, confidential case review.

Why Choose Roden Law for a Grand Strand Dog Bite Claim

Most dog-bite recoveries come from the owner’s homeowner’s or renter’s insurance, and adjusters routinely argue the victim provoked the animal or was somewhere they should not have been. What separates Roden Law is direct attorney involvement and the investigation needed to defeat those defenses. Horry County cases are heard in Conway, and our attorneys handle claims across the entire Grand Strand, including neighboring Georgetown County.

  • No fee unless we win — free consultation and no out-of-pocket cost to pursue your claim.
  • We find the coverage — homeowner’s and renter’s policies are the usual source of recovery, and we identify every policy that applies.
  • Full-value focus — dog attacks often cause scarring, nerve damage, and facial injuries to children, and we account for all of it before any settlement.

Dog Attacks on the Grand Strand

Serious animal attacks happen across the Grand Strand — at homes and rental properties, in apartment and condo complexes, on beaches and public paths, and during visits to a neighbor’s or friend’s property. The area’s large seasonal and vacation-rental population means many attacks involve out-of-town owners or rental properties, so identifying the responsible owner and the correct homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy is often the first and most important step. Children are frequent victims and often suffer facial injuries because of their height relative to the animal.

South Carolina Dog Bite Law You Should Know

South Carolina is a strict-liability state under S.C. Code § 47-3-110. That means a dog owner (or the person having the dog in their care) is liable for a bite or attack regardless of whether the animal had ever shown viciousness before — there is no “one-bite” rule in South Carolina. The law covers both bites and other attacks. The main exceptions are where the victim provoked the animal or was trespassing or otherwise unlawfully on the property. The deadline to file is generally three years from the date of injury under S.C. Code § 15-3-530, and South Carolina places no cap on compensatory damages in ordinary injury cases. Learn more on our South Carolina dog bite lawyers page.

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What to Do After a Dog Bite in Myrtle Beach, SC

  1. Get medical attention — bite wounds infect. Puncture wounds close over bacteria and often need irrigation and antibiotics. Facial bites and any bite to a child warrant immediate care.
  2. Identify the owner and get the dog's vaccination records. Name, address, and insurance if they will give it. Rabies vaccination status determines whether you face a post-exposure treatment decision, and it needs answering today.
  3. Report the bite to animal control. This is the step people skip because they do not want the dog harmed. It also creates the official record — and the history of prior complaints that often decides the case.
  4. Note whether the dog was loose, and photograph where it happened. In Georgia, showing the dog was off-leash in violation of a local leash or restraint ordinance can establish liability without proving the dog had ever bitten before (O.C.G.A. § 51-2-7). South Carolina imposes liability on the owner regardless of the dog's history (S.C. Code § 47-3-110).
  5. Photograph the wounds as they heal, not just today. Bite injuries scar, and scarring is a large part of the claim — particularly for children. Photograph on a consistent background at regular intervals.
  6. Ask around about the dog's history. Neighbors frequently know about earlier snaps, lunges, or complaints that never reached animal control. That knowledge is evidence.
  7. Do not let the owner talk you out of a claim as a favor. These claims are usually paid by homeowner's or renter's insurance, not out of the owner's pocket — which is exactly what that coverage exists for. Roden Law offers free consultations.

South Carolina Dog Bite Law

Statute of Limitations 3 years (S.C. Code § 15-3-530)
Comparative Fault Modified — recover if less than 51% at fault

Filing a Personal Injury Case in Myrtle Beach

Filing a personal injury case in the Myrtle Beach market means filing in Horry County Court of Common Pleas at 1301 Second Avenue in Conway, where civil complaints are submitted through South Carolina’s mandatory Tyler Odyssey e-filing system and most cases are routed to mediation before trial under SC ADR Rule 3.

The Grand Strand draws roughly 17–20 million visitors a year, and that seasonal surge reshapes the local crash picture: US-17 Business and Ocean Boulevard see heavy pedestrian and golf-cart traffic, while drivers choose between the slower, congested US-501 and the faster but higher-severity SC-22 Conway Bypass to reach the beach. Golf carts add a wrinkle unique to coastal SC — under S.C. Code § 56-2-100, a permitted cart may only operate in daylight, within four miles of the owner’s address, on roads posted 35 mph or less, by a licensed driver. Crashes outside those limits open the door to negligence-per-se and rental-property claims. Severe-injury victims are routed to Grand Strand Medical Center in Myrtle Beach or stabilized at Tidelands Waccamaw in Murrells Inlet.

South Carolina applies a three-year statute of limitations under S.C. Code § 15-3-530, a 51% modified-comparative-fault bar, and allows stacking of UM/UIM coverage — often the largest recovery source when an out-of-state tourist is hit by a minimum-limits driver.

Do I Have a Dog Bite Case in Myrtle Beach?

South Carolina is a strict-liability state under S.C. Code § 47-3-110 — a dog owner is liable for injuries to a person lawfully on public or private property regardless of the dog’s prior viciousness. No “first bite” required. You have 3 years to file under S.C. Code § 15-3-530.

Types of Compensation in South Carolina Dog Bite Cases

Standard tort damages apply — past and future medical expenses, lost wages, scarring and disfigurement, and pain and suffering. Scarring claims are particularly powerful with child plaintiffs and frequently support seven-figure recoveries when the bite is to the face or hands. There are no special damage caps in either South Carolina or its neighboring state for ordinary dog-bite cases. Homeowners’ insurance is the typical funding source, but many policies exclude specific breeds or impose dog-bite sub-limits — coverage analysis is critical and often uncovers landlord, daycare, or commercial-property defendants beyond the dog’s owner.

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Roden Law Dog Bite Lawyers in Myrtle Beach, SC Results at a Glance

$300M+ Recovered for injured clients across Georgia and South Carolina
4.9 / 5.0 Average client rating across hundreds of verified Google reviews from our six offices
5,000+ Cases successfully handled since 2013
62 years Combined attorney experience across 5 office locations

Source: Roden Law firm records and verified Google Business Profile reviews, updated July 2026.

Our Myrtle Beach Attorneys

Recent Case Results

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Recovery $9,800,000 $9,800,000 Recovery | Premises Liability

Results shown are gross settlement/verdict amounts before fees and costs. Past results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

About the Author

Graeham C. Gillin, Partner, COO at Roden Law

Graeham C. Gillin

Partner, COO

Frequently Asked Questions

Contact Our Myrtle Beach Office Today

If you were injured in Myrtle Beach and believe another party is at fault, contact us for a free, no-obligation review. Call (843) 612-1980 — no upfront cost.