Claiming After A Dog Attack.

A recent proposal by the Labour government would mean that all dog owners in England and Wales would have to insure their pet against attacking someone. This is in a bid to tackle the problem of dangerous breeds in the UK. It is thought that more than 100 victims of dog bites are admitted to hospital each week, which is a rise of 66% in a decade. The latest figures show that 5,221 people were treated during 2008-09 after dog attacks in England. Numerous attacks have also been well documented in the press recently, for example the sad and fatal cases of John-Paul Massey and Ellie Lawrenson. These recent incidents have prompted the government’s decision to target dangerous breeds in a bid to stop further accidents involving dogs.

Labour’s proposals would also give police and local authorities the power to force owners of dangerous dogs to muzzle them or even get them neutered. Along with dog attacks the level of dog fighting and illegal ownership has risen. It is thought that many gang members use dangerous dogs as a status symbol and as way of threatening others. There have been many objections to this recent proposal mainly based on the fact that the system would effectively punish responsible owners whose pets are not dangerous, instead of just targeting yobs that use the animals as a weapon to make themselves look dangerous. The scheme does not account for those who are able to dodge the regime and could inadvertently encourage underground breeding and ownership that could lead to more dangerous situations.

Being attacked by a dog is a very traumatic and unexpected experience that can leave a person scarred for life, or worse. An attack can also have a huge emotional impact on an individual and can potentially change their whole outlook on animals in general. As seen recently in the press, if the victim involved is a young child then an attack can prove fatal. In some cases, a claim following an animal attack can prove quite difficult. Sometimes animals are kept for the main purpose of keeping strangers away, a good example is a guard dog, and an attack could be the result of a person’s behaviour towards the animal therefore, the person involved could be accused of provocation. However, if a dog unexpectedly attacks without provocation it is clear that the animal is dangerous and there could be a case for a claim of compensation.

Pet owners are responsible for ensuring that their pet does not cause injury to others, they are also responsible for warning other people if the dog has a tendency for certain behaviours that could prove dangerous and it is also their responsibility to keep the animal sufficiently confined if needed.

If a claim for compensation is successful then the compensation will cover any medical bills that have accrued as a result of the accident, any loss of earnings caused by injury and any other emotional or physical losses that have been sustained as a direct result. It is worth remembering that animal attack claims may also take into account any emotional trauma suffered as a result of the accident.

If you have been involved in an animal attack and you think that you have a case for a claim then contact Accident Consult for more information on how to pursue your claim.

Tags: animal attack, dangerous situations, dog bites, dog owners, emotional impact, local authorities, muzzle, status symbol