Animal attacks on people can fall into many different categories, depending on whether they were provoked or unprovoked, and the type of animal involved. The extent of the injury, and who the blame is proportioned to, will determine the amount of compensation the person is entitled to.

The most common animal injury dealt with by many personal injury claims companies are dog bites, and very often these are caused by family pets. Owners can play a big part in ensuring their dog is safe to be around, firstly by training them to be obedient. Male dogs should be neutered, to avoid over excitement and territorial behaviour. Games played with the dog should not be in an aggressive format, such as wrestling and other vigorous physical contact, as this could affect their temperament in the long term. Dog breeds that are known to have biting tendencies should be kept in a secure area when the owners are not around to supervise, and walked on a leash with a muzzle. If the right steps are not taken to protect members of the public then the owners can and will be held accountable for the actions of their dog. Examples of typical 'biting breeds' are German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Dobermans, Alsatians, and Pit Bulls.

There are laws in place to protect the owners in the event that their dog launches an unexpected, out of character attack. Loosely coined the 'one free bite' law, if a dog has never shown aggressive behaviour before then a one off dog bite will be dismissed as just that, and any compensation claims will be thrown out. Similarly, police and other people who are responsible for guard dogs are protected against lawsuits, if the bite/attack is provoked by an action the dog has been trained to react in that way to. However, under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, any breed of dog which is already considered dangerous is exempt from the one free bite rule, and its owners will be liable for prosecution regardless of any previous behaviour.

Not only can dogs inflict serious damage with their teeth and jaws, but they can carry highly infectious diseases such as rabies, which could lead to more serious implications for any bite victims than 'just' superficial skin lacerations. Injuries are not always confined to the physical aspect either, in many cases people suffer long term mental scarring, which is also taken into account with any legal proceedings that result in payout.

Over 60% of dog related attacks happen on children, which is why supervising all interaction between dogs and children is so essential, even with dogs which aren't considered a danger. The reason for this is that children often don't realise that their actions might be winding the animal up, and exciting it to a dangerous level - they are unable to read the signs in the way an adult might be able to. On top of that, of course, they are physically weaker and may not be able to push a dog off them in the way an older person would.

If you have been attacked by a dog or any other animal in an unprovoked incident, you may well be entitled to claim compensation from the person legally responsible for the care and maintenance of that animal.

Below are some links to articles about Accident Claims:

Accident Claim What You Should Know
Accident Claim Online
Accident Claim Compensation
Accident Claims Advice