Dog Bite Compensation Claims

If you’ve been bitten by a dog and suffered an injury then you may be able to claim compensation. Dog bite injuries can cause physical pain and psychological trauma, and compensation can reflect this, as well as covering any financial impact the injuries have.

The law states that dog owners have a responsibility to control their dog and keep other people safe, whether in a public place or a private location. If they fail to meet this responsibility and you are bitten as a result then you could be eligible to receive compensation.

The dog that bites you doesn’t have to be classified as a dangerous dog under the law, and you could still be able to make a claim if the dog was on a lead or is claimed never to have bitten anyone before. If you’ve been bitten by a dog and suffered an injury then get in touch with the team at Beacon Law.

If we think you have the grounds to claim compensation we’ll get to work on your behalf.

When can I claim compensation if I’ve been bitten by a dog?

You could be eligible to make a dog bite injury claim if you meet the following criteria:

• You were bitten by a dog in the past 3 years
• You suffered an injury as a direct result of that dog bite

The general rule, covered by legislation such as the Animals Act 1971, is that owners have a duty to keep their dog on a lead in public spaces, supervise their dog at all times, train the dog to follow simple commands such as ‘sit’ and ‘stay’ and generally take reasonable steps to stop their dog from escaping or getting loose. If a dog owner fails in this duty they may be liable to pay compensation for the injuries their dog has caused.

There’s a chance you could still make a dog bite injury claim if an owner hasn’t acted in a negligent manner, and if the owner of a dog can’t be traced you could still make a claim through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA).

How much compensation could I claim if I’ve been bitten by a dog?

The compensation you could get for a successful dog bite injury claim will vary depending upon the nature of your injuries, from a couple of thousand pounds for minor injuries and a speedy recovery up to tens of thousands for serious injuries with long term or permanent symptoms.

If you make a dog bite injury claim and receive compensation then the money you get will be calculated by the following:

• The pain and distress caused by the dog bite injury
• Psychological trauma caused by your dog bite injury
• The financial impact of your dog bite injury

The payment itself will be made up of general damages and special damages, which are calculated in the following way:

General damages

General damages are an amount intended to cover the nature and impact of the injury caused by a dog bite. The amount will be calculated on the basis of:

• The part of the body impacted by the dog bite
• The nature and severity of your injury
• The prognosis for any recovery
• The degree to which your injury has stopped you doing things like enjoying hobbies, interests and family life

Special damages

Special damages are the portion of any compensation payment intended to cover the financial impact of your injuries. This will include an amount to make up for any earnings lost because your dog bite injury has a negative impact on your ability to earn a living.

In addition, special damages will compensate for any amount spent as a direct result of your injuries. Expenses covered by special damages include the following:

• The cost of medical treatment needed because of your injuries now and in the future
• The cost of any care you have to buy in due to your injuries now and in the future
• The cost of any adaptations which need to be made to your home or vehicle in order to adapt to your injuries
• The cost of any specialist equipment you need to purchase on the basis of your injuries such as mobility aids
• The cost of travelling to and from any medical appointments needed because of your dog bite injuries
• The cost of any therapy or counselling needed to cope with the aftermath of your injuries

Is there a time limit on making a dog bite injury claim?

Yes, there is a strict legal limit of 3 years on making a dog bite injury claim, dated from when the dog bite actually happens. Once the 3 years is up you will no longer have the right to start a compensation claim.

Exceptions to this 3 year time limit include the following:

• You were under 18 at the time of the dog bite, in which case the 3 years will run from your 18th birthday to your 21st
• You lacked the mental capacity to start a claim during the 3 years, in which case the time limit will be counted from the date on which you regain mental capacity

The 3 year time limit also applies to making a dog bite injury claim on behalf of someone else, such as a child or an adult unable to claim on their own behalf.

Despite the 3 year time limit being in place we would always recommend starting a claim as quickly as possible after the dog bite actually happens. The circumstances will still be fresh in your mind and the minds of any witnesses if you claim quickly, and the sooner you start a claim, the sooner you’ll get any compensation you are entitled to.

What is process when making a claim for a dog bite?

We understand how traumatic it can be to be attacked by a dog and suffer injuries as a result. Making a compensation claim might seem like a daunting prospect when you’re concentrating on recovering, but we take as much of the stress from the process as possible by breaking it down into simpler individual steps:

After an initial, no obligation consultation we’ll decide whether you have the grounds to make a dog bite injury claim. If you do then we’ll set about gathering the evidence needed to support your claim.

This evidence will include the following:

• A detailed statement from you explaining the circumstances around the dog bite, the nature of your injuries and the impact those injuries have had on you
• A medical report produced after an independent expert has carried out an examination of your injuries. This report will set out a detailed professional evaluation of your injuries as well as the prognosis for any recovery and an assessment of treatment you are likely to need in the future.
• A copy of your medical records, particularly those dealing with the treatment needed for the injuries caused by the dog bite
• A copy of any official police report into the dog bite
• Witness statements from anyone who saw the dog bite as it happened
• If the scene of the dog bite was covered by CCTV – i.e. if it took place in a public place like a car park – we will request a copy of any footage
• Documentary evidence of the financial impact the injuries have had on you, such as wage slips, bank statements, medical bills, receipts and invoices

Once we’ve pulled together the evidence to back up your claim we will get in touch with the other party to tell them that you intend to seek compensation. If they deny liability as the owner of the dog then the claim will have to be settled in court, but this only happens in a small minority of dog bite injury claims.

Our commitment to dispute resolution means that the majority of claims are settled without having to go to court. Once liability has been admitted we will negotiate a fair compensation settlement.

If it takes a long time to agree on a fair compensation amount due to the complexity of your injuries then we will apply for interim payments to cover on-going expenses such as medical bills. In all cases we’ll know exactly how much compensation you should be entitled to and never settle for less than 100% of the amount we think you deserve.

What kind of injuries are caused by dog bites?

The injuries caused by a dog bite can range from minor to extremely severe, and an injury of any kind could form the basis of a dog bite injury claim. Among the dog bite injuries which are more common are the following:

• Nerve damage
• Puncture wounds and scarring caused by lacerations
• Injuries to the neck, head or eyes
• Injuries including scarring to the face
• Broken bones
• Emotional trauma such as anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

The nature and severity of your injuries – including factors such as whether you are expected to make a full recovery – will impact the amount of compensation you could receive in the form of general damages.

What should I do immediately following a dog bite?

If you’ve been bitten by a dog you should remove yourself from any further danger as quickly as possible and seek immediate medical attention. Prompt treatment will increase your chances of making a recovery, at the same time as creating an official record of your injuries.

• You should take a photograph of your injuries in the aftermath of the dog bite.
• If possible you should contact the owner of the dog that bit you, take their contact details and ask if they are covered by insurance.
• You should take the contact details of any witnesses to your dog bite.
• You should then contact Beacon Law to enquire about the possibility of making a dog bite injury claim

Can I make a no win no fee compensation claim for a dog bite?

If you come to Beacon Law to make a civil compensation claim against the person responsible for the dog that bit you we will work for you on a no win no fee basis. This means the following:

• You don’t have to pay anything up-front or while we build your case and negotiate compensation
• We only take a success fee once compensation has been paid, and it will never be more than 25% of the compensation you receive
• If the claim fails then expenses like the legal costs of the other party will be covered by insurance we take out on your behalf

How long will my dog bite injury claim take?

Your dog bite injury claim could take from 9-12 months if your injuries are fairly minor up to 18 months or more if the injuries are more severe and require multiple examinations to establish a fair compensation amount. With a full understanding of your dog bite injuries we’ll be able to make an estimation of how long we think your claim is likely to take.

Who pays for a dog bite compensation claim?

In most cases dog bite compensation is paid through the insurance of the owner of the dog. If it happened in a public place and the dog belonged to an organisation then the compensation could be covered by public liability insurance.

What happens if a dog owner doesn’t have insurance?

It’s still possible to make a dog bite injury claim if the owner doesn’t have insurance or can’t be traced. If this happens, the claim could be made through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.

Why should I come to Beacon Law for my dog bite injury claim?

You should come to Beacon Law for your dog bite injury claim because we offer more than 200 years’ worth of combined experience of successfully handling claims exactly like yours. We know exactly what it takes to prove that a dog owner was responsible for your injuries, and how much compensation you should be entitled to.

Another reason to come to Beacon Law is that we treat every client as a person getting over a traumatic incident and coming to terms with their injuries, rather than as just another case number. We provide empathetic support during what we know can be an arduous recovery process, taking on the stress of working to win the compensation we think you’re entitled to as we guide you through the process.

We’re a family run firm and we take great pride in offering tailored support and advice when our clients need it, communicating clearly in plain English rather than complex legal jargon. Once we have a firm understanding of how much compensation we think you deserve we’ll work tirelessly to win 100% of that amount.

Our no win no fee approach means that you can make a claim without worrying about costs and with no risk of being out of pocket. If you’ve been injured by a dog bite then contact Beacon Law and we’ll tell you everything you need to know about making a claim for compensation.