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You are in: Home Page | Personal Injury | Accidents in Public Places | Dog Bite Compensation Claim
Dog Bite Compensation Claim
Introduction to Dog Bite Compensation Claims
About Dog Bites and claiming compensation
Dangerous Dogs
What type of Dogs are Dangerous?
Tips on how to avoid a Dog Bite
Minimise your risk of being bitten by a dog
Bitten by a Dog at Work
Have you suffered a Dog Bite whilst at Work?
Action to take after a Dog Bite
Gathering evidence to start a Dog Bite Compensation Claim
First Aid after a Dog Bite
Medical Treatment needed following a Dog Bite
Helpful Links after suffering a Dog Bite
Useful Contacts after suffering a Dog Bite
News Stories we have published about Dog Bite Claims
Dog Bite Claims Thompsons have dealt with
Dog Bite Compensation Claim Advice
How to start a Compensation Claim after suffering an injury caused by a Dog Bite
Introduction to Dog Bite Compensation Claims
About Dog Bites and claiming compensation
It is difficult to estimate how many people are bitten by dogs each year as a lot of people do not report the incident to the police or local council. It is known; however, that children are particularly at risk from dog bites and approximately 20% of people needing hospital treatment for dog bites are aged under 9.
The majority of dog bite injuries are caused by a family pet inside the home. Read a news story we have published about a successful dog bite compensation claim we dealt with.
If you or your child has been bitten by a dog you may be able to make a compensation claim against the owner. For more advice about how Thompsons Solicitors can help you call us on 08000 224 224.
Dangerous Dogs
What type of Dogs are Dangerous?
When we hear of dog bites and dog attacks we immediately think of large breeds of dogs (such as Rottweilers, German Shepherds or Alsatians) and maybe those which have been specifically mentioned in the Dangerous Dogs Act (DDA) 1991 (such as the Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Braziliero); however, this is not always the case.
Any dog, regardless of its breed or size can be potentially dangerous and can bite or attack. So-called "family dogs" such as collies, labradors and terriers are all known to have been involved in attacks on humans which have resulted in fatalities.
If you or someone you know has been bitten by a dog you may be able to make a personal injury compensation claim. For more information about how Thompsons Solicitors can help you with a dog bite compensation claim complete one of our online personal injury compensation claim forms.
Tips on how to avoid a Dog Bite
Minimise your risk of being bitten by a dog
If you encounter a dog which is showing aggression by barking, growling or showing its teeth you should stand as still as possible with your hands by your sides and avoid making eye contact with the dog. Hopefully by doing this the dog will lose interest in you and you will be able to slowly back away from the animal.
Don't be tempted to try and run away from an aggressive dog as dogs like to chase things so this would probably make matters worse.
You should never leave a child unsupervised with a dog regardless of whether the dog has ever bitten anyone before and regardless of its usual mannerisms and behaviour. The vast majority of dog bites are by dogs who have never bitten anyone before.
If you or your child has been bitten by a dog you may be able to make an accident compensation claim against the owner. For more information about how Thompsons Solicitors could help you contact us on 08000 224 224.
Bitten by a Dog at Work
Have you suffered a Dog Bite whilst at Work?
At Thompsons Solicitors we are often contacted by people who have been bitten by a dog whilst at work.
If your job means that you have to access another person's home or property you may be at risk of being bitten by a dog. For example if you:
- deliver post, parcels or other items
- work as a carer or home-help
- check gas, electricity or water meters on private /council property
- carry out maintenance or repairs on private / council property
you may come into contact with dogs owned by the residents and may be at risk of suffering a dog bite.
If you have been bitten by a dog whilst at work in any circumstance, (not just those mentioned above) you may be entitled to make a claim for compensation. Complete one of our online personal injury compensation claim forms for more information.
Action to take after a Dog Bite
Gathering evidence to start a Dog Bite Compensation Claim
After suffering a dog bite you should consider reporting the incident to the police or to your local council. Even if your injuries are not too serious, if the dog has bitten once it will probably not be the last time and the next person to be bitten could be more seriously injured.
You need to try and find out who the dog belongs to and where they live. It would also be helpful to know if they have a household insurance policy or a pet insurance policy which would cover members of the public injured by the dog. It would also be helpful to find out if the dog has ever acted aggressively or bitten anyone in the past.
If there is no insurance in force, there is always an option to claim through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) which we can provide more advice about if necessary.
If you or your child has been injured by a dog bite you may be able to make a claim for compensation. For more information, contact us on 08000 224 224.
First Aid after a Dog Bite
Medical Treatment needed following a Dog Bite
If you are bitten by a dog you should wash the wound under warm running water as soon as possible and remove any dirt, hair or other foreign bodies you can see. If the wound is not bleeding, squeeze it gently to start the blood flowing.
You should then seek medical advice for all but the most minor of bites. Even some bite wounds which might look fairly minor can become badly infected; therefore you may need to be prescribed with antibiotics.
It is important to seek immediate medical attention for any child which suffers a bite and if the wounds are to their face, neck or head you should probably dial 999.
Following a dog bite you will also need a tetanus injection if you have not already had a full course in the past.
If you are abroad on holiday when you are bitten by a dog you should also seek immediate medical attention due to the risk of contracting rabies which is a potentially fatal infection.
If you or your child suffers a dog bite you may be able to make a claim for compensation against the owner of the dog. For more information about how Thompsons Solicitors might be able to help you, complete one of our online personal injury compensation claim forms.
Helpful Links after suffering a Dog Bite
Useful Contacts after suffering a Dog Bite
Below you will find links to other organisations which may be able to help you if you have suffered a dog bite.
Police - Find contact details of your local Police Force.
Dog Warden - Find your Local Authority Dog Warden.
NHS - Find your nearest Hospital, Walk-in Centre or GP
If you or your child has been injured by a dog bite you may be able to make a personal injury claim for compensation. To find out how Thompsons Solicitors can help you, complete one of our online personal injury compensation claim forms.
News Stories we have published about Dog Bite Claims
Dog Bite Claims Thompsons have dealt with
In the past, Thompsons Solicitors have dealt with many dog bite personal injury claims and some of these have been publicised on our website. To read a selection, follow the links below or to read all of our news stories, visit our News Desk.
GMB member compensated after dog attack
Young Victim of Dangerous Dog scarred for life receives compensation
If you or someone you know has been bitten by a dog you may be able to make a claim for compensation. For more information contact us on 08000 224 224 or complete one of our online personal injury compensation claim forms.
Dog Bite Compensation Claim Advice
How to start a Compensation Claim after suffering an injury caused by a Dog Bite
If you, your child or someone you know has suffered an injury caused by a dog bite, telephone us now for accurate claim advice.
There are strict time limits in place to make any injury claim including claims related to dog bites. For further information, contact us or visit our Questions Answered page.
Thompsons Solicitors are experts in all personal injury matters. We will be able to advise you whether or not you have a valid claim for compensation. Our specialist personal injury lawyers will be happy to talk you through the process of making a claim in plain English and will be happy to answer any questions or queries you may have. Telephone us now on 08000 224 224 or complete one of our online personal injury compensation claim forms.
Contact us about your accident or injury
Call us for free on 08000 224 224 Call us from your mobile on 0330 123 123 0 (charged at local number and free when covered by inclusive minutes) Request a call back Text CLAIM to 82010 (standard network rates apply)
