Dog Attack Compensation Claim
Being attacked by a dog can be one of the most horrifying experiences anybody can go through. The impact of the injuries sustained can be both physical and psychological for the individual. There have been many reports in recent years concerning dog attacks in the UK. Many of them involve certain breeds of dogs such as Pit Bull Terriers, and Rottweilers. Although these particular breed of dogs are more posed to be a threat to innocent bystanders, there have been many reports of attacks by other types of dogs too.
Generally, a dog attack compensation claim is more likely to succeed if the dog was known to have shown aggressive tendencies in the past. If there is evidence to demonstrate that the dog had bitten, or attacked an individual in a previous incident, then the owner is likely to be liable to pay compensation for the dog attack. It is the owner's duty to restrain and control the dog, if the owner is aware of the dog's aggressive tendencies, and it's potential to harm others.
Unfortunately, young children are the most at risk from a dog attack as they are one of the most vulnerable members of society. Many of the attacks involve children, as their innocent and playful nature make them easy victims for the dogs. This is why it is essential that a young child be never left alone with a dog, regardless of whether it has posed a danger before or not. Many dog bites occur from dogs that had never even bitten anyone before. Remember, there is always a first time for everything.
According to the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 certain breeds of dogs are required to be muzzled when in public places and micro-chipped. If you suffered an attack by a breed of dog covered by this act that was not muzzled, your claim is likely to succeed. This is even if the dog had not shown previous signs of aggressive behaviour.
Minimizing risk of getting attacked by a dog
If you happen to be near a dog which is growling at you and you feel an attack is imminent, there are some things you can do to alter the situation. Try to keep as still as possible and avoid looking directly at the dog. Hopefully the dog will eventually lose interest. Of course the natural reaction would be to run as fast as possible in the other direction. However this may only excite the dog into chasing you which could result in something ugly.
What to do if you have been bitten
Your fear may have gotten the best of you and made you run. However, you could not outrun the dog and you ended up being attacked. Or you may have been bitten some other way. Whatever the situation, you should strongly consider reporting the incident to the police or local authority, if only to prevent something like this happening to another innocent bystander. It is important that you seek medical attention straight away, even if the injury appears to be minor. Even a minor injury can become badly infected.
If you have been a victim to a dog attack, you may be entitled to compensation. Our solicitors will assess your case and talk you through the process of making a claim.
Author: Ayesha Salim is a law graduate who works fulltime with the UK Lawyers Network researching and writing about legal topics
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