Dog Bites.
If you've suffered an attack by a dog you may be able to claim for compensation, our Personal Injury Team are here to help.
Dog bite claims are a way for those injured by a dog attack to claim compensation for their injuries.
In 2022, there were almost 22,000 injuries reported across the UK caused by out-of-control dogs, and if you have been injured by a dog you could be able to claim compensation.
The specialist Dog Bite Solicitors here at Lanyon Bowdler have vast experience of dealing with claims relating to dog bite injuries, helping clients get financial compensation to help cover any medical fees, loss of earnings and rehabilitation costs.
Affectionately known as man’s best friend, dogs are very much part of our society. Although the exact figure isn’t known, the RSPCA estimates that there are 10.2 million dogs in the UK.
While most dogs are well-behaved family pets that pose little or no threat to people; it’s inevitable that from time-to-time incidents involving canines and the general population will occur.
Statistics show that dog bites and dog attacks are the two most common types of animal injury claims that are made.
According to the BBC, dog attacks have risen by 34% in the last year compared to 2018. Almost 3,500 dogs were seized by the police in 2022 – a rise of 36% from 2018, mostly due to the animals being deemed “out of control”. This is accompanied by a rise in the dog population of only 15%.
The team of specialist lawyers here at Lanyon Bowdler have vast experience of dealing with dog bite claims, helping clients get financial compensation to help cover any medical fees, loss of earnings and rehabilitation costs.
We are proud of our reputation as a warm, friendly, down-to-earth law firm, and our legal professionals are specialists in their field.
Our experienced solicitors can help start your dog bite compensation claim. Contact us today and we would be more than happy to help.
If you have been injured as a result of a dog bite, your priority will of course be to seek medical treatment for your injuries. But if you can, it’s important to try to gather as much information about the attack as possible, including the breed of the dog and the owner’s contact details.
However, if that’s not possible, it’s a good idea to contact the team at Lanyon Bowdler as soon as you can for initial legal advice on your potential dog bite claim.
Dog bites can be very serious, leaving victims with permanent injuries – both physical and psychological. Every dog owner is potentially liable for the behaviour of their dog, so the person injured has a legal right to compensation claims following accidents with animals, if an attack is due to the negligence of the dog owner or the person handling the dog at the time, or if the dog has exhibited aggressive behaviour in the past.
Yet many people involved in dog attacks are unaware they can make dog bite claims.
For a dog bite compensation claim to be successful, you must be able to prove that the owner of the dog was responsible for the actions of the animal, and/or has been negligent in some way. Simply being bitten by a dog does not mean that the owner has been negligent. It would need to be demonstrated that the dog owner was aware that the dog attack could happen and failed to take adequate steps to prevent it.
The team of specialist Dog Bite Solicitors here at Lanyon Bowdler have vast experience of dealing with dog bite clais, helping clients get financial compensation to help cover any medical fees, loss of earnings and rehabilitation costs.
Get in touch with us by phone today to talk about what happened to you, and we’ll help you decide what the next steps are. Alternatively, complete the enquiry form on this page and we’ll call you back.
Being attacked and/or bitten by a dog can cause a range of injuries, going from minor to very serious. Depending on the circumstances of the attack, who the victim is, and the type of dog, consequences for a dog attack may include:
Scarring
It’s very common for dog bites to leave permanent scarring on the injured area. Some types of dogs can have large and sharp teeth, and be able to puncture skin very easily. Even after seeking medical attention and leaving the wound to heal, victims of dog bites may be left with significant scarring, requiring plastic surgery – and additional medical costs and financial losses.
Fractures
Dog attacks can be very startling, and victims often fall to the ground as they’re bitten or attacked by the dog. If this happens on hard surfaces, such as pavement or cement, fractures often happen. While considered by many a minor injury, a bone fracture can become severe, and complications are not rare, leading to long recovery, and, sometimes, life-long impairment.
Child Injuries
Unfortunately, children can often be victims of dog attacks. They may approach dogs to play with them, not realising the risk associated with interacting with a dog they aren’t familiar with. They can also be more susceptible to injuries such as bites, which can lead to very serious accidents involving children.
Psychological Injuries
As dog attacks can be very intense experiences, many victims are left with PTSD or psychological injuries. If you have suffered long-term psychological consequences following a dog attack, you may be able to claim compensation for these damages as much as physical injuries and wounds.
The Dangerous Dogs Act came into force in 1991 and states that Pit Bull Terriers (Pit Bull Type), Japanese Tosas and Fila Brasileiros must always be muzzled and on a lead when in a public place. These breeds have all been judged to be legally “dangerous” and therefore any injury will lead to compensation being awarded, regardless of any previous incidents.
According to information released by the Royal Mail during their Dog Awareness Week in July 2019, 2,484 postal workers were bitten by dogs in the previous year, up 9% in the last 12 months. When you consider that this is 44 attacks per week on average, it is clearly a major problem.
The rise in dog bite injuries has been more pronounced in certain postcodes where more aggressive dog breeds have become fashionable. The worst areas for attacks in 2018 were Torquay, Stockport, Oldham, St Albans, Slough, Colchester, Blackburn, Llandudno, Hemel Hempstead and Hull.
While serious injuries by a dog are thankfully quite rare, on average a third of bites require medical attention and approximately two per month require hospital attendance.
Changes to the 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act, which came into force in May 2014, removed the distinction between dog biting incidents taking place in public and non-public places. So now, it is now a criminal offence no matter where the incident takes place.
Owners face unlimited fines and even prison if their dog bites anyone on their property – and that doesn’t just include postal workers or delivery drivers.
It is not the postman or delivery driver’s responsibility to prevent your dog from biting them through the letterbox. The responsibility is on the dog owner. If your dog is likely to try to bite or snatch through the letterbox, you must take steps to protect visitors to your property from being injured.
Used Lanyon Bowdler for a personal injury claim regarding a trip in a supermarket. I found the service very helpful and would use again.
From the first contact, the team at Lanyon Bowdler gave a fast & efficient service. They were very friendly & gave me the confidence that I had found the right solicitors. The advice given & the fast responses were beyond my expectations. The matter was resolved in no time at all.
It is a pleasure to act as a case manager for clients represented by the personal injury team at Lanyon Bowdler Solicitors. Lanyon Bowdler PI team are proactive and truly client centred. They understand the clients they represent and work tirelessly to achieve the best they can for them. Through collaborative working we have been able to achieve the best outcomes possible for our clients.
As a case manager I work closely with litigation teams to ensure our clients get the expertise, support and care they need to bring them back to as close to their life pre-injury as possible. This is very often not an easy journey, and balancing the desires of the client to live their best life with collating and presenting the facts of how that life is altered, can be very challenging. Having worked alongside Lanyon Bowdler’s team for many years, I have noted it is always easier to strike this balance, when they are involved.
Having worked with a succession of personal injury specialists at Lanyon Bowdler over the years, I have seen at first hand the top-flight legal expertise that they bring to every case and the commitment to obtaining the absolutely best result for every client. Equally importantly, I am struck by the compassion, empathy and humanity with which every client is treated. They go above and beyond to ensure their clients receive the very best representation.
The team at Lanyon Bowdler show an exceptional knowledge and understanding of their client’s needs, not just in terms of the claim that they lead, but also the emotional and personal experiences that they will have on that journey.
Lanyon Bowdler provide seamless ongoing emotional support, information and guidance to their clients over what may be many years of a PI claim. This significantly helps mitigate the “stress” of a claim for their clients, and in my medicolegal experience puts them way ahead of other legal firms.
Contacted Lanyon Bowdler six months after an injury at work. They offered me several of their services, including no win no fee which I ended up choosing. The solicitor was extremely helpful, was always keeping me updated when there was news and answered promptly when asked for any updates or when I asked any questions. I was very happy with the final settlement and the advice I received proved to be the best for my case. I felt like the extra bit of care was extended to give me a good idea of the options I had to choose from which really helped to inform any decision.
From my initial approach to the final positive outcome I felt my solicitor was expending all his energy to win the case. I was kept informed throughout and was given straightforward advice on how to proceed. The end result was an acceptable outcome and the pay-out was prompt.
Very friendly and quick to respond, highly recommend for anyone looking for legal advice.
I couldn’t be happier with the service I have received over the past six years. I would highly recommend Lanyon Bowdler for legal requirements.
Since dealing with Lanyon Bowdler they have been diligent, efficient and at all times very helpful along with being structured in dealing with matters, fees and clarity on all levels. Thank you.
I was clearly informed of progress step by step. The service you provided was very good.
All work carried out effectively and efficiently.
An excellent service with solicitors that you can talk to and who give you a clear understanding of all necessary legal implications and interpretations.
From start to finish we had excellent service. Friendly, approachable and professional.
Very clear, concise advice and guidance, easy to understand.
Good service provided throughout with clear communication throughout with all options explored.
I can thoroughly recommend the highly professional and supportive service received over the last few months.
Responsive, supportive, approachable, clear and empathetic.
Professional and prompt communication. Supportive and client focused.
Whenever I have had need to contact Lanyon Bowdler I have always received a fast, concise and friendly response.
Definitely would use Lanyon Bowdler again if I need the use of a solicitor.
Smooth and efficient service from very professional firm.
We were particularly impressed with the quality of work, the speed and excellent communication.
Very friendly and approachable. Very good advice
Great Service; Lanyon Bowdler were excellent from the outset. Straightforward and easy process. I just sat back and waited.
Everything has been professional, efficient and courteous throughout and we are very pleased, both with the service and with the eventual outcome of our case. Everything was first class and exceeded our expectations. Thank you again for providing such splendid service. It is really appreciated.
If you or a loved one have suffered injury as a result of an accident involving or caused by an animal, or if you have been attacked or bitten by an animal, then we understand that such incidents can take some time to recover from emotionally, not to mention the recovery period depending on the severity of your physical injuries.
You are rightly entitled to claim compensation for your pain and suffering and any financial losses incurred as a direct result of the accident or injury. Our Personal Injury Team is accredited by the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, and the Law Society. We are proud to have been highly ranked by both the Legal 500 and Chambers UK, which should offer you the eace of mind and reassurance to know that you’re in safe hands.
Call for a friendly, confidential, conversation to see if you are entitled to Dog Bite Compensation. There is no commitment or charge for our initial assessment. Please contact a member of our Animal Injury Claims team or complete our online inquiry form toward the top of this page on the right-hand side. We can also arrange a home or hospital visit when more convenient.
We are one of the most recognised firms of Solicitors in Shropshire, Herefordshire, Mid and North Wales, across the Midlands. By choosing Lanyon Bowdler, you are guaranteeing yourself some of the finest legal expertise in the field. We are committed to delivering you the best client care possible and ensuring you receive the desired outcome to your case.
If you do decide to proceed, we will be your guide and support throughout the whole legal process. Please give us a call any time to arrange a free consultation or use the online enquiry form and someone will get in touch. We have offices in Shrewsbury, Bromyard, Hereford, Ludlow, Oswestry, Telford, and Conwy, and regularly make Dog Bite Claims in Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Worcester. We can represent you wherever you live in England and Wales.
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