If you sustain injuries in a dog attack, you may want to know if you are eligible to make a personal injury claim for dog bite compensation. This article examines the criteria you must satisfy to make a claim. Additionally, we look at examples of evidence you could submit as part of the claims process to support your case.
You may also be interested in learning more about how compensation is awarded in a successful personal injury claim. We’ll examine the different types of damages that could form a settlement for a dog bite injury.
If you have good grounds to seek compensation for the injuries you suffered due to a dog bite, you may like to do so with legal representation. We conclude our dog bite claims article with a look at the benefits of having a No Win No Fee solicitor to support your case.
One of the advisors from our team can discuss how to claim compensation for a dog bite with you. They can also answer any other questions you may have about the personal injury claims process.
To discuss dog bite compensation claims:
- Call 020 8050 2736
- Request a call back with our claim online form.
- Ask “Can I claim compensation for a dog bite?” in our live chat.
Select A Section
- When Can You Claim Dog Bite Compensation?
- What Evidence Would You Use In A Dog Bite Claim?
- Dog Bite Claim Calculator
- How Long Do You Have To Claim Dog Bite Compensation?
- Can A No Win No Fee Solicitor Help Me Claim Dog Bite Compensation?
- Read More About How To Make A Dog Attack Claim
When Can You Claim Dog Bite Compensation?
Under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, it is a criminal offence for a dog to be dangerously out of control. This applies to dogs in their homes and public places. Typically, this is the dog owner’s responsibility. However, if a different person is in charge of the dog at the time of the attack, that person could be liable.
If you would like to claim dog bite compensation, you will need to prove that you suffered injuries because the dog was dangerously out of control or that the dog has a propensity to bite (has bitten before). There may also be other instances when you can claim dog bite compensation, so it is important to call our team and have your case assessed. In some cases, the claim may be made against the owner through their insurance. However, if they don’t have insurance, you could claim compensation in a different way, which we look at later on.
What Are The Most Common Dog Bite Injuries?
You could suffer various different injuries in a dog attack. These include:
- Permanent scars.
- Facial injuries.
- Loss of fingers.
- Broken bones.
- Leg injuries.
- Ankle injuries.
- Nerve damage.
- Psychological injuries.
Additionally, you may also suffer an infection following a dog bite.
Direct any questions you have about dog bite claims eligibility to a member of our advisory team.
What Evidence Would You Use In A Dog Bite Claim?
All personal injury claims require supporting evidence. As part of the claims process, you will need to prove liability for your dog bite injuries. Examples of evidence that you could submit to support a claim for dog bite compensation include:
- Police report. If the police attended the scene, you can submit a copy of the report.
- Owner’s information. You will need the owner’s contact details. Additionally, you may have photographs of the dog.
- Medical records. A copy of your medical records can show what injuries you sustained in the attack and the treatment required.
- Attack footage. If the dog attack was caught on CCTV, you can request this footage.
- Photographs. You can submit any relevant pictures, such as of your injuries.
A member of our team can advise you on what evidence could help strengthen your dog bite compensation claim.
Can I Claim For A Dog Bite Through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority?
The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) is a government funded body set up to compensate victims of violent crime. Although a dog attack may seem like a violent crime, this is not always the case.
To make a dog bit claim through the CICA, it must be proven that the dog was used as a weapon to cause injury or harm in a violent attack.
Call an advisor to discuss how to make a claim for dog attack injuries through the CICA.
How Many Dogs Have Been Destroyed In Great Britain?
Personal Injury Claims UK sent Freedom of Information requests (FOI) to police forces in England, Wales and Scotland requesting information about the number of dogs destroyed in Great Britain between September 2020 and September 2023. 86% of police forces were able to respond to the request.
Of the ones that responded, the Metropolitan Police destroyed the most dogs. Commonly destroyed breeds included XL Bulldogs, Pit Bulls and Staffordshire Bull Terriers. You can read more of these statistics in our article found here.
Dog Bite Claim Calculator
You may have used a compensation calculator to determine how much dog bite compensation you are eligible for. However, a dog bite claim calculator may not tell you everything that might be included in your settlement.
In successful dog bite claims, settlements may consist of two parts. These are general and special damages.
Successful claimants are awarded general damages to compensate for the physical injury and mental harm caused by the dog attack. When valuing this part of a personal injury claim, those responsible for doing so may refer to the compensation guidelines published by the Judicial College (JCG).
The entry in the first row shows how compensation could be awarded if you suffer multiple injuries in the dog attack and are also awarded special damages. The entries in the following rows were taken from the 16th edition of the JCG. As all cases are different, these amounts do not represent the final award in a successful claim.
| Injury | Severity | Notes | Compensation Guideline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multiple Serious Injuries and Related Costs | Very Severe | Settlements may compensate for multiple serious injuries and related expenses including lost earnings and plastic surgery. | Up to £750,000+ |
| Hand Injuries | Total or Effective Loss of Both | The injured party suffered extensive damage to both hands rendering them little more than useless. | £140,660 to £201,490 |
| Leg Injuries | Severe | Claimants have suffered the most serious leg injuries that fall short of amputation. | £96,250 to £135,920 |
| Arm Injuries | Severe Injuries | The claimant has suffered an extremely serious injury and are little better off than had they lost the arm. | £96,160 to £130,930 |
| General Psychological Damage | Severe | The injured person is unable to cope with life, struggles with relationships and has a very poor prognosis. | £54,830 to £115,730 |
| Foot Injury | Amputation | The claimant suffered the amputation of one foot. | £83,960 to £109,650 |
| Foot Injury | Very Severe | Foot injuries that cause severe permanent pain or a really serious permanent disability. | £83,960 to £109,650 |
| Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) | Severe | In these cases, all aspects of the claimant's life are impacted by the symptoms. This is permanent. | £59,860 to £100,670 |
| Facial Scarring | Very Severe | The injured party is relatively young and has very disfiguring facial scars. Their psychological reaction is severe. | £29,780 to £97,330 |
| Finger Injury | Amputations | This bracket applies to the amputation of the index, middle and/or ring fingers rendering the hand of very little use. | £61,910 to £90,750 |
As stated above, you may also be awarded special damages to compensate for financial losses that have been brought about by the dog bite injuries. Your settlement may include compensation for:
- Loss of earnings.
- Cosmetic surgery.
- Prescription costs.
- Mobility aids.
- Home help.
In order to recover your expenses, you should submit your receipts, payslips or invoices as part of the personal injury claims process. If you make a claim through the CICA, your compensation will be calculated in a different manner. Direct any questions regarding compensation for a dog bite to one of our advisors.
How Long Do You Have To Claim Dog Bite Compensation?
Generally, personal injury claims must be started within the three-year time limit. This is set by the Limitation Act 1980. However, some exceptions apply. These include:
- Those who don’t have the mental capacity to manage their own dog injury claim. The limitation period is suspended for as long as they don’t have this capacity. During this suspension period, a court-appointed litigation friend could manage the dog bite injury claim for them. However, if a claim for a dog bite is not started on behalf of the injured person and they recover their mental capacity, then they will have three years from the date it was determined they made this recovery to launch a claim.
- Those under 18 at the time of the dog attack. In these cases, the time limit is paused until they turn 18. A litigation friend could manage the dog bite injury claim at any point during this pause. However, if a litigation friend does not file a compensation claim on their behalf, then the injured person will have three years from the day of their 18th birthday to start the personal injury claims process.
How Long Will It Take To Make A Dog Bite Claim?
There is no set time scale for settling a personal injury claim. In general, the more complex the case, the longer it will take. However, in a straightforward claim (this is when the defendant accepts liability), it may take several months. Additionally, various other factors, such as the nature of your injuries and negotiations, may impact this.
The CICA have a different time limit. For more information, please contact a member of our advisory team.
Can A No Win No Fee Solicitor Help Me Claim Dog Bite Compensation?
If you are eligible to seek dog bite compensation, you may like to have the support of a solicitor during the claims process. One of the solicitors from our panel could help you. Our panel of personal injury solicitors typically represents claimants on a No Win No Fee basis by offering a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) for their services.
This means that your solicitor:
- Will not ask for a payment upfront to cover their services.
- Will not take ongoing payments.
- Only takes a legally limited percentage of your award if your dog injury claim is successful. This is called a ‘success fee’.
- You will not be charged this fee if your dog bite claim fails.
One of the advisors from our team could answer any questions you may have about making a personal injury claim for a dog bite. Additionally, if your claim satisfies eligibility requirements, you could be connected to a solicitor from our panel.
To discuss compensation for a dog bite:
- Call 020 8050 2736
- Fill in our claim online form to request a call back.
- Ask about how to claim compensation for a dog bite in our live chat.
Read More About How To Make A Dog Attack Claim
Additional personal injury claim guides:
- Details about a broken leg claim and how much compensation you could get.
- Guidance on nose injury compensation claims.
- Information about what claims fall under personal injury, including eligibility requirements and the different types of personal injury claims.
A few external links you might find useful:
- Advice on controlling your dog in public from the government.
- Information about what to do following an animal bite from the NHS.
- Guidance on claiming statutory sick pay (SSP) from the government.
Please direct any further queries about dog bite compensation to an advisor.