We were contacted by the mother of a three-year-old girl about claiming compensation for a dog attack.
While she was sat on a swing a loose dog approached her and began nipping at her legs.
The little girl’s mother did her best to remove the dog, but unfortunately, she could not prevent the dog biting the back of her daughter’s leg.
We agreed to deal with the case on a no win, no fee basis. A letter of claim was sent to the dog owner who advised that the matter had already been resolved in the Magistrates Court. Whilst the dog owner was correct in that the Magistrates Court had made a victim compensation order this was only for the very modest sum of £250.
Victim compensation orders in the criminal courts rarely provide the victim with full compensation. In this case we explained to the dog’s owner that the child was claiming compensation for a dog attack based upon civil law principles. This allows a claim to be made for proper compensation and we arranged for the claim to be directed to the dog owner’s insurers.
Luckily the little girl’s injuries settled down over the course of a few weeks, but she was nevertheless left with a permanent scar.
After obtaining expert medical evidence lawyer Jasmine Butler was able to negotiate settlement with the insurance company, securing an award of over £22,500; almost 10 times the amount that the Magistrates Court had awarded.
The compensation will be invested by the Court until the girl reaches the age of 18. She will then be free to spend the money as she chooses, though her mother hopes she will use the money as a deposit on her first home.
If you are interested in claiming compensation for a dog attack, then please call us for a free case assessment and details of win-no fee funding. We operate nationwide so no matter where you are you can give us a call on 0808 139 1590 or send us details by email at info@sbclaims.co.uk
