Whilst the majority of animals are well trained and behaved, there are those that do pose a threat. Every year, there are thousands of people that are wounded as a result of dangerous animal attacks. These attacks can occur in the workplace when working with animals or even whilst in public and can be completely unprovoked.

Animal attack injuries can be very serious and can have long-term consequences such as loss of earnings, increased anxiety, and even losing the ability to look after others.

If you have been injured by an animal attack through no fault of your own, you may be entitled to claim for compensation. Below is a summary of animal injury claims and the information required to make them.

 

Animal injury claims: Common accidents caused by animals 

 

There are many types of animal attacks and accidents that are commonly associated with animal injury claims, these include:

 

• Road traffic accidents – Runaway and wild animals can cause road traffic accidents when running in front of vehicles, causing them to swerve out of the way. This, in turn, can lead to collisions with other vehicles or people.

 

• Horse riding accidents – Accidents when riding horses can occur if you are inexperienced and are placed onto a horse that is ill-tempered or you are not briefed properly before riding.

 

• Children injured at petting zoos – Small children can be injured whilst at petting zoos when the animals are not properly supervised by a member of staff and, then they turn aggressive towards the child.

 

• Dog Attacks – Dog bites are one of the most common reasons for accident claims. When dogs are not trained properly, they can become aggressive and attack members of the public when they are not on a leash.

 

• Livestock – When working on a farm, the employer has a duty of care towards their employees. If they do not take the correct precautions, livestock can cause injuries in multiple ways.

 

What should I do following an animal attack?

 

Following an animal attack, you should seek medical attention from a medical professional immediately to assess the extent of your injuries. Incidents involving animals pose the risk of becoming infected, so it is important that the wounds are properly cleaned. You should be given a medical report which will detail your injuries which could be used as evidence in your claim.

You should also take photographs of your injuries and, if possible, photographs of the animal involved. These photographs may also be used as evidence to strengthen your claim. Also, you should exchange contact details with anyone that was involved or witnessed the accident happening.

After this, you should file a report at your nearest police station. This is important as the police can then determine if anyone else is at risk of being attacked by the same animal and can take the necessary steps in preventing this.

 

Who do I claim against in an animal injury claim?

 

Animal owners have a duty of care to keep their animals under control and prevent them from causing injuries or damage. If you have an injury caused by an animal because its owner was negligent, you may be entitled to make a claim.

In some cases, especially if the animal involved is particularly dangerous, the Animal Act 1971 may come into play. This act legally requires owners to ensure that the animal in their care does not injure anyone. If an attack does occur, the person in charge of that animal at that time will be held liable.

 

How will my compensation be calculated?

 

Personal injury compensation amounts are made up of two types of compensation; in legal terms, we call these general damages and special damages.

 

General Damages – This is the amount you will receive for your pain, suffering and loss of amenity. To calculate this amount, we look at previous cases which are similar to yours, together with guidelines that are issued to Judges who decide the outcome of such claims if they go to Court. Your case will be valued on the basis of your injuries as described by suitably qualified medical professionals.

 

Special Damages – These are any direct financial losses that you may have suffered as a result of your injuries. Typically, these may include loss of earnings up to the settlement, loss of earnings in the future or the costs of care provided to you.

 

For more information on how your compensation will be calculated, contact Wildwood Legal today to get in touch with a personal injury solicitor to find out more.

 

Time limits for making an animal injury claim

 

The general rule on time limits for making an animal injury claim is that you have three years from the date of the injury to have either settled your claim or started court proceedings once the accident occurred.

The three-year deadline begins on the date that the accident happened or from the date on which you realised that your injuries were associated with the animal accident.

 

How much will it cost to make my claim?

 

We will always be 100% transparent about what our charges are, and if we take on your case, we will almost always do so on a Conditional Fee Agreement (also known as a no-win, no-fee basis).

This means that if you do not win your case, you do not pay us any fees at all. If we win the case, we take a small percentage of your financial compensation, which we will agree with you beforehand, to cover our costs.

We will never ask you to sign anything until you are completely happy with what it is that we are proposing. For more information on this, contact us today to get in touch with a member of our team.

 

How can Wildwood Legal help with animal injury claims?

 

At Wildwood Legal, our core strength is in personal injury claims. Our personal injury lawyers are experienced in assisting claimants with animal injury claims. Contact us if you have been involved in an accident involving animals.

We aim to give you not only quality aid but flexibility and clarity as we know that these qualities are just as important.

Our aim is to obtain the compensation you deserve for your case, we value the opinion of our clients, and we will always listen to you and take on board what you say. Most importantly, we are on your side.

Our law firm is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority; therefore, we provide everything that is needed to meet their high standards, meaning that we are a trusted law firm. We offer services to individuals located in England and Wales.

To make an enquiry, get in contact with us either email us info@winstonsolicitors.co.uk or call us 0113 320 5000.