Dog Bite Compensation

Date: 08.07.2011

People that have been the victims of dog attacks have a right to compensation, as has been proven by many successful court cases over the years.

While cartoon strips have, for years, depicted ferocious dogs hanging from the legs of hapless postmen, the risks of dog attacks and the infliction of serious harm on the victim are very real. In 2005, a two-year-old girl from Carmarthenshire, Wales, was attacked by her neighbour's dog - an Akita Japanese hunting dog - when returning a video with her father.

The girl suffered horrific injuries that nearly killed her, including a torn ear, a compressed skull and multiple wounds to her face. Two years on, in 2007, the girl and her family received £20,000 compensation for her injuries and the emotional damage they have suffered as a result.

Expert breeders say the dog should have been kept away from children, as it is specifically bred to be violent in order to bring down bears from the mountains in its native country. Cases such as these have roused the government into action over the last twenty years, and they have put in place strict regulations to prevent the breeding and trading of dangerous dogs.

In 1991, the government brought in The Dangerous Dogs Act, which prevents the ownership and trade of four of the most dangerous dog breeds. The dog breeds banned in the UK are the Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fiza Braziliero. However, even more breeds have come under question in recent years as the result of unprovoked attacks on humans. Those who believe they may have a compensation claim following a dog attack should seek legal advice immediately.

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