Unless you are making a criminal injury claim through the CICA, it is important to find out the identity of the dog’s owner. And so that a claim against them is feasible, they must have the means – or insurance – to be able to pay the compensation which you would be claiming.
For a CICA claim, you must report the incident to the police as soon as possible, and there must be some evidence of criminal behaviour – for example, that the dog’s owner deliberately set the dog on you.
For a claim under the Animal Act 1971 there are several requirements for the dog’s owner or keeper to be held liable:
- The damage caused must have been of a kind that the dog was likely to cause, or which, if caused by the dog, was likely to be severe
- That the attack was due to particular characteristics not normally found in the species (or breed) or not normally found except at particular times or in particular circumstances
- That these characteristics must have been known to the keeper (or someone acting for the keeper)
All of these requirements may seem confusing, and possibly a little daunting, so it is best to discuss things with a legal expert to see where you stand. Why not get in touch with us to talk about your circumstances?
