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?

Your injuries themselves will usually form the main part of your claim. But you can also claim for other expenses and losses which have resulted from your injuries.

With all additional losses, it is important to document them as much as is possible so that the loss, and the that amount you are claiming for, can be proved.

Some common examples of losses include:

• Damaged items – such as your phone or clothing
• Vet bills – if you had a dog which was also injured in the attack
• Loss of earnings – if you took time off work and did not receive full pay, or you lost a bonus due to your absence
• Medical expenses and treatment costs – such as painkillers or physiotherapy sessions.
• Travel expenses – to attend your GP or hospital, for example
• Care and assistance – if your injuries required a friend or relative to provide significant help in your daily life

If you have encountered any losses due to your injuries, and you are not sure if you can claim for them, make sure to discuss these with your solicitor.

This will depend on the kind of claim you are making.

For a claim under the Animal Act 1971, or based upon the general law of negligence, you will have 3 years from the date of the attack to make the claim.

However, CICA claims have a shorter time limit of 2 years from the date of the attack, so if you think there may have been a criminal element to the dog bite, it is important to take action even sooner.

These time limits can be affected by other rules. For example, if the dog bite happened when you were under the age of 18, the time limit will begin running from the date of your 18^th birthday instead. This change to the rule can be a bit more complicated in CICA claims, but the same principle of a delayed start to the time limit will apply.

These deadlines can quickly expire, and that can prevent you from making a claim. However, it is sometimes still possible for claims to be allowed beyond the time limit.

So, in any event, if you are considering a claim you should get in contact with us as soon as you can to see where you stand.

After an injury, the last thing you need is to be worrying about incurring extra costs. This is why, at Truth Legal, we always try to help people on a ‘No Win, No Fee’ basis wherever possible.

No Win, No Fee Agreements generally allow that, if you are unsuccessful in your claim, you will not have to pay our legal fees.

You can read more about No Win No Fee Agreements here. And how your claim is funded will always be explained to you in detail before it begins.