Smart Strategies To Start With Your Dog Bite Claim

Being attacked by a dog can be a terrifying and traumatising experience. It has been estimated that some 10,000 people are injured in dog attacks every year in the United Kingdom, and that over 1,000 dangerous dogs have been destroyed since 2010.

If you have been attacked by a dog, however, it’s important to remember that you are not merely a statistic – you are a victim, and as such, the law is on your side and you can make a claim. To help you start your dog bite claim right, here’s four tips from our experts:

• Take pictures of your injuries

You can substantiate your claim significantly with photographs of your injuries. The best way to do this is to take photographs in weekly increments, to show healing progress. If this is not possible, then photographs of your wounds close to the date you were attacked are the next best thing. Post-surgery photographs are also recommended. These will prove to the other side that you have injuries of a significance as detailed by your solicitor.

• Notify the police so that they can investigate

You should notify the police immediately if you have been attacked by a dog – or soon afterwards, if possible. The police treat dog attacks extremely seriously and they will open a file with your name on it and investigate your claims. This is particularly important if you do not know who the dog owner or handler is. The police will attempt to track down the owner in question on your behalf, and your lawyer will be able to access your police reports.

• Visit your doctor if feel depressed or anxious

If you have already received medical treatment for your injuries, but you start to feel depressed or anxious or you suffer from insomnia following the attack, visit your GP so that these are recorded on your medical file. Your medical file will be accessed by your solicitor and recorded proof of mental issues following an attack will help you to also claim for emotional distress, in addition to your physical injuries, if you indeed have any symptoms.

• Contact a reputable law firm to process your claim

There are literally hundreds of law firms to choose from when it comes to personal injury law, so we recommend going for a big name first and foremost. You should start claim with a law firm with in-house lawyers specialising in dog attacks. However, you shouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket – all law firms offer the first consultation for free, so you can take advantage of this offer with several law firms to get really informed about your legal rights.