£10,000 compensation for psychological injury in a dog-on-dog attack
Our client from Kent cherished his small Papillion dog Charlie and the two of them were well known in their local park. They would often go there to interact with the other dog walkers and their dogs, but on one fatal day that all changed.
Our client and his dog went to the park as usual. As they arrived they noticed an unfamiliar couple with a loose Staffordshire Bull Terrier. As our client and Charlie approached, the Staffy suddenly attacked Charlie, got hold of him in his mouth and would not release his grip.
Our client had to witness the trauma of his dog being savagely attacked in front of his eyes. As any dog owner would do, he jumped in to try and rescue his dog. Charlie was taken straight to the vets, but he could not be saved and died from his injuries.
While our client suffered some bites to his hands and arms, as is often the case in a dog-on-dog attack, his main injury was the trauma of the incident.
Many lawyers fail to appreciate that compensation can be claimed for psychological injury in a dog-on-dog attack. However, we have handled many similar cases and agreed to deal with his compensation claim on a No Win, No Fee basis.
We arranged for our client to be assessed by an independent medical expert who confirmed the GP’s diagnosis of PTSD and recommended counselling.
Unfortunately, the home and pet insurers of the Staffy’s owner couldn’t decide which company should deal with the claim. To force one of them to take responsibility, we commenced court proceedings. This strategy worked and shortly after the court papers were lodged we were able to negotiate settlement of the claim, securing him £10,000 compensation for psychological injury in a dog-on-dog attack.
Because our client had legal cover with his home insurers, we agreed to match the funding agreement offered by his insurer’s panel solicitors. So not only did he benefit from our expertise, but he also walked away with 100% of his compensation.
Our client was grateful to the specialist dog bite lawyer who handled his case, Jasmine Moxey-Butler, saying, “I would like to thank you for all you have done for me when I did not know what way to turn you helped me at every step of the way I thank you once again.”
If you have suffered psychological injury in a dog-on-dog attack, then call our free legal helpline for guidance. We can discuss what has happened and how we can help you recover the compensation you deserve on a No Win, No Fee basis.
