Suffering a dog bite can be a frightening and painful experience, often leaving victims unsure of their rights or whether they can claim compensation. If you’re researching the average dog bite compensation payouts in the UK, understanding how claims are valued can help you know what to expect. Payouts vary depending on factors such as the severity of the injury, any scarring, psychological trauma, and the impact the incident has had on your daily life or ability to work.
What You Need To Know
- The person responsible for the dog needs to ensure that the animal is not out of control.
- You can still be compensated for a dog bite, even if a banned breed did not bite you.
- Dog bite claims can be made for incidents that occurred in public or while on private property.
- If the dog is not insured, you might be eligible to make a criminal injury claim, but you will need to prove malicious intent.
- Dog bite settlement amounts will consider your physical and mental injuries and their severity, as well as any out-of-pocket expenses, such as private plastic surgery and lost wages.
You have a better chance of a successful dog bite injury claim if you have support through the claims process. That’s where Public Interest Lawyers comes in. When you get in touch for a free, no-obligation consultation, one of our advisors will assess your case. If you have a valid dog bite compensation claim, they can connect you with one of the No Win No Fee solicitors from our panel. Our panel will handle the claims process while you concentrate on your recovery.
To discuss your options and receive further guidance on how to claim, please contact our advisory team today.
Jump To A Section
- What Are The Average Dog Bite Compensation Payouts?
- How Are Dog Bite Claims Valued?
- Special Damages In A Dog Bite Compensation Claim
- Can I Claim After Being Bitten By A Dog?
- What Complications Can Arise After A Dog Bite?
- I Was Bit By A Dog, What Should I Do?
- Dog Bite Compensation Claim Time Limit
- How Can Public Interest Lawyers Help Me Claim Dog Bite Compensation?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Information
What Are The Average Dog Bite Compensation Payouts?
Average dog bite compensation payouts can be determined by adding together the number of successful claimants for a given time span and their total settlement figure. From there, you would need to divide this total by the number of overall claimants. However, each one of these claimants would have suffered different injuries and out-of-pocket expenses, which can skew average payout figures:
- A young claimant suffering from very severe facial scarring could be compensated anywhere between £36,340 and £118,790 for their physical and mental pain alone (a range from the Judicial College Guidelines). This does not account for the need for private plastic surgery and therapy.
- Whereas someone with severe finger fractures might be compensated up to £44,840 without considering their related expenses (according to the Judicial College Guidelines).
However, there is an easier way to discuss how compensation might be calculated. Firstly, if your claim is successful, you will be awarded an amount for your physical pain and mental suffering.
Typically, whoever is responsible for valuing your claim will turn to the JCG to guide their calculations. This document is used by legal professionals and others involved in the claims process, as it assigns suggested compensation brackets to various injuries.
We’ve included some of the brackets that can be found in the JCG below (excluding the top row). Please only use the table as a guide.
| Injury | Severity | Compensation Guidelines |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple Severe Injuries With Costs For Related Expenses | Awards can include compensation for more than one injury plus costs such as plastic surgery, lost wages and domestic support while recovering. | Up to £250,000 or more |
| Facial Disfigurement | Very severe scarring in relatively young claimants | £36,340 to £118,790 |
| Facial Disfigurement | Less severe scarring causing substantial disfigurement and a significant psychological reaction | £21,920 to £59,090 |
| Arm | Less severe injury with a substantial degree of recovery (or expected recovery) from significant disabilities | £23,430 to £47,810 |
| Arm | Simple forearm fractures | £8,060 to £23,430 |
| Hand | Severe finger fractures that may lead to partial amputations | Up to £44,840 |
| Hand | Less serious hand injury causing significantly impaired function without surgery | £17,640 to to £35,390 |
| Hand | Serious injury to ring or middle fingers | £12,590 to £19,940 |
| Ankle | Moderate injuries like fractures and ligamentous tears | £16,770 to £32,450 |
| Ankle | Modest injuries such as less serious or undisplaced fractures | Up to £16,770 |
As we can only include a limited number of injuries in this table, you may not see yours listed. If you would like more tailored guidance on how much compensation might be awarded for a dog bite, please contact an advisor for a free, no-obligation consultation.
How Are Dog Bite Claims Valued?
Dog bite claims are valued by first calculating your general damages, which compensate for the physical pain and mental suffering of someone’s injuries. This part of your dog injury claim will consider:
- Your physical pain
- Any damage to your mental health
- How many injuries you suffered in the dog bite incident
- How severe they were
- Their future impact and whether a complete recovery is likely
- Whether you experienced any loss of amenity as a result (this is the impact on activities you previously enjoyed, such as no longer modelling as a result of severe facial scars)
However, the amount you are awarded in general damages usually won’t determine your total settlement figure. That’s because there is another head of claim, which we look at next.
If you would like to discuss how much your dog bite compensation could be worth, speak to an advisor now.
Special Damages In A Dog Bite Compensation Claim
If you experience any financial loss as a result of your injuries, then special damages may also be awarded in a dog bite compensation claim. You could recover the costs of:
- Cosmetic surgery and other private medical treatments
- Loss of earnings, both current and future
- Replacing clothing and other personal property damaged in the dog attack
- Accessing mental health services, such as therapy
- Domestic support while recovering from your injuries, such as for a cleaner
- Travel costs to attend medical appointments
However, to claim back these expenses, you will need documentation of them. Therefore, it is a good idea to save any receipts, invoices, payslips, bank statements, and other relevant evidence that you have.
For a better understanding of what special damages may apply in your case, speak to one of our advisors.
Can I Claim After Being Bitten By A Dog?
Yes, you can claim after being bitten by a dog if the injuries you suffered were the direct result of a third party’s failure to control the canine. The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 makes it a criminal offence to let a dog be dangerously out of control. This extends beyond the banned breeds, such as the Japanese Tosa and Pit Bull Terrier, and applies to every dog.
Furthermore, it does not matter if you are attacked by a dog in a public or private place, or even in the owner’s home; you can still claim if you are able to prove that another party failed to keep the animal under control when you were injured.
Dog Bite Compensation From The CICA
There are certain scenarios where you would claim dog bite compensation from the CICA (Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority). The CICA is a government agency responsible for awarding compensation to those physically or mentally injured due to a violent crime that occurred in Great Britain when all other claiming options are closed to them (such as through the dog owner’s pet insurance because they did not have a policy in place).
In order to claim criminal injury compensation for a dog bite, you will need to show that the animal was used as a weapon to attack you violently. The CICA will assess the incident by using your police reference number, so you don’t need to collect evidence in the same way you would for a personal injury claim.
There are additional eligibility requirements and time limits that differ from those for making a personal injury claim. Furthermore, the CICA awards compensation under a fixed tariff that is set out in the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012.
Our advisors are ready to discuss the CICA claims in more detail, and you can also get further information about criminal injuries compensation in our dedicated guide.
What Complications Can Arise After A Dog Bite?
Complications that can arise after a dog bite include infections, psychological injury and permanent scars. You could have suffered from initial broken bones and soft tissue damage during the dog attack. In more extreme cases, a dog bite may have amputated your fingers. Any of these could give way to:
- Cellulitis: Hot, swollen and painful skin infection.
- Abscesses: Painful, pus-filled lump.
- Sepsis: A life-threatening immune system reaction to an infection that damages organs.
- Scars: Mark left behind on the skin after an injury has healed.
- Mental health injuries: Includes anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
To discuss dog bite compensation for complications after your initial injuries, speak to our advisors. They are here to help and will listen carefully to ensure they fully understand your experience.
I Was Bit By A Dog, What Should I Do?
When you are bitten by a dog, you should ensure your safety and well-being, report the incident and seek guidance from a personal injury solicitor. Here’s a more comprehensive list of steps you could take:
- Seek medical attention: Besides ensuring that your injuries are treated for the animal bite, you will create an official medical record of the harm you suffered that can be submitted in support of a dog attack claim.
- Report the dog attack: This can be done through your local dog warden service or the police. A copy of the report can be used as evidence to strengthen your claim.
- Collect witness contact information: Your solicitor may use these details to take statements for the dog bite claim.
- Collect other pieces of evidence: You can request CCTV footage, take photos of the area where the dog attack occurred, and document visible injuries with photographs.
- Keep a diary: Record details of your pain, medical appointments and treatments, expenses, and the impact on your ability to work. Additionally, you can track your mood.
- Connect with a solicitor: A personal injury solicitor can calculate the value of your case, help you navigate through the claims process, and assist with gathering evidence.
- Be aware of the time limit: Generally, you have 3 years to start a personal injury claim for a dog bite.
Our advisors are available now if you would like to discuss evidence and how one of the No Win No Fee solicitors from our panel could help you obtain proof for your claim. They can also assess whether your dog bite claim is valid and help you take your first steps towards pursuing compensation.
Dog Bite Compensation Claim Time Limit
There is generally a 3-year dog bite compensation claim time limit, dated to when the incident occurred. This time limit applies to most personal injury claims, except in cases where the injured party is unable to manage the process themselves.
Our dedicated limitation period guide examines the circumstances under which the time limit may not apply. It can also help you determine whether you are still within the time limit. As part of your free consultation, you can speak with an advisor at any time for a quick check to see if you have time to claim.
How Can Public Interest Lawyers Help Me Claim Dog Bite Compensation?
Public Interest Lawyers can help you claim dog bite compensation from the moment you get in touch with our advisory team. Our advisors can:
- Offer a free evaluation of your case.
- Look at the factors which may influence your compensation payout.
- Advise on your next steps and the evidence you could start to collect.
If you wish to proceed, our advisors can connect you with one of the specialist solicitors from our panel. All the No Win No Fee solicitors making up our panel work through a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). What this means is that your solicitor will not charge any service fees for their work, either:
- At the start of the claim.
- While it is moving through the claims process.
- If you aren’t awarded dog bite compensation.
If your claim has a favourable outcome, your solicitor will take a success fee from your compensation. In addition to being pre-agreed before work commences, the percentage for this success fee is limited by The Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013.
Our Panel Of Solicitors
Here at Public Interest Lawyers, our panel of solicitors have many collective decades of experience between them. It isn’t required that you have a solicitor manage your claim, but having one advocating on your behalf can be very beneficial, as they can:
- Ensure that all of your damages have been calculated, including for any complications that arose out of the initial injuries suffered in the dog attack.
- Expertly advise on the best evidence to support your claim and take an active role in helping to gather this proof.
- Handle all negotiations with the dog owner’s insurer (or their representative).
- Ensure that all steps to settle out of court are followed to help secure a fair compensation payout as soon as possible.
- Connect you with any rehabilitation services that you may need to help aid your recovery.
Contact Our Advisors
The first step to claiming the compensation you deserve is to contact our advisors. Our friendly and knowledgeable advisors are available around the clock, so they will always be ready to answer any questions you may have about claiming dog bite compensation:
- Call 0800 408 7825
- Fill out our contact us form for a callback.
- Speak to a real person in our live chat.
Frequently Asked Questions
We answer a few frequently asked questions (FAQs) about dog bite compensation below.
How Much Should I Settle For A Dog Bite?
How much you should settle for a dog bite will depend on the value of your dog bite injuries. For example, if your Achilles tendon was severed in the attack, you may receive in the region of £46,900 for the injury alone. A solicitor can help you calculate compensation.
What Is Classed As A Serious Dog Bite?
Attacks that result in broken bones, deep wounds, and extensive soft tissue damage can be classified as serious dog bites. There may be multiple bites and complications from these injuries.
What Can I Do If The Dog’s Owner Doesn’t Have Insurance?
If the dog’s owner doesn’t have insurance, you can look to claim compensation through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA).
If I Claim Compensation, Will The Dog Be Destroyed?
If you claim compensation, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the dog responsible for biting you will be destroyed. Compensation claims and the decision on whether a dog should be euthanised are generally decided through separate routes.
Will I Need To Take The Owner Of The Dog To Court?
You won’t usually need to take the owner of the dog to court when claiming compensation. Most claims are settled out of court, and usually only reach this stage if negotiations fail or the defendant continues to dispute liability.
More Information
Here is more information on claiming compensation from other guides on our site:
- Everything you need to know about making a public liability claim.
- Guidance on claiming for organ damage.
- Learn about amputation compensation claims.
Some external resources that could be useful:
- Guidance on tetanus from the NHS.
- Government advice on stray dogs and how to contact your local council.
- Advice on dangerous banned dogs from the Metropolitan Police.
Thank you for taking the time to read our dog bite compensation guide.