Postman Bitten By Dog – A Guide to Claiming Compensation

Some find the sight of postal workers being chased by dogs quite funny. But there is nothing funny about being bitten by a dog especially whilst carrying out your day job. In some cases, dog bites can cause serious and life-changing injuries. If you’re a postman bitten by a dog, you may be entitled to claim compensation for your suffering. In this guide, we explain when postmen could be entitled to claim for a dog bite, how to start the claims process and how much compensation could be awarded.

If you are a postal worker who has been bitten by a dog, we can review what happened for free and provide legal advice about your options. One of our specially trained advisors will discuss your case with you and, if your claim is valid, connect you with one of our solicitors. Crucially, as our solicitors offer No Win, No Fee dog bite claims for any cases they take on, you’ll only pay for their work if you are awarded a compensation payout.

To see if you could make a postman dog bite compensation claim, you can:

• Call our legal advisors on 0333 241 2519.
• Use our free live chat service 24 hours a day (7 days a week).

This guide is full of useful information for postal workers who’ve been bitten by dogs. If you think of any questions while reading, please feel free to contact us.

Can I Claim Compensation as a Postman Bitten by a Dog?

When a postman is bitten by a dog, they may have grounds to claim compensation if:

• The defendant in the case owed the postman a duty of care at the point they were bitten.
• The dog bit the postman because of the defendant’s negligence.
• The postman sustained an injury or illness that can be linked to the dog bite.

It’s not always clear who dog bite claims need to be made against so we’ve provided more information in the next section that should be helpful. As always, if you’d like to check if you are entitled to claim compensation after being bitten by a dog whilst working as a postman, please speak to a member of our team today.

Who Would I Claim Against for Work-Related Dog Bite Injuries?

If your claim is taken on by one of our solicitors, they will assess your claim to check who it should be made against. Generally, claims will be made against an insurer rather than any individual but that’s not always the case.

If you are a postal worker who has been bitten by a dog at work, your claim could be made against any of the following:

• Your employer.
• A homeowner.
• A company (if you were delivering to business premises).
• Individuals (if the dog attack happened away from a property).

To try and ensure your claim is directed correctly, please get in touch with a member of our team who’ll review your case for free.

What Types of Negligence Can Lead to Postmen Sustaining Dog Bites?

Here are a few scenarios that could enable postmen bitten by a dog to begin a compensation claim:

• Your employer had failed to provide dog awareness training.
• If the dog is listed as a banned breed by the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.
• When a guard dog on business premises was set loose and attacked you.
• If the dog was not kept under control by the owner while you were delivering mail as per section 3 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.
• Where a dog is set upon you by the owner. This may be a claim through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) rather than a personal injury claim.

There are other reasons why a postman could claim compensation after being bitten by a dog so please feel free to call and discuss your case with a specialist from our team.

Types Of Dog Bite Injuries We Can Help With

Dog bites can result in various injuries we can help claim compensation for including:

• Deep cuts and lacerations.
• Bone fractures.
• Temporary or permanent scarring.
• Infections and diseases.
• Nerve injuries and tissue damage.
• Muscle damage.
• Puncture wounds.
• Crushing injuries.
• Disfigurement.

In recent times, there have also been reports of fatal injuries caused by dangerous dogs in the media which have led to legislation changes.

Whatever type of injuries you have suffered after being bitten by a dog at work, please let us know and we’ll assess your case for free.

What Should I Do If I’m a Postman Bitten by a Dog?

If you’re a postman bitten by a dog while on duty, you should:

• Seek immediate medical attention at A&E or your GP for treatment and to ensure your dog bite injuries are properly assessed and documented. Prompt medical care is vital for your recovery and for providing evidence in a potential compensation claim.
• Notify your manager about the dog attack, providing details such as the location, the dog involved, and any injuries sustained.
• Ensure the accident is recorded in your employer’s accident book. This record can serve as key evidence if you decide to make a dog bite claim.

Following these steps will help protect your health, strengthen your potential claim for compensation, and highlight the importance of addressing safety concerns for postal workers.

What Evidence Can Be Used for Dog Bite Injury Claims?

It is always a good idea to collect as much evidence to support any type of personal injury claim wherever possible. As such, when a postman is bitten by a dog, the following evidence can help support a dog bite claim:

• Details of the address where the incident occurred.
• Photographs of the dog or a description of its markings.
• Contact information for anyone who witnessed the attack.
• CCTV footage from neighbouring properties if available.
• An incident report from the police or the postman’s employers.
• Medical evidence to confirm any injuries claimed for.
• Photographs of your dog bite injuries, for instance, scarring, cuts, bruises or other deformities.

We understand that it’s not always possible to gather evidence immediately, especially if you’ve been seriously injured by a dog bite. Therefore, if one of our solicitors offers to help you claim, they may agree to try and secure evidence on your behalf.

How Long Do I Have to Claim Compensation for Dog Bites?

In UK law, you have 3 years to claim compensation when making a personal injury claim. This applies to accident at work claims as well and the time limit is set by the Limitation Act 1980.

As such, if a postman is bitten by a dog at work, they’ll have 3 years to begin a claim normally starting on the date they were bitten.

While 3 years is a decent length of time to begin legal action, there is a fair amount of work that needs to be completed before your claim is filed. For instance, your solicitor may need to collect witness statements, request medical records or arrange an independent medical assessment to support your claim.

Therefore, rather than leaving matters until the last minute, we suggest that you start the claims process as soon as possible.

How Much Compensation for a Postman Bitten by a Dog?

If a postman who was bitten by a dog makes a successful personal injury claim they will be awarded compensation. The payout will normally be based on:

• The extent of any suffering the postman has endured (physical and psychological) as well as any impact their injuries have on their usual activities (general damages).
• Any costs, financial losses or expenses caused by the dog attack (special damages).

When calculating general damages, solicitors will normally review hospital records and independent medical reports to ascertain the level of suffering the dog bite has caused.

Special damages could also form part of your compensation award if your claim is won and could cover:

• Medical expenses such as the cost of private plastic surgery.
• Rehabilitation costs such as the cost of psychiatric support.
• Lost earnings and future loss of income.
• Replacement costs for any personal property damaged during the attack.
• Home adaptations if you have been left disabled after the incident.
• Care and support costs at home.

To see how much compensation could be paid to a postman bitten by a dog, please call the number above today.

Do You Need a Solicitor for a Dog Bite Claim?

When a postman makes a dog bite claim, they are entitled to manage the claims process alone but may find things easier if they hire a solicitor who has experience in similar claims.

Some of the ways our accident-at-work solicitors could help postal workers to claim for dog bite injuries include:

• Helping to secure evidence to prove what happened.
• Identifying the correct party and the grounds to make the claim.
• Handling all negotiations and communication with the defendant’s insurers.
• Sending you regular updates so that you’re aware of how your claim is progressing.
• Using their legal and negotiation skills to try and ensure a fair settlement is made if your claim is won.

Our solicitors offer No Win, No Fee services for postmen and women bitten by a dog to claim compensation. That means that you don’t need to pay your solicitor for any work they carry out unless compensation is awarded.

The type of contract that allows No Win, No Fee dog bite claims is called a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).

The CFA explains that if compensation is paid, your solicitor can deduct a percentage of your settlement as their success fee. This percentage is capped at 25 per cent however for your protection.

How Long Will the Claims Process Take?

The time it will take a postman bitten by a dog to claim compensation for their injuries is dependent on several factors:

1. The severity of their injuries.
2. Whether the defendant accepts liability for the dog bite.
3. How long the postman takes to recover.

For instance, if you suffered bruising and a minor cut following a dog bite on your round, you may receive compensation for your suffering within 3 to 5 months. This could be possible if the defendant admits liability right away and your injuries have completely healed.

Conversely, if you’ve sustained serious nerve damage after a dog bit your leg while you were making a delivery and you’ll need further surgery to try to heal the wound, your claim could take as long as a year (or more in some cases). In this example, it may be the case that your solicitor will request interim payments to help you financially while your claim is still ongoing.

Contacting Us About a Dog Bite Injury Claim

If you’re a postman who has been bitten by a dog at work, we could help you to claim compensation. To find out your options, you can:

• Call 0333 241 2519 to speak to a specialist advisor.
• Use our live chat function any time of day or night.

All dog bite compensation claims handled by our solicitors are processed on a No Win, No Fee basis. As such, if your case proceeds, you’ll only pay for your solicitor’s work if you receive a compensation payout.