Providing Adequate Compensation to Victims of Dangerous Dogs

Over recent years there have been a number of high-profile cases where dogs have attacked members of the public. Cases where attacks have resulted in the victim dying, like when John-Paul Massey was mauled to death by an illegal breed of pit bull in his grandmother's house in Liverpool in 2008, have propelled the issue to the front pages of the national news, and to the forefront of the public's consciousness. It now seems like incidences of youngsters suffering serious injuries after viscious dog attacks are reported in the media almost every week, but it isn't just the young that are vulnerable to attacks by dogs. It is estimated that there are around 6 dog attacks each day on Royal Mail employees, for instance. A postman in Sheffield was awarded £7,000 worth of personal injury compensation after he was dragged and mauled for 15 minutes by a Staffordshire terrier while out on his rounds. Though there are various campaigns to get dangerous dogs off Britain's streets through various means, including further bans on certain breeds, stricter sentences for irresponsible owners, and better education around the dangers dogs pose, new laws implemented by the government have been criticised for being too tame. In May of this year it was announced that irresponsible dog owners could face a minimum of 6 months in jail, with other proposals recommending measures covering personal injury claims that victims can make and the compensation that they receive. Victims receiving adequate personal injury compensation when suffering such attacks might sometimes seem like too little too late. But knowing that personal injury claims of this nature are given full credence by the law is important to instil a sense of justice for victims, while tougher sentences show that our society will not tolerate the levels of irresponsibility that some dog owners demonstrate.