There are more than two million dogs in the Netherlands. This makes these animals the most popular pets in our country. But the presence of all these dogs is not without risk. About 150,000 people are bitten by dogs each year. One in five victims is seriously injured, many of them children. This is evident from police figures.
Injuries after a dog bite
A common injury caused by a dog bite is damaged tissue (skin, muscles, and tendons) in the arms, legs, and face. After a dog bite, there is a risk of inflammation, which can aggravate the injury. In addition, visible scars often remain after such an incident. As a result of the traumatic event of a dog attack, the victim often develops a severe fear of dogs. Some people don’t even dare to go out on the street for a while.
A dog attack can also lead to considerable financial damage, for example if the victim is unable to work for several weeks or has to incur costs for medical assistance. These costs can even be so high that they lead to financial problems, because the other costs will of course continue. That is why it is good to know that the damage can be recovered from the owner of the dog.
Liability
Pursuant to Section 6:179 of the Dutch Civil Code, the owner of an animal is liable for all damage caused by the animal. There does not even have to be any fault, even if the dog owner could not have done anything about the accident, there is still liability and all damage suffered by the victim must be compensated. The law provides strict liability for owners of animals.
Recoverable damage
The compensation that can be claimed after a dog bite, as with other types of personal injury, depends on the personal situation of the victim. This includes the following damage items:
- Loss of income as a result of the event
- Compensation for the pain and discomfort suffered
- Any costs incurred in connection with the injury
Expert legal assistance
Determining and arranging personal injury claims is a legal specialty. It is important that this is done carefully so that the full damage is compensated. Only advocates specialized in personal injury are able to provide proper advice in this regard. The best thing to do is to find a personal injury lawyer in your area.
Would you like to submit a personal injury case to us for advice? Please feel free to contact us.