Local solicitors specialising in animal injury claims nationwide
Animal injury claims are highly specialised and we are one of the UK’s most experienced solicitors in this area of law. To find out if you have a claim contact us now.
Animal injury claims are one of our niche areas of practice. Being a west country based firm of solicitors specialising in accident cases, it will come as no surprise to learn we have a particular expertise in this area. However, our expertise extends well beyond our local area; we have a national reputation as one of the country’s leading specialists, especially in relation to dog bite claims.
In the past, the courts tended to favour the animal owner over the injured party. However, in recent years judges have shown more sympathy towards the people who have suffered injury. Owners or keepers of animal will be held legally responsible where they have failed to take proper care or responsibility for their animal, or where they are in breach of a complex piece of law called the Animals Act.
Although many animal owners are insured these days, the insurance companies who are responsible for paying compensation to victims do all they can to defend these cases. And because there is widespread misunderstandings about the law (even among lawyers) the insurers often get away with it.
We have taken over and succeeded in many animal injury claims that other solicitors up and down the country have already investigated and rejected because of their lack of expertise. You can read a summary of one such case here.
And because we are confident in our ability to recover compensation for our clients we are willing to deal with animal injury claims on a no win, no fee basis.
Most of the claims we handle involve dogs, horses, ponies, and farm livestock such as cows. The characteristics and traits of each breed of animal need to be carefully considered, alongside the circumstances of the accident itself for a claim to succeed under the Act.
If you suffer an animal related injury it’s vitally important that the solicitor dealing with your claim is familiar with this niche area of law. Our specialist animal injury claim team can call upon a huge amount of experience in dealing with these claims. Over the years we have successfully recovered very significant sums of compensation for numerous clients including:
- a painter and decorator, bitten by a client’s dog;
- a vet, charged and trampled by a cow;
- a couple whose car was hit by an out of control horse; and
- a toddler, kicked in the head by a pony at a petting zoo;
Our specialist Animals Unit is headed by former Devon and Exeter Law Society Young Solicitor of the Year, James McNally. James is primarily based at our Taunton office where he handles animal injury claims throughout the country. However, if you are local then James can see you at any of our offices in Devon and Somerset.
For a free assessment of your animal injury claim contact us now.