Dogs knock over my mother, broken arm, what can I do.

Dollardog

67 - elderly - hope not!!

Loanranger

olias wrote: »

Sorry, just had to get my two pennyworth in. !!!!!! it was an accident - the dogs were running around excitedly in a park, that is there for the enjoyment of all - including the excercising of pets.
I used to live in Australia - please god, don't let us end up in with the situation they have there, with dogs banned from national parks, most public beaches and open spaces, and parks, and left with just tiny fenced in off leash areas in selected parks.
Yes, dogs should be under control, but they are animals, and even the best trained ones will occasionally run off like excited children when faced with new smells, places etc.

Olias

Hardly an enjoyable day for this lady, nor will she enjoy the next 6 weeks while her arm is healing.
This wasn't an accident at all, it was negligence by selfish people who don't give a toss about anyone else and who don't care that others get hurt by their actions.

Dollardog

olias wrote: »

Sorry, just had to get my two pennyworth in. !!!!!! it was an accident - the dogs were running around excitedly in a park, that is there for the enjoyment of all - including the excercising of pets.
I used to live in Australia - please god, don't let us end up in with the situation they have there, with dogs banned from national parks, most public beaches and open spaces, and parks, and left with just tiny fenced in off leash areas in selected parks.
Yes, dogs should be under control, but they are animals, and even the best trained ones will occasionally run off like excited children when faced with new smells, places etc.

Olias

My thoughts too, it would have been all the same if it had been children running around. My friend - who was elderly - 80's, got knocked over by some children, it was an accident, it was unfortunate and my friend broke her arm and was struggling for months, but at the end of the day, it was an accident, not something that anyone would have wanted to happen, she didn't say she was going to sue the children or their parents. The parents were most apologetic and made sure she got taken to hospital, they sent her a lovely bunch of flowers.

moggymutt

I can see both sides here. I hope your mum is recovers quickly.

I also see us getting to a state were Health and safety rules continue to get stricter and stricter because of the constant fear of an accident happening and people suing.

Twenty five years ago when I did have to put in a claim for my dog (he wrote off a car the one and only time he got loose on a road), my insurance told me that they rarely ever had 3rd party claims. I hate to think how many they have these days.

I think you have to think along the lines of- if you accidentally hit the back of someone's foot with a shopping trolley whilst in a supermarket, and broke their ankle, would you expect/want to be sued? If you stood waiting to pay in a queue and somebody fell over your shopping bags that you had put down by your feet, would you expect to be sued? Without meaning to, we all accidentally cause accidents to others. If we all get sued we'll soon none of us be brave enough to leave our houses, or indeed let any visitors into our houses in case they trip/fall over anything .

geri1965_2

headpin wrote: »

The problem here is what is the legal interpretation of "injures"? There is no guidance offered and it may not cover someone being knocked over, but refers tomsay being bitten, mauled, etc. what you need is some proper legal advice from someone who has experience in this area, not some ambulance chasing no win no fee £££ grabber.

Are you for real? Of course a broken arm is classed as an injury!

I agree the OP needs to seek legal advice, my own view is that there is a good chance of a successful claim, as the dogs should have been kept under control in a public place.

moggymutt

Yikes, is somebody calling 67 elderly?- if I called my 67 year (and older) friends elderly, I'd be walking around with a black eye that most certainly wouldn't be accidental.

olias

Loanranger wrote: »

Hardly an enjoyable day for this lady, nor will she enjoy the next 6 weeks while her arm is healing.
This wasn't an accident at all, it was negligence by selfish people who don't give a toss about anyone else and who don't care that others get hurt by their actions.

Blimey your a bundle of laughs, remind me not to invite you out for a walk with my dogs, lol.

Olias

catkins

thebull wrote: »

I think the law states that dog owners MUST have there dogs under control at ALL times .
I would sue them as a dog owner myself I am sick of having too remonstrate with BAD owners who do not keep there charges on a leash .

I contacted my local dog warden a couple of months ago about people that walk their dogs along the pavements near me. Quite a few of them have no control over their dogs at all - some used to run up to my dog and hassle him and he hated dogs doing that when he was onlead, others run over peoples' front gardens often messing and one ran into the road. The dog warden told me it was not illegal for a dog to be offlead unless it was dangerous

iammarmite

digimortal wrote: »

Hi,

As the title says really, Im now left looking after my elderly mother, with a broken arm, after being knocked over by two dogs running around while out walking.

What should or can I do about this, I have the name and mobile number of the dog owners, they said they have dog insurance.

I feel its wrong how people can let there dogs run wild in a public place, cause injury to my mother who just happens to be walking past them at the time. She is the one left with 5 hours in A&E, costs of hospital trips and the hassle of having an arm in a sling, while the owners just continue there day..

bit of a rant, but thanks for any help or assistance..

Digimortal- im sorry about your mother. It sounds like the dog owners have been generous to come over and apologise (correct me if im wrong?)- most people would of just walked away without batting an eyelid.

Where abouts did this happen?

iammarmite

olias wrote: »

Sorry, just had to get my two pennyworth in. !!!!!! it was an accident - the dogs were running around excitedly in a park, that is there for the enjoyment of all - including the excercising of pets.
I used to live in Australia - please god, don't let us end up in with the situation they have there, with dogs banned from national parks, most public beaches and open spaces, and parks, and left with just tiny fenced in off leash areas in selected parks.
Yes, dogs should be under control, but they are animals, and even the best trained ones will occasionally run off like excited children when faced with new smells, places etc.

Olias

I do have to agree with this- and as my last post more or less said, if they didn't care...they would of walked away without batting an eyelid.