In a recent Eastern Cape High Court case, the victim of a vicious dog attack sued a whopping R2.4 million from a dog owner, when three dogs escaped from the dog owner’s property and attacked the plaintiff. Hectic!

As a result of the attack, the victim was left physically (and emotionally) scared. He sadly lost his left arm in his quest for survival against the three canine attackers.  The dog owner denied liability, as a third-party intruder had left the gate open. What a rooky mistake!

 

But, can a person claim R2.4 million for a dog attack?

 

Totally! According to Willie van Wyk, a director at Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr, under actio de pauperie, a victim of a dog bite can claim for damages from a dog owner without having to prove fault. "An application for leave to appeal was heard on 21 February 2019 and leave to appeal was denied," said van Wyk.

3 Ways to avoid expensive lawsuits like this one:

 

  1. Be a dotsure.co.za client

 

Make sure you’ve got third-party liability cover for your pets. Luckily, you’re insured with us, so we’ve already got your back with awesome third-party liability cover! dotsure.co.za will protect you against any damages caused by your pooch to other people’s property, bodies or pets.

 

  1. Be a responsible pet parent

 

Keep your dog on your property and ensure that all gates are locked. Keep strangers and small kids away from your barking buddy. Insurers won’t pay out if you are negligent! #sorry

 

  1. Read the fine print

 

It’s important to read and to understand your policy documents.

We do not pay out third-party liability claims under the following conditions:

 

  • Negligence – when the gate is open, and someone walks close to the gate and the person gets bitten by the dog.
  • If there is no proof, we cannot pay out the claim. However, we always try to look at and compare similar recorded cases.
  • Family and people residing on the property are excluded.
  • Providing proof is extremely important. Third-party gets 60 days for the claim to be investigated. The client only gets 48 hours to provide proof.

 

If you’ve got any questions or concerns regarding your third-party liability cover, please feel free to contact us at 0861 dotsure (3687873) or email us, u2us@dotsure.co.za.

Protect your neighbours, man’s best friend and yourself from unnecessary drama and expenses.