Getting Good Legal Protection For Animal Claims

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Bringing a successful claim for animals involves getting good legal protection and finding a suitable solicitor. The area of law is largely governed by the 1971 Animals Act, which distinguishes between animals that are dangerous and those that are non-dangerous. The solicitor will decide which is most suitable.

People keeping dangerous animals will find that there is strict liability if that animal should cause any damage. It is not a requirement to prove that the defendant is to blame, as the liability will be imposed for the fact that the wrong has occurred rather than for a particular fault. However, the solicitor will be able to advise the defendant about any possible defences.

Domesticated animals that are usually considered harmless will only cause their keeper to be liable for damage if there is cause for fear of any unusual characteristics that would mean that the animal is a potential danger.

There will only be liability for personal injury claims, as stated in section two. The keeper may be liable if it can be proved under section three that he is the owner of the animal or that he has it in his possession, or that he is the head of the household for which a young member owns or has the animal in possession.

If the animal strays, the original keeper remains liable unless another person fulfils the requirements of section six, subsection three. There can therefore be more than one keeper, which gives the claimant further protection as they may have a choice of who to sue.

Section six, subsection two concerns dangerous animals. The definition is provided as an animal that is not of common domestication in the United Kingdom, as well as having characteristics when fully grown that would lead to the causation of severe damage unless restrained, or that any damage they may cause would be severe.

Potential ferocious animals such as tigers clearly fall within this definition. Other animals not known for their ferocity, such as elephants, are also included in the definition as their size means that any damage they may cause is likely to be severe. What is dangerous is therefore a question of relevant law rather than just fact, so getting good legal protection requires finding a solicitor that can assess the most appropriate area of law.


About the Author:
Byron Jonas knows good legal protection for animal claims is important. He found that McLaughlins Solicitors offered information on good legal protection. He was also assisted with criminal law options that would best suit him and his legal needs.



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


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