Question about reporting Dog attack (LS3 form)

[GHOSTman]

I'm in the process of filling out an LS3 form to claim damaages for a recent Dog attack. The only thing is...I'm a bit concerned the owner, who is a bit of a mental nutjob will be able to get access to my name and address if the union solicitors take it on.....so my question... will submitting a claim mean the owner will find out my name and address?

The last thing I want is him turning up with his family at my house, as the police, dog warden and council are already involved....a solicitors letter could tip him over the edge.

[meercat]

A valid concern and probablly exactly why your details probablly wont be made available to the guy. However give the CWU a call or email just to check. From past experience they have been very quick in getting back to me via email. Can you mention to the guy he might get a letter and tell him not to worry about it, it's not personal it's just a formality as you need to recover some of your lost earnings? If he gets funny walk away and call the police it's not your job to be dealing with nutters who can't control their dogs.

[GHOSTman]

A valid concern and probablly exactly why your details probablly wont be made available to the guy. However give the CWU a call or email just to check. From past experience they have been very quick in getting back to me via email. Can you mention to the guy he might get a letter and tell him not to worry about it, it's not personal it's just a formality as you need to recover some of your lost earnings? If he gets funny walk away and call the police it's not your job to be dealing with nutters who can't control their dogs.

thanks for the reply, i'll get on to the union legal tem, see if they can enlighten me. I'm fully expecting a confrontaion with said nutter as he usually sits outside his house most days, i'll probably do as you say and inform him it's nothing to do with me just a formality that happens with every dog attack.

[meercat]

Yep good idea, and hopefully he will belive you! Goodluck.

[IcanthelpthewayIam]

I wouldn't even say that to him, u could end up shooting yourself in the foot if you did, basically if he had a witness who could corroborate that then chances are it could affect your own claim, reason being he could get his solicitor to prove you were lying about some aspects of the incident, ie you told him in front of witnesses you did not start the procedure when you in fact did, so you could be shown as a liar in court and would only take a relatively small step for a decent solicitor to use that to get him off, best just to say nothing or say you don't want to discuss the matter

[meercat]

I think if he said 'you might get a letter about the dog incident, don't worry about it, it's not personal, I've made a claim for lost earnings and my union is dealing with it' he would be alright on the legal front. The incident is over, it's happened, what he says to the guy weeks after can't have any bearing on the damage the dog did or the claim no matter how good a solicitor opposes the claim. The guy is obviously on benifits he can't afford a solicitor anyway and one isn't going to offer to defend him against an open and shut case.

If he mentions it the guy is likely to appreciate the heads up and respect him for telling him straight rather than handing him a solicitors letter one day which he might take offence at.