James McNally, AKA The Dog Bite Solicitor, looks at whether a vet can claim compensation after being injured by an animal.
Anyone who has been bitten, kicked, crushed or otherwise injured while working with animals may be entitled to claim compensation. Veterinary injuries are common, but that does not mean they are inevitable or that you have to accept them as part of the job.
How common is it for vets and veterinary workers to be injured at work?
A study of veterinary students in the UK and Ireland found that almost half had suffered an animal-related injury during their degree. Most injuries occurred during placements and involved routine veterinary tasks such as restraining animals, handling cattle, examining horses and treating dogs.
The findings suggest that these incidents are not unusual or unexpected. They are well-known occupational risks that should be properly managed.
Is being injured by an animal really just ‘Part of the job’?
Many vets and veterinary staff are told that bites, kicks, and crush injuries are simply part of veterinary practice. However, the law takes a different view.
While working with animals will always involve some risk, employers and others responsible for your safety at work are expected to take reasonable steps to prevent foreseeable injuries.
The question is not whether the animal caused the injury. The question is whether more could and should have been done to prevent it.
Who is responsible if a vet or another veterinary worker is injured?
Legal responsibility for an injury caused by an animal depends on the circumstances.
Potential claims may be brought against:
- Veterinary employers.
- Placement providers.
- Farms and agricultural businesses.
- Animal owners.
- Anyone who had control of the animal when the accident occurred.
In some situations, liability may arise under the Animals Act 1971 as well as ordinary negligence principles.
Can I claim compensation if I was bitten by a dog while treating it?
Yes. A veterinary professional does not lose the right to claim compensation simply because they work with animals.
Many successful legal claims arise where there was inadequate restraint, a failure to warn about previous aggressive behaviour, poor staffing levels, or inadequate risk management.
In our experience, communication failures are often at the heart of these cases. Information about an animal’s known behavioural risks is frequently not passed to the vet treating it until it is too late.
Can I claim compensation for psychological trauma after an animal injury?
Yes. Academic research examining dog attack compensation claims, which we ourselves have co-authored, has found that psychological injuries are extremely common, including anxiety, phobias, post traumatic stress disorder, sleep disturbance, and loss of confidence.
For veterinary professionals, these injuries can be particularly significant because they may affect confidence around the very animals they work with every day.
What compensation can an injured vet claim?
Compensation may include:
- Pain, suffering, and loss of amenity.
- Psychological injuries.
- Loss of earnings.
- Future loss of earnings.
- Medical treatment and rehabilitation costs.
- Reduced earning capacity.
- Career disadvantage caused by the injury.
The value of a claim depends on the specific nature of the injuries and their effect on your work and life.
What should I do if I have been injured while working with animals?
If you have been injured at work as a vet, veterinary nurse, student vet or animal professional, it is important to obtain legal advice as early as possible.
We have extensive experience acting for people injured by animals and understand the unique issues that arise in veterinary injury claims.
So, if you have been bitten, kicked, crushed or otherwise injured while carrying out veterinary work, contact our specialist personal injury team for a free consultation. We will confirm whether you have a claim and guide you through the process of recovering compensation.