You have an animal

You have been injured because an animal suddenly crossed the road. A road accident caused by suddenly crossing wildlife is quite common. In many places in the Veluwe you are warned about this by a road sign. You can also hit a domesticated animal, such as a horse that has escaped from its stable. Or a dog running loose and suddenly crossing the cycle path.

If you have hit an animal, the first question you ask yourself is: what to do? Who should you call? Who is liable after a collision with an animal? Where can you turn to with your claim? We discuss all possible situations with you in this article. After this, you will know exactly what to do if you have suffered personal injury after a collision with an animal.

You have hit a deer

In the eastern part of the Netherlands, you can be injured by suddenly crossing wildlife. Such accidents often involve deer and roe deer. Especially at night and during the mating season, you are at risk of colliding with a deer in certain areas. You may also be startled, swerve and crash into a tree. You could be seriously injured in either case.

Have you hit a deer or roe deer? Then it is important that you call 112 immediately. Stay where you are. If you have hit a deer, you will not be fined. However, driving on after a collision with a wild animal is punishable. A collision with a large wild animal often results in personal injury. A wild animal just does not have an owner. So after a collision with a deer, there is no one to admit liability. However, you can still claim compensation if you have hit an animal if you have taken out a passenger damage insurance (SVI). If you have hit a deer or roe deer, this insurance will reimburse your damages. SVI insurance reimburses your damages in both situations:

  • When you have hit a wild animal
  • When you swerve from a wild animal and hit a tree as a result

You may also be injured due to a collision with another wild animal, such as a wild boar or badger. In those situations, you should also call the police immediately to report the animal hit. Even then, you can recover damages from your SVI insurance. Incidentally, you also have a duty to report if you have hit another wild animal but have not suffered any injury yourself.

If you are injured because you hit or tried to avoid a wild animal, such as a deer, you can have compensation claimed from your SVI insurance.

You hit a dog

Even in areas where it is not allowed, dogs often run loose on the streets. In most cases, the owner has the dog well under control. Still, it can happen that the dog suddenly shoots across the street. You may be seriously injured if you hit an unleashed dog on a bicycle. You can land wrong, causing brain damage. Even in the car, you can be seriously injured if a dog suddenly runs across the road. For example, if you brake too hard and lose control of the wheel.

If you hit a pet, you also have a reporting duty. In these situations, call hotline 114. If you have hit a dog, who can be held liable? A dog, unlike a deer, does have an owner. The dog’s owner faces strict liability. He or she is therefore almost always responsible for the dog’s behaviour. In a collision with a dog, you can therefore almost always hold the owner liable for your personal injury. Even if the dog was allowed to run loose in that area.

Have you been injured after hitting a dog? If so, the dog's owner can be held liable for your personal injury.

Insurer reimburses our legal assistanc

Did you already know that you are entitled to free legal assistance for personal injury? The insurer of the other party reimburses our out-of-court costs. You will therefore never receive a bill from us.

Calculate your compensation

You have hit a cat

You can take a big hit if you hit a cat on your bike. The same obviously applies if you swerve for a cat and your scooter tips over. Cats are only allowed to walk on the street. However, the owner remains liable for the cat. As with a dog, the owner of a cat faces strict liability. If you have hit a cat, liability for the collision lies with the owner. You are therefore entitled to compensation when you have hit a cat. After you hit the cat, however, you must report it.

Unfortunately, it is sometimes difficult to find out who owns the cat. In the Netherlands, almost all cats and dogs are microchipped. Only if you have hit the cat and it runs away, it becomes a tricky story. You can still rely on your SVI insurance then. Unfortunately, this does not apply to cyclists as they cannot take out such insurance.

Have you been injured after hitting a cat? If so, the cat's owner can be held liable for your personal injury.

You have hit a horse

Most horses stand quietly in a meadow or in the stable at the riding school. Horses are escape animals. If something scares them, they will try to flee. As a result, a horse may end up in dangerous places, such as the road. Unfortunately, you have experienced this after a collision with a horse.

A horse, like a dog and a cat, has an owner. Wild horses no longer exist in the Netherlands. The owner of a horse also faces strict liability. You hit the horse, but the owner is responsible for the horse. Liability in a horse collision lies with the owner. After all, you did not hit the horse intentionally. Usually, you can find out the owner by making enquiries in the neighbourhood or passing by the equestrian centre. In fact, a horse stabled at the equestrian centre may belong to another owner who stabled the horse there alone.

Of course, strict liability for owners also applies to other animals, such as cows, sheep and donkeys.

Have you been injured after hitting a horse? Then the owner of the horse can be held liable for your personal injury.

Animal hit, what now?

You have been injured after hitting an animal that suddenly crossed the road. It is important that you take the following steps afterwards:

  1. When you have hit a wild animal, call the police immediately. When you have hit a domestic or farm animal, call 114.
  2. Have your injuries treated by the ambulance staff or see your GP immediately.
  3. Engage a lawyer to get a determination of whether you are entitled to compensation.
  4. Keep a log in which you write down:
  • What injuries you have suffered
  • How you feel
  • What other damages you suffered as a result of the accident, such as missed income

Tip: try to take photos of your injuries, other damages, the animal and the scene of the accident. Your lawyer can use this as evidence in your personal injury case.

Always seek legal assistance

There is a lot on your mind when you have hit an animal and suffer personal injury. A lawyer can do a lot for you in this regard. Do you know the owner of the animal? Even then, we advise you to contact a lawyer. This is because you are entitled to full compensation for your damages. A compensation paid by the owner’s insurer if the owner has taken out liability insurance. So you do not have to feel guilty about it. Moreover, you did not cause the accident yourself.

Our lawyers have extensive experience in claiming compensation for animal accidents. With us, you will be assigned a personal lawyer who will take everything off your hands. This allows you to focus fully on your recovery. And our extrajudicial costs? Those are also reimbursed by the insurer of the liable party.

Contact us directly using the contact form, leaving your name and phone number. Tell us exactly what happened. We will call you back the same working day.

Ne oldu?

Aşağıdaki iletişim formunu doldurun ve uzmanlarımızdan ücretsiz ve yükümlülük altına girmeden danışmanlık alın!

JBL&G hukukçusu Irene van der Linden.

Kaza türünüz:*
Adınız:*
DD eğik çizgi MM eğik çizgi YYYY