Cyclist wins £65K after an out-of-control dog entangled with his bicycle

Posted: November 30, 2015

Posted in: Animal Attacks Bicycle Accidents Head and Brain Injuries Public Place Accidents 

A cyclist has been awarded £65,000 in compensation after suffering an injury caused by a dog walker allowing her dog lead to become entangled in his bike. 59-year-old Anthony Steele suffered serious injuries in the incident after he was thrown off his bike when the dog darted in front of him and caused the lead to become entangled in the spokes. Mr Steele was left unconscious after the injury and was later found to have fractured his skull.

The accident happened along the promenade at the seafront in Heyshame, Lancashire. The dog-walker had been in her 70s and had been walking the dog as a favour for a friend. After Mr Steele dedicated three years to tracking down the pensioner responsible for the accident, the woman agreed to an out-of-court settlement.

“To raise awareness of how dangerous retractable dog leads can be”

Mr Steele said: “All I wanted out of this was to get the financial support I needed for my rehabilitation and to raise awareness of how dangerous retractable dog leads can be, especially if people don’t know what they’re doing with them.”

Mr Steele, who has been a keen cyclist for over 20 years, had been training for a Coast-to-Coast cycling event, which he was going to participate in with friends in August 2012, when the accident happened. The father-of-two has been left with permanent hearing damage since the accident and sometimes suffers with dizziness.

Mr Steele’s lawyer urged people to ensure that their dog’s leads are strong enough to control their dogs, he said: “Mr Steele’s injuries could have been averted if the owner was in control.”

If you have suffered a cycling-related injury or an injury in a public place, and are looking to claim compensation, please contact us. 

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