Saturday, April 04, 2009

Medical compensation?

Something has been bugging my M since this morning, and I'm sorta the source of it. The thing is, I got into a fight this morning.

Some dogs were barking at another dog outside the gate and I was standing there being the busybody (I wasn't barking) to check out what's happening. The next thing I knew, I was caught in a fight with one of the barking dogs (Miniature Schnauzer).

(M: One thing I know about Helios is that he's timid. Sometimes he might growl in fear when he sense a dominant big dog but he doesn't start the fight. Usually it's the other dog who will start the attack and Helios will fight back but he usually loses/ gets pinned down.)

Back to the fight this morning, the MS owner tried to stop the fight by throwing himself between us and Aunty M managed to grab me twice and pulled me away a tiny bit but the MS came charging back. It was only the 3rd grab that the MS's owner managed to grab him while Aunty M caught me.

The MS was ok, I got a slight cut on my tongue which most likely it's where I bit myself, but the owner of the MS got a wound on his arm about 2cm long which might require stitches.

(M: I felt quite bad and wondered if I should offer to pay for his medical, but then I wasn't sure if it was Helios who bit him, and I'm quite sure Helios didn't start the fight. His MS seems a little dominant as he was involved in a 'quarrel' with another MS earlier (no actual fight, just lots of sounds). The owner didn't say anything much, he was more concerned about his dog, and mentioned that his wound looks bad. I did say I'm sorry but I just stopped at that.)

It was only after he left that another eye witness said that most likely Helios bit him when he was grabbing Helios from the behind and Helios might have turned and snapped.


So now my M is wondering if she should have offered to pay for his medical bill, but would it have amounted to admitting that I was in the wrong?

(M: I feel bad that he got wounded but I don't think that it's entirely Helios fault that the fight started, especially when the MS kept coming back after they were separated.)

What do you think my M should have done?

8 comments:

Beyond said...

Just leave it as it is :)

Well, Helio also suffered injury.
If the MS owner want any compensation, he would have done it already. Then Helio need to ask for compensation too :P

Homer said...

Well, you have apologised, but he didn't and it was his dog who started the fight. I would just leave it.

In the worst scenario, if you have to pay for the medical bills, I would just offer to pay half. The MS owner should also be responsible for his dog as well. My two cents worth.

Hey Helios... we have some similarities. We are too friendly and too trusting and I don't think I'll know how to fight. It was Missus who has been fighting for me all these time.

Love,
Homer

Lynn said...

i've been caught in a similar situation. since it was helios who bit the MS's owner, perhaps it would've just been courteous to offer, but from experience, its never a good idea to try and separate two fighting dogs as they will turn and bite anything that obstructs their way as they are 'concentrating' on the fight. if the MS owner had any pride, he would've rejected your offer as you were going above and beyond what was required of you(if anything at all!) and it was clearly HIS fault for interfering.

perhaps you could try and see how bad the cut is(perhaps from the medical report his doctor churns out) and try to re-negotiate how much you would pay, since you have already offered. you are already being very kind, i hope he does not try to take advantage of that fact.

Helios said...

Oh... my M didn't offer to compensate, and the guy didn't ask for it too. She just wondered if she should have offered at that point in time.

Snowball said...

IMO, I would not offered compensation as in the first place, when the other dog is the one who is attacking you, the owner should grab HIS OWN dog what is he doing grabbing you when you are only trying to defend yourself from the attack? If I were in your position, I will feel really insecure and bite any hands that try to keep me from protecting myself.

Luv
Snowball

Charlie said...

I think your M did just the right thing! If the MS' owner knows he starts fights (and he must), then he shouldn't let him get in a position to do so (e.g. let him off-leash or close to other dogs who have to defend themselves like you). Plus, when you have to fight for your life, you shouldn't be expected to differentiate between the enemy & his owner.

Anonymous said...

Hi. I agree with the comment that in a fight, the owner should grab his/her own dog and pull him/her away. If it was not clear cut as to who bit the MS owner, then don't probe. Plus if the owner didn't outrightly say it Helios did it, then he too wasn't sure himself. So, in my opinion, as long as you apologised (anyway he didn't right?) that should be fine. IF you see him again next time, just perhaps ask if his cut/wound has healed nicely. And leave it as that. Case clased.

Helios: We hope you are ok.

Cav & Toby

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