Dog attack costs man R120 000

2006-05-12 08:08

Liela Magnus

Pretoria - A Standerton man has been ordered to pay R120 000 to a doctor who was attacked by his dogs while jogging past his house.

William Sonnen, 48, and Dr Gerhardus Herbst, 60, agreed on Thursday in the Pretoria High Court that Sonnen would pay R120 000 as well as Herbst's legal costs.

Herbst broke his wrist after Sonnen's dogs attacked him in January 2002. The dogs slipped out of the gate when Sonnen opened it to drive in his car.

Court documents state the dogs attacked Herbst again when he walked onto the property to discuss the attack with Sonnen. Herbst fell on his back when the dogs attacked him for the second time. He had to fend off the dogs while Sonnen apparently did nothing to help or try to get his dogs under control.

Herbst initially claimed R500 000 for among other things pain and suffering, medical expenses, future medical expenses and loss of income. Herbst was in a plaster cast for six weeks, preventing him from doing his work as a doctor properly.

Sonnen denied that the dogs had attacked the doctor. He said they were guard dogs and were protecting their territory when they attacked Herbst in the yard.

- Beeld