A peaceful ride interrupted.
It was a typical September afternoon in Edinburgh when Lenny set out on his usual ride along National Cycle Route 75 - a scenic path following the Water of Leith.
The route, popular with walkers, runners, and families, is a shared-use path where cyclists and pedestrians co-exist. Travelling at less than 5mph, Lenny was enjoying a steady ride near Colinton Dell when a Doberman suddenly appeared from the left-hand side of the path.
The dog was off-lead, so Lenny braked cautiously. The dog ran off, and with no one else in sight, Lenny continued carefully along the route.
A second dog and a sudden crash.
Moments later, another Doberman darted out from the shrubbery — also off-lead — and ran directly into Lenny's path. With no time to react, Lenny collided with the dog and was thrown over his handlebars.
The impact left him with multiple injuries including cuts, soft tissue damage, road rash, and post-concussion symptoms. The aftermath was not only physical — Lenny also experienced anxiety and depression following the incident.
Holding the dog owners accountable.
Initially, Lenny tried to resolve matters directly with the dog owners, who mentioned they had pet insurance. However, communication soon broke down. Realising he needed expert help, Lenny turned to Cycle Law Scotland to pursue a negligence claim.
The team argued that the owners had failed in their duty of care by allowing their dogs to roam freely on a shared-use cycle path, creating a foreseeable risk of injury.
A fair settlement and a reminder for all.
This case serves as a reminder that dog owners must maintain control of their pets in public spaces, especially on mixed-use paths frequented by cyclists.
It also highlights the importance of having adequate pet or home insurance in place to cover any incidents that may occur.
Our Award Winning Team
Brenda Mitchell
Senior Partner
Brenda has been a Personal Injury Lawyer for over 38 years and for the last 20 years has specialised representing injured motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians.
Jodi Gordon
Partner
Jodi is a Partner at RTA Law LLP with 14+ years’ experience in catastrophic injury claims for vulnerable road users including cyclists and motorcyclists.
Thomas Mitchell
Partner
Thomas represents clients who have been involved in road traffic incidents and he specialises in representing vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.
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