- Date: November 4, 2004
- Victim’s Age: 55
- Victim’s Sex: Female
- Occupation: N/A
- Place: Ontario
- Compensation/ Settlement Amount: $10,000.00
- Breed of Dog: Bull Mastiff
- On/Off property: On
- Owner of the dog: Friend
- Chained: No
- Relationship to dog: Non-Family
- Multiple dogs: No
- Injuries sustained: bite to right cheek
Summary
On November 4, 2004, a 55-year-old Ontario woman was attacked by her friend’s bull mastiff dog.
The attack
The woman had visited her friend’s house on multiple occasions prior to the attack and was familiar with the dog. One day after visiting with her friend she was getting ready to leave. She bent over to pat the dog when it lunged at her and bit her on the face.
The injuries
The woman suffered a serious wound to her right cheek. Her wound required 19 stitches and formed a 20mm by 12 mm H-shaped scar on her cheek. The wound became infected and caused an infection in her teeth. As a result of the infection, her teeth were removed and replaced with dentures. She also suffered from nightmares and developed a fear of dogs after the attack.
Liability
At trial, it was discovered that the dog had previously bitten someone. The dog was put down following the second attack. The dog owner was found fully responsible for the woman’s injuries.
Compensation
At the time of her injuries the woman was a Canadian resident however was not eligible for provincial health insurance so she paid for her medical expenses out of pocket. She was awarded $5000 to cover her medical expenses. Furthermore, the judge awarded her $5000 for general damages. In total, she received $10,000 from the lawsuit.