Chloe Grayson is a victim of an unprovoked dog attack which has left her cheek seriously scarred.
The nine-year-old suffered severe facial injuries when she was bitten by her neighbour’s dog on February 27th. She had gone into the kitchen to ask her mother for a glass of water when the attack occurred.
Nicola Grayson, who witnessed the incident, has described how blood was pouring down her daughter’s face. Chloe was screaming: “Mummy, I’m going to bleed to death.”
Not only has Chloe been physically scarred by her attack, but she has also been left emotionally distressed. “Emotionally it’s been very bumpy; she can change from being very happy and playful to being an emotional wreck, worrying if she’ll be allowed to go to a party because of her scar,” tells Nicola. Understandably she is now terrified of dogs.
Worryingly NHS statistics reveal that Chloe’s story is far from unique. They show that the number attending A&E following a dog attack has increased by more than 40% in the last four years to nearly 3,800 a year, and that children under the age of nine are most likely to be admitted. During this four year study the number of victims under 18 has more than doubled in London and increased by 80% in the West Midlands.
Rajiv Grover, consultant plastic surgeon and secretary of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, had this to say: “Plastic surgeons will see the most serious cases, and 80 per cent of my cases have been children. A little girl I treated recently, aged three of four, had horrendous facial injuries, with parts of her nose and eye lid missing. She’ll be left with scars for ever.”
The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 seeks to protect the public by prohibiting the following four breeds of dog: the pit bull terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Brasileiro. However, Nina Lakhani of the Independent highlights a worrying trend as other breeds, such as Staffordshire bull terriers and Rottweilers have recently become more popular with teenage owners, “Staffies” being the legal “hard dog” of choice.
If you have been attacked by a dog, Macks Solicitors will be happy to give you expert advice on making a compensation claim for the injuries and losses caused by the attack.