$67,000 Award - Dog Bite - Permanent Scarring To Five Year-Old Girl

The minor child was attacked by a golden retriever suffering bites to her right elbow, right forearm and right wrist. The wounds healed with visible scarring, including a hypertrophic scar, near the young girl's elbow. A plastic surgeon opined that while a revision surgery might soften the appearance of the scarring, the scars would remain visible and that there was even a risk that the scars would be worsened by the surgery. Additionally, the little girl was now fearful around dogs and she was self-conscious of her scars especially when her classmates asked or teased her about them. Attorney Graves further argued that it was probable that the young girl's upset about the appearance of these scars would increase as she entered into adolescence and young adulthood. The arbitrator awarded $67,760.05.