An 11-year-old boy whose leg was scarred when he was bitten by a neighbour’s greyhound in Dublin, has been awarded €27,500 damages against the dog owner.
Milan Nasyron, of Kilkee House, Clarehall, sued Fiona Coggins through his mother Evita Hoverun at the Circuit Civil Court over the incident which happened as he put his bicycle in a communal basement carpark at a residential development on the Malahide Road on May 25th, 2017.
Kevin D’Arcy, counsel for the boy, said Ms Coggins, of Quilty House, Clarehall Village, had through negligence allowed the greyhound to escape and roam without a muzzle and attack Milan, who was nine at the time.
He told Circuit Court President Mr Justice Raymond Groarke that Ms Coggins failed to take proper remedial action following previous incidents involving the dog and Milan had suffered personal injuries and distress as a result.
Lunged
Mr D’Arcy said the dog lunged at Milan from the direction of Ms Coggins’ car parking area and attacked him, puncturing the back of his left thigh. He was knocked forward in the attack, resulting in a right knee laceration. He managed to run to a lift and get away from the situation.
Milan was brought to the emergency department of Temple Street Children’s University Hospital where his puncture wound was cleaned and dressed and he was treated with antibiotics.
He was left with a half inch scar on his right knee and a small puncture scar on the back of his left thigh. Milan subsequently suffered from anxiety and had developed a fear of dogs, the court heard.
Judge Groarke, who examined the scar on Milan’s leg, said it could be described from a boy’s point of view as a badge of honour but felt the €27,500 settlement offer was a good one, which he approved with an order for costs.