Girl attacked by sheepdog while playing near home settles High Court action for €60,000

A girl who was attacked by a dog while playing near her home in Co Laois five years ago has settled a High Court action for €60,000.

Anna McCausland was five when a young sheepdog jumped on her unprovoked and bit her right ear as she played with friends in a housing estate in Portlaoise.

Sharbee Morrin, instructed by solicitor Eric Boland, told the High Court that his client sustained a laceration across the bottom part of her ear that almost completely severed the ear lobe.

Anna was brought to Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise and later transferred to a Dublin hospital where she underwent surgery under general anaesthetic. The wound was cleaned and repaired with sutures.

A plastic surgeon noted a 2cm long laceration at the girl’s ear lobe as a result of the November 7th, 2021, dog attack.

Morrin said Anna also had post-traumatic stress disorder for six months and had been left with an anxiety over dogs. He said the girl has made a good recovery and her family now owns a dog.

Anna McCausland, Woodgrove, Ballyfin Road, Portlaoise, had, through her mother Yvonne McCausland, sued Elaine and Colm Burke, also of Woodgrove estate, over the dog attack. The Burkes were the owners of the dog.

In the proceedings, it was claimed the girl was the subject of an unprovoked attack by the dog, who bit her on the ear and arm. It was claimed there was a failure to take any reasonable care to prevent injury to child by the dog and there was a failure to have any or any adequate system for the control or restraint of the dog.

It was further claimed there was a failure to have any or any adequate procedures for supervising the dog.

Liability was admitted in the case, which was before the court for assessment of damages only.

Approving the settlement, Judge Paul Coffey wished Anna all the best for the future. He said he wanted to acknowledge what was a huge trauma for a young girl and noted that she had done well since.