Actress files lawsuit against dog owner claiming she suffered facial 'disfigurement' from attack
An actress has filed a lawsuit against a dog owner after an alleged attack that reportedly left her with permanent facial injuries.
Natasha Wilson is seeking justice and compensation two years after an incident at a Los Angeles dog park brought her acting career to a grinding halt.
According to legal documents filed this week, the Lifetime network actress was walking her French bulldog at the West Hollywood Dog Park at around 9:40 pm on November 7, 2024.
During the late evening stroll, the actress claims she came across Gregory Marcel and his dog, 'Scruffy'.
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The lawsuit alleges that Marcel did not have his pooch on a leash at the time of the altercation and failed to protect the actress.
Wilson reportedly attempted to pick up her own dog to intervene, but the Scrufft allegedly jumped on her and knocked her to the ground.
The legal filing claims the defendant 'could not promptly reach, control, or restrain the dog' when the animal approached the actress and her pet.
It states that the unleashed Scruffy stood over Wilson's French bulldog 'in an aggressive and dominant posture' moments before the attack.
The filing alleges Scruffy continued the terrifying attack while the actress was 'on the ground attempting to shield her dog with her body and hands'.
Following the scuffle, Wilson and Marcel rushed straight to the emergency room at Cedars Sinai, where medical workers cleaned the wound and provided her with loose stitches.
She was also prescribed antibiotics before being discharged to continue her recovery from home.
According to the filing, doctors reportedly took precautions while addressing her 'facial laceration', focusing on 'the risk of infection associated with dog bites'.
"During the attack, Scruffy bit [Wilson] on the face, above her right eyebrow," the lawsuit alleged regarding the exact timeline of the attack.
"As a result of the incident, Wilson suffered a laceration above her right eyebrow requiring sutures and has been left with a permanent, visible, and painful scar, an altered eyebrow, hair pattern, and impaired movement of the right brow."
Wilson claims she has been unable to work in the two years since the incident originally took place and is now suing Marcel for various financial damages, including all of the medical expenses associated with her facial injuries, wage loss, and loss of future earnings capacity.
Medical professionals have since 'advised that she requires scar revision surgery and additional treatment'.
The actress stated that the ordeal resulted in 'shock and injury to her nervous system, all of which have caused great physical, mental, and nervous pain and suffering, disfigurement, and emotional distress'.
"As a further direct and proximate result of the bite, [Wilson] was prevented from attending to her usual occupation," the complaint added, "and thereby sustained a loss of earnings and an impairment of her earning capacity."
Wilson's last credit came from the 2024 movie Trust in Love - a movie about a record producer who struggled to juggle his career, marriage and family life.
UNILAD has contacted Gregory Marcel for comment.
Topics: Entertainment, Los Angeles
Joe Yates
