Lifetime star Natasha Wilson sues dog owner over permanent injuries

Natasha Wilson, the actress known for Lifetime movies including “The Best Version of Love” and “Single and Ready to Jingle,” filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday, Nov. 3, alleging that a dog bite to her face in November 2024 left her with permanent injuries that have disrupted her ability to work, Bellingham Herald reported.

The complaint, obtained by USA TODAY, claims the attack occurred at a dog park in West Hollywood, California, when defendant Gregory Marcel’s dog Scruffy, who was off a leash, approached Wilson’s French bulldog “and stood over it in an aggressive and dominant posture.”

When Wilson picked up her dog, she alleges Scruffy jumped on her and began to attack. “Scruffy continued to attack, while Wilson was on the ground attempting to shield her dog with her body and hands,” the suit reads, alleging Marcel only intervened after the dog bit Wilson in the face.

Scruffy Attacked Wilson at the West Hollywood Dog Park

Marcel accompanied Wilson to the hospital after the incident, where he “did not dispute” her account of what happened, according to the filing. The suit states 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, hypersensitivity at the wound site and impaired movement of her right brow.

She has been advised that she requires scar revision surgery and additional treatment, the documents say.

Permanent Scar Cost Wilson Work, Lawsuit Claims

The filing claims the injuries extend “to her health, strength, and activity” as well as “her nervous system and person,” causing “great physical, mental, and nervous pain and suffering, disfigurement, and emotional distress.” The bite also “prevented” Wilson “from attending to her usual occupation,” resulting in lost earnings and impaired earning capacity that she believes will continue, per the suit.

According to her IMDb page, Wilson’s most recent role was in the 2024 independent comedy-drama “Trust in Love,” the same year as the alleged attack.

Wilson Alleges Marcel Knew Scruffy Had Aggressive Tendencies

The lawsuit alleges Marcel knew his dog had “aggressive tendencies” and failed in his “duty to exercise reasonable care in controlling, supervising, and restraining Scruffy so as to prevent Scruffy from injuring persons lawfully present at the dog park.”

Wilson is seeking economic damages covering medical expenses, wage loss, loss of earning capacity, litigation costs and interest, Yahoo reported.

Questions Readers Ask About Natasha Wilson’s Lawsuit

Who is Natasha Wilson? She is an actress known for roles in Lifetime television movies such as “The Best Version of Love” and “Single and Ready to Jingle,” with her most recent credit in the 2024 independent film “Trust in Love,” according to her IMDb page.

What injuries did the dog bite cause? Court documents say the bite left Wilson with a permanent, visible and painful scar above her right eyebrow, altered eyebrow hair growth, hypersensitivity at the wound and impaired movement of her right brow, and that she requires scar revision surgery.

Where did the attack happen? The alleged incident occurred in November 2024 at a dog park in West Hollywood, California, when Gregory Marcel’s off-leash dog Scruffy attacked Wilson while she was with her French bulldog.

What is Wilson seeking in the lawsuit? She is seeking economic damages for medical expenses, lost wages, loss of future earning capacity, litigation costs and interest, alleging the injuries prevented her from working.

The lawsuit arrives nearly two years after the November 2024 incident, though her most recent role was in an independent film that same year.