Phil and Robin McGraw are being sued by a former close friend over a dog bite.
Skin-care specialist Janet Harris, a frequent guest on “Dr. Phil” and a confidante of Robin McGraw, was bitten by the couple’s dog, Maggie, while visiting the McGraws in December 2009.
Harris claims the bite caused a severe arm infection, which led to profound hearing loss (due to antibiotics she took) and forced her to close her lucrative LA business when she couldn’t work.
The McGraws say Maggie, a Korean breed called a Jindo, bit Harris after being “inadvertently startled.”
The McGraws say they paid for Harris to take a lush Hawaiian vacation a few weeks later andgave her their homeowners insurance information — but that she never filed a claim.
“Over a year ago as our dog Maggie . . . was asleep on the floor in our home, she was inadvertently startled and snapped as a result,” Robin McGraw said in a statement, which included photos she took the day Maggie bit Harris and photos taken 10 days later.
“As the photos taken at the time show, it was minor,” McGraw said. “In fact, Janet stayed and visited, petting Maggie.”
Harris’ attorney, Larry Nagelberg, filed the personal injury lawsuit Wednesday in California Superior Court in Santa Monica.
“She’s had loss of earnings. She lost her business over the dog-bite incident,” he told The Post.
“Janet stayed in touch with Robin [after the incident] . . . everybody knew Robin and Janet were best friends . . . but after a few months Janet said to Robin that she was really worried, that she’s got a house payment, a kid in school and she didn’t know what to do.
“She didn’t get a real positive answer from Robin and felt abandoned.”
“Phillip and I have taken care of Janet,” McGraw said in her statement. “Janet is a friend and we continue to wish her well.”