It happened during Batman and Robin (When Dick took on the Batman mantle because Bruce was believed to be dead, and Damian was his Robin) when they were fighting Flamingo, a ridiculously flamboyant villain that I’ve never really seen mentioned outside of this one incident honestly. He downs Damian by shooting him in the side, and then proceeds to shoot him four more times in the back point blank.
(Batman and Robin Issue #6)
When Dick is able to get to him, he’s (somehow) still alive and conscious but he’s paralyzed from the waist down.
(Batman and Robin Issue #6)
Talia’s medics show up and take him back to her, where she essentially replaces his spine with some super-expensive high-tech one in a really painful looking procedure, which is how he would have gotten that scar.
(Batman and Robin Issue #7)
She then tries to convince Damian that Dick and Alfred and everybody are just using him as a tool for their own means, and are trying to tame and control him. Damian argues against it (especially her comments about Dick), and returns back to Gotham saying that he’s not going to be her weapon against them,
As it turns out, Talia had already put her own plans into place long before that, and what she had actually implanted in her son’s back was a way to literally control him. It isn’t until he’s been back in Gotham for a while that this is discovered, when she tries to get him to kill Dick while they’re out hunting for Bruce.
(Batman and Robin Issue #10)
Jesus Talia you are super messed up.
Then she hands the controls over to Slade Wilson who is super creepy about it and ever-fixated on Dick Grayson.
And then there’s a long battle of Damian trying not to kill Dick while Dick tries not to hurt Damain (too much anyway, he slams him face-first into a tree but I’m sure he’s fine) and Slade spouts his usual “You ruined my life and I’m going to kill you” speech until Dick basically electricutes him through Damain.
(Batman and Robin Issue #12)
Again, I’m sure he’s fine, thanks for asking Dick.
They go and pay Talia a little visit and smash the machine (and hit Slade with his own IV stand) and ummmm that’s the very very long answer to your question and a whole bunch of extra crap that you didn’t ask for.
Daintyfire 