Car Accident Aid News » Child Accidents
Child Accidents
Posted: February 15th, 2022
A High Court ice rink accident compensation action has been settled for an “all-in figure” of €32,500 for a young boy who had his small finger cut down to his first first knuckle.
When, in the incident, the boy slipped and fell on the ice rink, another person using the ice rink skated over his hand.
Legal costs in the case were assessed at €8,445 by the court, meaning that there is just over €24,000 remaining for the boy, who is now 16 years old.
The boy, who was aged just eight when the accident occurred in 2013, lost the top of his little finger to the first knuckle on his left hand in the accident at a Donegal ice rink. Due to the incident his little finger on the left hand is now almost 17mms shorter than the right-hand little finger.
As he ordered that the boy not be identified publicly. Justice Simons told those present that the boy was involved in a traumatic accident and sustained a permanent disfigurement to his left hand.
When the Judge was informed that a settlement had been agreed between the boy’s father and the operators of the ice rink when the accident occurred, R&A Leisure Ltd in Newtowncunningham, Co Donegal. Initially the legal action submitted to the court suggested that €20,000 compensation for the boy, and legal costs would be €12,500. Presiding Judge Justice Garrett Simons had adjourned the action in order to permit the child’s solicitor to produce an assessment as to what the appropriate amount for legal expenses should be.
The judge informed the court that multiple settlement offers had been submitted by solicitors representing the defendant to settle the case, with the first being an “all in figure” divided into €7,500 in damages and €7,500 in legal costs. He went on to say that the application before him to approve that settlement was turned down as the sum of damages did not reflect a reasonable settlement.
Following the new mediation talks , the judge confirmed that two better improved offers had been submitted. The most recent offer included an all-in figure of €32,500 with damages assessed as €20,000 and legal costs amounting to €12,500.
Posted: May 1st, 2021
At the Circuit Civil Court a road traffic accident car crash settlement offer fo €25,000 for a six-year-old girl was approved by Judge James McCourt recently.
The crash, which occurred during 2018, lead to a great deal of trauma and stress for a young girl that was involved. Judge John McCourt was told that Missy Elliott, who was just three years old at the time that the crash occurred, had to deal with a lot of anxiety that Father Christmas might be unable to get to her house that particular year.
Now a Primary School pupil, Miss too the legal action against Denis Osula – the driver of the other vehicle involved in the collision, through her mother Ms Cherie Byrne, of Hampton Wood, Finglas, Dublin 11. The court was informed that Mr Osula had crash in the back of the car that the Elliott family were travelling in.
Barrister Robert Crowley, representing Missy along with Collins Crowley solicitors, told Justice McCourt that Missy was a restrained passenger in the family car when the car that was being driven by Mr Osula (with an address at College View, Ballymun, Gateway Crescent, Dublin 11) during September 2018.
While Missy did not sustain any trace of physical injuries as a result of the car crash, Mr Crowley told the Court that she attended Dr Helen Leader, a consultant kid psychiatrist as well as cognitive behaviour professional, so they her mental well being could be gauged following the shocking incident.
In her assessment, Dr Leader said that Missy’s anxieties, an poor sleeping, pointed to an adjustment problem. Dr Leader also commented, in the official medical report that was submitted to the court, that Missy had clearly not suffered any long-term physical damage as a result of the car crash.
When it was put to Mr Crowley, by Justice McCourt, that a lot of children of Missy’s age would be prone to experiencing anxiety connected with Father Christmas bringing gifts at Christmas time, he agreed, However, he continued to to say that there was clear evidence that the young girl also developed poor sleeping patterns and anxiety due to being in the road traffic collision.
While approving the settlement offer, Justice McCourt commented that he had no qualms about approving the compensation settlement and added that Missy’s parents were content with it.
Posted: March 6th, 2020
A high court childer injury compensation settlement of €75,000 has approved in favour of a 12-year old boy who, as a toddler, broke his arm when he fell through a skylight in a hotel grounds.
ory Veighey McCabe , attending a wedding with his family sat the MOyvalley Hotel, Co Kildare when he fell through an skylight, which was embedded in the ground, and dropped ten feet to the floor. Rory was playing on a grassy area when the accident occurred. There were many skylights in the grassy area to provide light to a tunnel used by staff to access the hotel kitchens from outside of the hotel.
On the day that Rory was attending the wedding with his family he, and some of the other children in attendance, used the corridor to go outside and play when the speeches were taking place. It was when these speeches were being held that Rory has the accident where he dropped through the skylight and hit the ground 10 feet below him. on the tunnel floor. There was, allegedly, no security in place to prevent anyone from falling through the skylight, making this a particularly dangerous hazard for children.
Rory tool the child injury compensation action through his mother Nicola Veighey, of Kilcock, Co Kildare against the proprietors of the hotel, Moyvalley Hotel and Leisure Company in relation to the accident on June 22,2010. John Kennedy SC, legal representative for the Veighey family, informed the court that liability was not being contested in the case.
Mr Kennedy informed the court that, even though Rory was not left unconscious as a result of the accident he suffer due to the cuts and broken arm that he sustained. In addition to this three of his baby teeth fell out in the accident.
As he was giving his approval for the hotel accident compensation settlement, Justice Kevin Cross said that the young boy was very lucky not to have sustained a brain injury as a result of the fall. Justice Cross said that he felt the settlement figure agreed was appropriate and gave his approval for it before wishing Rory well for the future.
Posted: July 17th, 2019
A young girl who fractured her ankle jumping off a trampoline has settled her fractured ankle compensation action for €35,000 at the High Court.
Legal representation for 13-year-old Shauna O’Gorman told the court that they believed there had been a failure to oversee the activity on the trampoline properly, a failure to ensure the matting was safely in place and that a hazard was allegedly creating an obstruction in the activity area.
These allegations were not accepted denied by the defendants and it was claimed that there was alleged negligence on the part of the school girl. The argument was that the girl landed on a crash mat in an awkward fashion. Along with this the defence said that the girl had not made them aware that she had previously broken her left foot.
The defence team also stated that Shauna had not adhered to the specific and repeated instructions given to her regarding the correct style to land on the mats.
Shauna was at a gymnastic event as part of a school tour and children were taking turns jumping on the trampoline. Ms O’Gorman, who had previously jumped on the trampoline once, was just finishing her second go when the accident happened.
Sara Moorehead SC, legal counsel for Shauna, told the Judge that the children were jumping on the matting on the floor. Another parent said that she was of the opinion that the mats on the floor were not close enough together.
Justice Kevin Cross was told that an MRI last year indicated that the child’s ankle was now as good as new. After the accident Shauna had a plaster on her ankle and was not allowed to go on the first week of a family in Turkey that year. However she was permitted to fly to her family for the second week.
Shauna, took the fractured ankle compensation claim via her father Joseph O’Gorman, against Irish Gymnastics Ltd, trading as Gymnastics Ireland with offices at Blanchardstown, Dublin and which operates as Excel Gymnastics, Celbridge Industrial Estate, Celbridge, Co Kildare due to the accident that happened on June 12, 2015.
In giving his approval for the child injury compensation settlement,
Mr Justice Kevin Cross said it was a good settlement as it was possible that Ms O’Gorman would not succeed if the case continued.
Posted: June 27th, 2019
A girl has been awarded €22,500 school accident injury compensation after she suffered a 6cm cut to her leg from a school bench with a protruding rusty nail when she was only four years old.
Circuit Court President Mr Justice Raymond Groarke was informed that Kaoise McNamara, of Raheny, Dublin 5, had taken the legal action against St Eithne’s National School and St Monica’s Infant Girls’ School for €60,000 damages in relation to the injuries she suffered in the incident that took place on June 30, 2008.
Legal representative for now 15-year old Ms McNamara, Mark O’Connell, told the court his client had sustained a lateral cut to the back of her right leg below her knee. He told the judge that the nail had been hidden at the back of the bench.
After the accident occurred, Ms McNamara, who took the schoolyard accident compensation action through her mother Linda Forristal, was given some medical attention. This included having her wound cleaned and she was also was given a tetanus injection in hospital.
In addition to this, she had sutures applied as there had been a considerable amount of bleeding and had been given a prescription of painkillers, before being discharged and sent home with her parents.
Posted: May 10th, 2019
Two young girls, sisters, have been awarded €17,000 in road traffic passenger accident damages in relation to an accident during which their father crashed the car that they were travelling in into a wall.
Even though both of the young sisters were both correctly wearing seatbelts, they were both thrown backwards and forwards around the car. The road traffic accident happened during April, 2016.
Letterkenny-based GP Dr James McDaid treated both of the young girls following the incident and he advised the court that they were suffering from the classic symptoms associated with whiplash injuries. Legal counsel for the two young sisters Barrister Gareth McGrory told Letterkenny Circuit Court that the children were only 5- and 4-years-of-age at the time that the accident took place.
Medics recorded that both of the sisters we suffering with chest pain and muscle injury. They were further treated and then diagnosed when they were taken to Letterkenny University hospital following the road traffic accident.
As is normal a compensation action for a road traffic accident will take into account all pain and suffering sustained, psychological trauma, loss of earning, future loss of earnings and damage to property. In relation to this the Judge was told that both girls have made a full recovery in relation to all of the injuries that they suffered in the accident.
Justice Judge John Aylmer informed the court that he was happy to recommend the offer of €17,000 road traffic injury compensation for the two young girls involved in the accident.
Posted: December 12th, 2018
€30,000 faulty product compensation has been awarded to a teenage student at the Circuit Civil Court after she, allegedly, swallowed a chocolate spread that had tiny shards of glass in it.
16-year-old Jamie Lee McAdam, submitted the product injury compensation action via her mother Natasha, against Ferrero UK Limited, Greenford, England, manufacturers of Nutella chocolate spread.
Judge Justice Groarke was told that the incident had affected Jamie Lee’s eating habits and she had experienced weight loss and ongoing episodes of abdominal pain. Legal representative for Jamie Lee, Barrister William Binchy, told the Judge that she (Jamie Lee) had been offered a compensation settlement of €31,600 by the defendant. Mr Binchy was asking Judge Groarke to approve the settlement.
Mr Binchy informed Judge Groarke that Jamie Lee had been injured after eating Nutella spread on a bagel that her mother had prepared for her. While reviewing Jamie Lee’s injury, her family found there were numerous miniscule pieces of glass in the Nutella that remained in the bottom of the jar after she had eaten the spread.
The jar of Nutella was produced in the United Kingdom, by the company Ferrero, and purchased in a sealed jar at an Irish supermarket. Mr Binchy said Jamie Lee had become concerned in the hours following the event when she started to experience stomach pains. Her mother had made contact with Temple Street Children’s Hospital and had been told by staff to bring her daughter to the hospital to be seen.
She had been seen by a Doctor and W-rays were carried out. However, no fragments of glass had been found and she had been allowed to return home without any further treatment being required. The following day Jamie Lee was unable to remain in school as she was complaining from more pain.
Judge Groarke approved the personal injury compensation offer which will remain in court funds until Jamie Lee turns 18 years of age.
Posted: April 26th, 2018
A 23-months-old infant, who had not been conceived when his older sister Vanessa passed away in a hit-and-run incident in Dublin’s Phoenix Park on April 6, 2015, was awarded €1,500 personal injury compensation last Tuesday.
The child in question, Marcel Siatka, was born on May 24, 2016 one year and 47 days after his sister died.
Legal representative for the Siatka family, Barrister Conor Kearney told Circuit Civil Court Judge Terence O’Sullivan that the Injuries Board had assessed damages of €42,777 to be divided between between Vanessa’s family and to pay for the cost of her funeral.
The Injuries Board had not, according to Mr Kearney, taken compensation for Marcel into account in its final assessment. Judge O’Sullivan was told that, as per the Civil Liability Act, the claim that Mr Siatka had taken was on behalf of members of his family, including Marcel. Mr Siatka, who lives at Brandon Square, Waterville, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, said Vanessa had a brother born more than a year after her death, who was not considered in the award settlement.
Mr Kearney said that the fact that the Circuit Court had to approve the assessment and the parents had stated that they would be happy with the approved amount being shared with Marcel. Judge O’Sullivan said it was not a happy duty to split money between families but he was of the opinion that it was proper to mark the fact that Marcel would, no doubt, inquire about his sister in future and would encounter some grief regarding her death.
He directed that the €6,000 set aside for the three grandparents should be reduced to €1,500 each so Marcel could also receive €1,500 and he directed that Marcel’s money be paid into court.
Posted: March 23rd, 2018
three young brothers from Dublin have been awarded €85,000 Car Accident Compensation due to injuries experienced when a a wheel came loose from an SUV on a motorway.
Barrister John Nolan told Circuit Court President Raymond Groarke in the Circuit Civil Court that Mr Simon Sweeney was driving on the M9 Motorway in Co Kilkenny with his family when the accident occurred.
The three Sweeney brothers,- James aged ll, Stephen aged 15 and Jason aged 17 – took the legal action against Pat White Cars based at Longmile Road, Dublin; Kia Motors (UK), Calmount Park, Dublin and their father Simon Sweeney with an address at Kilcarrig Close, Fettercairn, Tallaght, Dublin 24, who was driving the vehicle when the accident took place.
The money was awarded was as follows: James was awarded €25,000 compensation; Jason was awarded €35,000 compensation and brother Stephen was awarded €25,000 compensation from Pat White Cars and Kia Motors UK. Both of these businesses had made car accident compensation settlement offers to the brothers.
O’Brien Ronayne Solicitors representing Mr Nolan, advised the court that when the rear driver’s side wheel fell off the KIA SUV the car lost control and crashed into the centre barrier, injuring all of the people that were in the vehicle at the time.
The Court was told that compensations claims relating to adults travelling in the vehicle had previously been handled in the High Court. Mr Nolan told the Court that the accident had occurred on 20th March 2011, a little more than one year after Michelle Sweeney had purchased the 2006 vehicle at Pat White Cars. He said the family had first being taken to Kilkenny Hospital but later had been treated at Tallaght Hospital.
Stephen, who uses a wheel chair, had been tied secrurely into the back seats of the vehicle and firemen had to cut him out of the seat. The three brothers had not sustained serious physical injuries in the car crash but had suffered from post-accident trauma.
Posted: October 9th, 2017
Two young sisters from Lucan, Co Dublin have been awarded €33,000 in road traffic compensation due to an incident that saw the car that they were travelling in rear ended in February 2016.
The girls, aged seven and five years old, Amy and Izy Saul were involved in the road traffic collision when a car owned by Tadgh Hartnett, hit their family car which it was travelling behind.
The two girls, with a family address at Rossberry Terrace, Lucan, Dublin were represented in court by Barrister Francis McGagh. Mr Hartnett, who was not present at Court, gave an address at AIG Insurance, North Wall, Dublin.
Mr McGagh advised presiding Circuit Court President Mr Justice Raymond Groarke that the Saul sisters were extremely lucky to avoid debilitating injuries and were absent for one day of school to see their local GP after the accident. However, he advised the Court that their local doctor saw that the young girls had been inflicted with psychological injuries due to the experiences of the road traffic accident.
An official medical report from their local doctor was provided that stated the girls’ had been inflicted with “a mild effect on the mental health”. He added that he expected this nervousness to fade over time.
The girls mother, Claire Saul, told the judge that she was content with the €33,000 road traffic compensation offered. Ms Saul made an affidavit to the court which said that both of the girls, who have their birthdays later this month, now tend to become nervous when travelling in a motor vehicle which their famoly doctor said, in the aforementioned report, was a commonly experienced symptom following such an road traffic accident.
AIG Insurance made the motor traffic compensation settlement offer of €16,500 each to the two girls, and their court expenses, on behalf of Mr Hartnett.
Posted: January 20th, 2017
A young boy, who sustained severe birth injuries because of a delayed Caesarean section, has been awarded €1.35 million.
The claim for medical negligence compensation was made on behalf of a six-year-old boy from Bantry, Co. Cork. He was delivered at Cork University Maternity Hospital in March 2010. The boy had been suffering from foetal distress syndrome before he was born, though the claim alleges that medical staff failed to correctly diagnose this from the results of a CTG scan.
As such, there was a delay in performing a Caesarean section on the boy’s mother. This lead to an oxygen-deprived environment in utero and the boy suffered from hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy, resulting in severe brain damage.
The extent of the brain damage has left the young boy unable to speak, see and suffering from daily seizures. He is cared for at home by his parents and extended family, but receives additional support from the Jack and Jill Foundation.
Acting on her son’s behalf, the boy’s mother made a claim for medical negligence compensation against the Health Service Executive (HSE). Though the HSE denied the allegations of negligence, they agreed to pay an interim settlement of compensation of €1.35 million without admitting liability. The settlement allows for an assessment of the boy’s condition and future care needs.
The child’s mother consulted a medical negligence solicitor before making a claim for compensation on her son’s behalf. The claim was made against the Health Service Executives, who contested the allegations of negligence. However, they offered to pay a €1.35 million interim settlement of compensation without admitting liability. Further assessments of the boy’s condition and care needs will be conducted before another settlement is paid.
As the claim was made on behalf of a minor, the settlement had to be approved in court before it could be awarded. During the hearing, the family detailed their difficult journey in claiming compensation and expressed their relief that the process was finally over. Wishing the family the best for the future, Mr Justice Kevin Cross approved the settlement and adjourned the case for three years.
Posted: July 9th, 2016
A six-figure settlement of compensation has been awarded to a teenage girl who was injured whilst on holiday with her family as a child.
Shauna Burke, then aged ten, was staying at the Slattery Caravan Park in Co. Clare in 2009 when the accident occurred. Whist Shauna was playing with other children at the park, she ran past a pole in a communal area that had a nail jutting from it. This nail scraped along Shauna’s leg and caused a deep laceration.
Despite the quick medical attention that was administered to Shauna, once the injury had healed she was still left with a large scar to her leg. Shauna’s father, John, decided to seek medical counsel on her behalf and proceeded to make a claim for personal injury compensation against Austin Francis Slattery, the owner of the caravan park.
In the claim for compensation, John accused Slattery of negligence as he alleges that the park owner was aware of the potential risk that the nail posed, as it was in a place popular with residents. Slattery denied liability, though did make an offer of compensation worth €106,000 to account for Shauna’s suffering to date and future medical care.
However, as the claim was made on behalf of a minor, the settlement had to approved by a High Court judge to ensure it is in Shauna’s best interest. As such, the case was overseen by Mr Justice Anthony Barr at Dublin’s High Court earlier this month. After hearing the details of the case, and inspecting Shauna’s scar, the judge commented that he was happy to approve the settlement.
Shauna will soon turn eighteen, and until that point the settlement will be paid into interest-yielding court funds.
Posted: July 26th, 2015
The Circuit Court has refused to approve a compensation settlement of €15,000 for a young girl who suffered psychological trauma whilst attending a crèche.
The child in question, Emilie Kiely – aged four from Sandyford in Dublin – began attending her Giraffe Crèche when she was just eight months old. By September 2012, she was moved to the “Toddlers Room”, but after the move her parents noticed their child becoming increasingly anxious and worried. This was particularly evident in the morning when they were getting ready to drop her off at the facility.
However, in May 2013, RTE’s Prime Time aired a documentary entitled “A Breach of Trust” that alleged Emilie’s crèche of mistreating its charges. Upon seeing this exposé, Emilie was withdrawn from the crèche. Footage included a carer that was responsible for their daughter screaming at another child.
Emilie parents then sought legal counsel before proceeding to make a claim on behalf of their daughter for the psychological trauma she endured. In the claim, John Kiely – Emilie’s father – alleged that her behaviour had altered after entry to the Toddlers’ Room. He claims that she would cry “No crèche” in the morning and that she was terrorised and upset because of the breach in the crèche’s duty of care.
The claim for compensation was contested by Giraffe Childcare and Early Learning Centre, though an offer of compensation totalling €15,000 was offered without an admission of liability. This offer then had to be presented to a judge for approval, as the claim was made on behalf of a minor.
The case proceeded to the Circuit Civil Court, where it was heard by Judge James O’Donahue. However, the judge ruled that – given the amount of trauma and upset Emilie had endured – that the settlement was not a sufficient sum.
The judge then ruled that the case would have another hearing before a different judge. This will have implications for twenty-five other claims for child psychological trauma compensation made against Giraffe Childcare and Early Learning Centre. Emilie’s parents, along with many other parents of affected children – have also commenced legal action concerning the crèche’s breach of contract.
