A four-year-old girl who suffered a 6cm cut to her leg from a school bench with a protruding rusty nail has been awarded damages of €22,500 in the Circuit Civil Court.
Circuit Court President Judge Raymond Groarke heard that Kaoise McNamara of Edenmore Avenue, Raheny had sued St Eithne’s National School and St Monica’s Infant Girl’s School for €60,000 damages for personal injuries arising she suffered in the incident that occurred on June 30th, 2008.
Counsel for Kaoise, Mark O’ Connell, told the court his client had suffered a lateral cut to the back of her right leg below her knee. He said the nail had been concealed at the back of the bench.
Kaoise, who is now 15 years old, had been taken to hospital where she had received a tetanus injection and had her wound cleaned. She had sutures applied as there had been considerable bleeding and had been given a prescription of painkillers before being discharged.
The court heard that when Kaoise, who sued through her mother Linda Forristal, had reached the age of 10 she had become conscious of how the scar looked. Today, she was aware of it during sporting events and social occasions and would usually cover it up with trousers or high knee-socks.
Judge Groarke approved the settlement offer of €22,500.