A boy who was injured when a scooter he was riding hit a piece of timber left protruding from the garden wall of a house has settled a High Court action for €50,000.
Liam David Hanson, then aged eight, was travelling on the footpath along Westbrook Heights in Balbriggan, Co Dublin, on July 14th 2016, when he hit what was believed to be a kitchen worktop that was protruding on to the footpath after being left by workman on a garden wall.
Through his mother, Deborah Manning, of Moylaragh Crescent, Balbriggan, he sued Jamie Tiernan and Helen McCusker, both of Westbrook Heights; kitchen installers Tierney Kitchens Retail, of Stephenstown Business Park, Balbriggan; the East Coast Kitchen Factory and Ion Tomoiaga, both of KCR Business Estate, Kimmage.
Conor Halpin SC, for Liam, now aged 13, said the boy did not see the wood until the last minute. He sustained lacerations to his face and received stitches, which had left scarring on his forehead.
Counsel said an offer of €50,000 had been made to settle the case. The defendants had denied liability and had also pleaded contributory negligence. There was no psychological issue about the scarring and the boy was a “very competent young man”, counsel said.
His mother told the court she was happy with the offer. After viewing the scarring via video link, Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy said the resolution of the scars was significant and she approved the “very good” €50,000 offer.