Scar Injury Compensation

A twelve year old girl has been awarded 20,000 Euros in Dublin´s Circuit Civil Court as compensation for tripping on pavement and sustaining a permanent scar from her accident.

Kodie Geoghegan Dowdall, from Ballymun in Dublin, was just seven years of age when the accident occurred in December 2006 as she was en route to visiting her aunt who lived close by. Passing by a construction site managed by SIAC Construction of Clondalkin, Dublin, Kodie tripped and fell into a hole dug by the construction company.

Kodie suffered cuts and bruises in the accident, one of which developed into a permanent scar. Through her mother, Kodie brought a tripped on pavement compensation claim against SIAC Construction and, although they denied liability for her injuries, an offer of compensation for tripping on pavement was made without admission of liability.

In the Circuit Civil Court, Mr Justice Matthew Deery heard that the proposed settlement was sufficient to resuture the scar when Kodie turns eighteen years of age and, as all compensation settlements for minors in Ireland have to be endorsed by a judge, Mr Justice Matthew Deery approved the compensation for tripping on pavement agreement.

A child, who was left with a permanent scar after walking through an unmarked glass door while on a family holiday in Spain, has had a settlement of facial scarring injury compensation approved in the Circuit Civil Court in Dublin.

Hayden Carr (8) of Dublin was just six years of age when the accident occurred in 2009. Walking out onto the balcony of the apartment in Salou where his family were staying, Hayden did not realise that the plate glass door which separated the balcony from the rest of the suite had been closed and walked straight through it.

Hayden sustained a terrible gash to his forehead which has left a permanent scar and, after seeking legal advice, Hayden´s family made a claim for facial scarring injury compensation against the insurers of Budget Travel Ltd (now in liquidation) of Dublin through whom the family had booked the holiday.

At the Civil Circuit Court in Dublin, Circuit Court President Mr Justice Matthew Deery heard that the travel agent´s insurers had offered a compensation settlement of 17,500 Euros as the door had been unmarked and it was impossible for Hayden to tell if it was open or closed, and that the case was before him for approval of the damages.

A six year old girl has had an award for compensation for a rash caused by a sofa approved in the Circuit Civil Court after developing a skin condition due to chemicals used in its manufacture.

Mr Justice Matthew Deery heard in court how Holly David of Clonee, County Dublin, was just two years of age when her family purchased the sofa in 2006 from Argos Ltd. Holly and her family began to develop skin problems and tingly rashes shortly after the purchase of the sofa, and Holly had to receive medical treatment for dermatitis.

Holly’s family replaced the sofa, which was later found to contain the mould inhibitor dimethyl fumarate – a chemical which has subsequently been banned in the EU for use in sofas, and which prompted Argos Ltd to recall the product in 2009.

Holly’s mother, Gabriela, sought legal counsel and an application was made to the Injuries Board Ireland for compensation on the grounds of product liability. The Injuries Board assessed Holly’s case and recommended a settlement of 10,000 Euros – a figure accepted by both Holly’s family and Argos Ltd, but one which had to be approved in court due to Holly being a minor.