Left handed soldier hurt shooting right handed weapon settles court action
A left-handed former Army reservist who had sued the Minister for Defence arising out of injuries he sustained by firing a gun which it was claimed was suitable only for right-handed persons, has today settled his High Court action.
Jason Dunne (aged 35), with an address in Durrus, Co Cork, took an action for damages against the Minister for Defence for negligence and breach of duty as a result of the injuries he sustained to his left eye after he was struck by a blank cartilage expelled from a weapon during the filming of a promotional video at Coolmoney Camp, The Glen of Immal, Co Wicklow on July 6 1998.
Mr Dunne had further claimed that the defendant had exposed to danger by using a defective rifle, had failed to provide him with a rifle with equal safety features for left handed soldiers as exist for right handed soldiers, and had failed to instruct him never to use a gun in the left handed position.
The claims were denied.
Shortly after the case opened at the High Court, before Mr Justice John Quirke today the parties entered talks and a settlement was reached.
None of the terms of the settlement were revealed.
In opening the case, counsel for Mr Dunne Richard Kean SC said that on the date the accident occurred his client, who rose to the rank of corporal in what was the FCA, was taking part in a promotional video shoot for the reserve.
Counsel said that the soldiers where instructed to firing blanks from a FN rifle, at waist level, while charging down a slope.
Counsel said that the when fired by a right-handed person the cartilage goes away from that person's body. His client, it was claimed was not provided with a breach located on the left hand side of the gun.
Mr Kean also told the court that the FN rifle, which should be fired from shoulder level, was deemed unsuitable for use by the permanent members of the defence force, and was given to the FCA for use in training.
Counsel added that on July 22, 1998 an instruction was issued by army's General Office in Command that soldiers were not to use the FN rifle in their left hands.
It was claimed that as a result of the incident Mr Dunne, a design technician, suffered a severe perforating injury to his left eye.
The surface of the eye was torn and there was internal bleeding. It was claimed that as a result of his injuries Mr Dunne, can only work part-time and has had difficulties in driving.
