Schoolgirl who fractured her ankle jumping off trampoline settles case for €35k
A schoolgirl who fractured her ankle as she jumped off a trampoline four years ago has settled her High Court action for €35,000.
Shauna O'Gorman, Mr Justice Kevin Cross was told, was attending a gymnastic event as part of a school tour and the children were lining up and taking turns jumping on the trampoline.
The girl had already jumped on the trampoline once and was just finishing her second go when the accident happened as she jumped off.
Shauna O'Gorman, now aged 13 of Shanliss Avenue, Santry, had through her father Joseph O'Gorman sued Irish Gymnastics Ltd, trading as Gymnastics Ireland with offices at Blanchardstown, Dublin and which carries on business at Excel Gymnastics, Celbridge Industrial Estate, Celbridge, Co. Kildare, as a result of the accident on June 12, 2015.
Shauna was on the premises as part of a school tour group and was participating in an activity of jumping on the trampoline when the accident occurred.
It was claimed there was an alleged failure to direct the activity appropriately and an alleged failure to ensure the matting was properly and appropriately placed.
It was further claimed a hazard was allegedly allowed to be exposed in the activity area.
The claims were denied and it was contended there was alleged negligence on the part of the little girl who, it was claimed, landed on a crash mat in an awkward manner and that she had also allegedly failed to say she previously had broken her left foot.
It was also claimed the girl allegedly failed to follow the specific and repeated instructions given to her regarding the correct way to land on the mats.
Shauna's counsel, Sara Moorehead SC, told the court that the children were jumping on to matting on the floor and an independent witness on their side, another parent, would say she felt the mats on the floor were not close enough together.
The fracture of the ankle, counsel said, was "uneventful" and an MRI last year showed the child's ankle was back to normal.
The court heard the little girl had a plaster on her ankle and could not go on holiday to Turkey for the first week of the family holiday that year but was allowed to fly for the second week.
Approving the settlement Mr Justice Kevin Cross said it was a good one and there was a risk if the case went on Shauna may not succeed.
