Girl, 10, awarded nearly €20k for injuries sustained in 2015 accident
A Circuit Civil Court judge has approved a settlement offer of more than €19,500 to a then-five-year-old Co Wicklow girl who was injured in a hit and run accident in 2015.
In a remote hearing, barrister Karen Nolan, who appeared with solicitor Liam Moloney for the girl, now 10, told the court the driver of a stolen car had fled the scene after his uninsured vehicle had rear-ended the family car of the girl's mother Aoifanna Phibbs.
Ms Nolan said the accident happened while Ms Phibbs was exiting a car park on Kylemore Road, Dublin.
“It was a frightening experience,” Ms Nolan said.
Counsel said the girl had suffered sleeping difficulties, which included night terrors, following the accident.
The Personal Injuries Board had assessed damages at €12,000 which had been rejected last year as inadequate by Mr Justice Raymond Groarke.
Ms Nolan said she and the girl's Naas-based solicitor, Mr Moloney, had gone back to the defendant, the Motor Insurance Bureau of Ireland which steps into the shoes of untraced and uninsured drivers, and the MIBI had made an increased settlement offer of €19,533 including expenses.
Judge John O’Connor, who heard the girl's legal team was recommending acceptance of the new offer, said he thought it was “just about” reasonable and fair and approved the settlement.
Ms Nolan had told the court that the girl had fully recovered from her injuries four years after the accident.
Judge O’Connor awarded Circuit Court costs against the MIBI and directed a pay-out of €1,533 to Mr Moloney’s legal firm to cover additional expenses associated with the prosecution of the case which had been promoted on behalf of the girl's mother, Aoifanna.
