The widow of a Welshman who died at a stag weekend in Galway has settled a High Court action for €250,000.
Father-of-one Sam Rowlands became disoriented after he left a Galway city centre pub to go back to his hotel and ended up on a road outside the city where he was hit by a taxi, the court heard.
Mr Rowlands (30) had arrived in Galway on Friday, June 16, 2017 for a stag weekend, but died after being hit by a taxi at Bushypark on the N59 Moycullen Road in the early hours of June 17.
Yesterday, Mr Justice Garrett Simons was told that construction worker Mr Rowlands had spent about eight-and-a-half hours in the pub before the accident.
His widow Lowri Jennet Rowlands had sued the taxi driver Imran Khan, of Rahoon, Galway, over the accident.
Her counsel Michael O’Connor BL told the court there was an “atrocious liability issue“ in the case.
Counsel said Mr Rowlands had covered some distance after leaving the city centre pub and was observed by one witness staggering out on to the road.
The taxi driver, he said, was returning from dropping off a fare and according to his account Mr Rowlands almost jumped on the bonnet of the car and appeared suddenly in front of the taxi.
An inquest into his death heard how one motorist had to earlier swerve when a man matching the Welsh man’s description stumbled out on to the road. Mr Khan, the inquest heard, was driving at 50-55kmh in the 100kmh speed zone as there was a bend in the road and he said he was “in no rush”.
Counsel said he was “concerned about the liability position to the say the least”.
In an affidavit, Ms Jennet Rowlands said when her husband left the city centre pub it appears he became disoriented and lost his way.
She said it appears he was trying to hail a taxi when he was hit by a car.
He suffered a brain injury and she said ultimately it proved hopeless. The couple have a young son, Joseph, who is now six.
Approving the settlement, Mr Justice Simons noted no prosecution had been brought against the taxi driver. The judge said that in the circumstances it was a very good settlement.
Source: Irish Independent
