A judge has approved a €40,000 settlement offer to a 12-year-old schoolboy who tripped on metal strips inserted in a pedestrian way to deter skateboarding.
The boy was injured and suffered scarring to his forehead following the incident.
Judge John O’Connor heard in the Circuit Civil Court that the metal strips had been built into a decorative stone area in Blessington Village, Co Wicklow, to prevent prevent skateboarders using it as a ramp.
The judge was told that three year old Eoin Fairbanks had been walking in the area in November 2012 when he tripped on one of the metal strips, falling and striking his forehead against another metal strip.
Eoin, now aged 12, had sued, through his father Dean Fairbanks, two Dublin based companies, Sistina Management Limited and Qualitas Property Partners Limited which, Judge O’Connor was told, had made a settlement offer of €40,000 to the boy.
The court heard that Eoin, of Burgage Manor, Blessington, had suffered a deep 3cm laceration to his forehead which had left a scar.
The boy had been treated in a local pharmacy before having been taken to the emergency department of Tallaght Hospital where his wound had been closed using glue and steri-strips.
Judge O’Connor was told in an affidavit by Ms Michelle Synott of Synott Lawline Solicitors for Eoin, that during negotiations the defendants had made an offer of settlement of €40,000 which was being recommended and which the court approved.
Both companies had entered full defences to the claim.
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