A glass factory worker who sustained injuries to his lower limbs in a work accident has been awarded €120,000 by the High Court.
James Molloy (59), who was struck by several sheets of glass which fell from a trolley, is also entitled to a further sum for loss of earnings into the future which will be finalised at a later date.
Mr Molloy, Knight’s Crescent, Nenagh, Co Tipperary, sustained compression injuries to his lower limbs, back as well as several lacerations as a result of the accident at Tipperary Glass Ltd of Railway Road, Templemore Co Tipperary, on March 16, 2018.
Liability in the case had been admitted by Tipperary Glass and the action was before the court for assessment of damages only.
Mr Justice Garrett Simons said that Mr Molloy was entitled to €75,000 in general damages plus a further €38,000 in damages for a loss of earnings to date.
He is also to receive a sum equivalent to four years loss of future earnings which will be finalised later.
The judge said the accident had occurred because another employee had failed to properly secure the sheets of glass which were stacked on a trolley.
The glass that fell from the trolley impacted on Mr Molloy’s limbs.
Mr Molloy, the judge said, had estimated that the trolley had been carrying between 10 to 20 sheets of glass at the time, and the aggregate weight of the glass was 100kg.
Following the accident Mr Molloy was confined to bed for four to six weeks. His injuries took some time to heal, and he was left with permanent scarring on his legs, because of what had occurred.
The consensus of the medical evidence was that arising out of his injuries Mr Molloy was medically unfit for the sort of manual labour he had done at the glass factory, the judge said.
The judge was also satisfied that the current chronic back pain suffered by Mr Molloy was caused by the accident.
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