A teenage passenger who sustained a serious brain injury after a car collided with a tree during the Covid pandemic has settled a High Court case for €215,000, reports Breaking News.
The High Court heard that Dean Quinn Garry was just 15 years old when he left his home and got into a car with four others, reports Breaking News.
Another passenger, a 13-yr-old boy, lost his life when the vehicle veered off the road and struck a tree in the Lisclougher Great area of Delvin, Co Westmeath, in the early hours of June 10, 2020. Three other teenage boys in the car suffered injuries that were not life-threatening.
Counsel for the plaintiff, Jonathon Kilfeather, said Dean had been travelling in a car that was taken without the owner’s permission by another individual in the group, reports Breaking News.
The court heard the vehicle had earlier drawn the attention of a garda response unit, but counsel said gardaí had “ backed off” prior to the crash.
Dean Quinn Garry, now 21 and from Delvin, Co Westmeath, brought the case through his mother Ciara Garry against car owner Patricia Shannon of Athboy, Co Meath, driver Alex Smith Junior of Athboy, Co Meath, and the Motor Insurers’ Bureau of Ireland (MIBI), reports Breaking News.
Counsel explained that the MIBI was included in the proceedings because the driver did not have insurance.
It was alleged that near Delvin, Co Westmeath, the car went out of control and crashed, resulting in Mr Quinn Garry sustaining catastrophic injuries, reports Breaking News.
The legal action claimed there was an alleged failure to show proper regard for the safety of other road users and an alleged failure to maintain an adequate lookout.
It was also alleged that the car was being driven at speed and that there was a failure to follow the rules of the road. All of these claims were denied, reports Breaking News.
Counsel stated that a judgment in default of appearance had already been secured against the driver, although the level of damages had not yet been determined.
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