A young girl, who was bitten by a dog during a family holiday in Dublin, has had a compensation settlement of 5,500 euros approved in the Circuit Court by Mr. Justice Matthew Deery.
The court heard how Ciara Hill (12) of Lucan, County Dublin, was a guest at the Finnstown House Hotel, County Dublin in July 2007, when she was attacked and bitten by a dog owned by the hotel.
In the action against FTP Hotel Limited, Ciara was represented by her mother, who explained how her daughter – who was just eight years old at the time – was traumatised, shocked and upset by the incident.
Approving the compensation settlement, Mr. Justice Matthew Deery said that Ciara´s physical injuries had not been significant and that they had healed quickly.
All settlements involving children under the age of 18 years have to be approved in court before payment can be paid, even when a settlement agreement has been previously reached by the claimant and the defendant. The type of court which hears the case will depend on the value of the compensation.