A teenage girl, who suffered psychological injuries after her mother was knocked unconscious in a car collision, has had a compensation award of 21,000 Euros approved in the Circuit Court.
Charmaine Fitzgerald (14) of Clondalkin, County Dublin, was just 10 years of age when she and her mother were violently rear-ended while sitting in the family car close to Charmaine’s school. The force of the impact was so great that Charmaine’s mother, Lisa, was thrown from the car and lost consciousness.
In the Circuit Court, Mr. Justice Matthew Deery heard that Charmaine – who was just 10 years old at the time of the accident in March 2007 – had feared her mother had died, and was psychologically traumatized by the event – suffering headaches and nightmares for a prolonged period after the accident.
In the action brought through her mother, the court also heard that Charmaine’s condition deteriorated so much that she visualised the crash each time she was driven close to the scene, and had to change schools as a result.
Judge Mr. Matthew Deery approved the settlement offer of 21,000 Euros made by the defendant – Paul Mullins of Palmerstown, Dublin.