Belfast Text Tragedy Victim Awarded 1.25 Million Pounds Compensation

Slovakian national, Milan Rybansky (34), who was knocked down by a car in Newtonabbey, Belfast, in December 2004, has been awarded £1,250,000 in personal injury compensation at Belfast High Court.
Milan, who was a history teacher in his native Bratislava, had only arrived in Ireland six weeks previously to take up a position as a journalist in Belfast. His accident has left him unable to walk or talk and he is now confined to a wheelchair, requiring 24 hour care.
His parents, who have been forced to give up work and sell their home in order to look after him, brought the court action on Milan´s behalf against the insurers of the car driver, who initially disputed the case on the basis that Milan had been using his mobile phone at the time to send text messages.
An agreement was eventually reached on shared liability for Milan´s injuries, as it was not disputed that the car driver should have seen Milan, that the injuries Milan sustained in the accident were life-changing and that ongoing care cost will be significant.
Milan has now returned to Bratislava, where the cost of his care will be cheaper. The scale of the compensation has now been approved by the High Court after checks were carried out on how the money from the settlement would be managed in Slovakia.