A schoolboy who had to have part of his finger amputated after getting it caught in a chair at RTE has been awarded €75,000 in compensation at the High Court.
The incident occurred in December 2016, when the boy was attending a concert at the RTE studios in Donnybrook as part of a class trip. The top part of the boy's left index finger became caught in the mechanism of a metal chair.
An ambulance was called and the boy was brought to hospital, before being transferred to another hospital to see a specialist. Counsel for the boy, now aged 10, told the High Court that no first aid kit could be found at the venue and his finger had to be wrapped in tissue paper.
The boy was suing both RTE and the Board of Management of his school through his mother as a result of the incident.
Counsel told the court that the boy had been in significant pain at the time of the injury and that both he and his parents suffered further emotional distress upon arriving at the hospital and finding it understaffed. The parents had to squeeze their son’s finger to stop the bleeding.
The injury ultimately resulted in the top part of his left finger being amputated, though the court heard that the boy is right-handed and has since made a full recovery.
Counsel for the boy argued to the court that there was a failure on the part of management to ensure that the seating area was safe for the boy and an alleged failure to take precautions for his safety.
Both RTE and the school’s Board of Management denied the claims. The High Court judge ruled in favour of the boy and approved a settlement offer of €75,000.
If you or members of your family have suffered a traumatic injury for which you were not at fault, be sure to speak to your solicitor. In contentious business, a solicitor may not calculate fees or other charges as a percentage or proportion of any award or settlement.