A girl who was scalded on a Ryanair flight from Lourdes has accepted a €30,000 settlement offer from the airline together with significant legal costs.
Sienna Darcy was aged seven when a “piping hot” pasta meal including oil and sauce spilt on to her hand during a flight to Dublin on July 12th, 2019.
The meal had been placed before Sienna by cabin staff on what was claimed to have been an unstable extendable seat tray, the Circuit Civil Court heard.
Ryanair staff had immediately treated Sienna with cold water, cooling gel and Calpol, the court heard
After landing she was taken by ambulance to Temple Street Children’s Hospital for treatment.
Darach MacNamara, for Sienna, told the court that while photographs of the burns to her left hand made for gruesome viewing he had to include them in evidence to reveal the extent of her injuries.
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Sienna, who is now 12, sued through her mother, Aideen Darcy, of Oscar Square, Dublin.
In written evidence, Mrs Darcy told the court: “It really was a horrific experience.” She said her daughter had screamed in pain and had continued to be in pain and had cried for the duration of the flight. She had been required to attend the hospital on numerous occasions.
Mr MacNamara said that although Sienna had suffered serious burns to her hand at the time, her wounds had healed very well without scarring and she had suffered no loss of function. She had been psychologically affected by the experience, he said.
He said Sienna had to have a significant amount of counselling in the form of therapy, and the court considered a medical report from Dylan Murray, plastic and reconstructive surgeon, and two reports from consultant psychiatrist Blanaid Gavin.
A settlement offer of €25,000 had been rejected by Judge Michael Walsh in January as inadequate.
Mr MacNamara said the airline had come up with an extra €5,000, bringing its offer up to €30,000, which he was recommending to the court.
Judge Christopher Callan told Sienna on Monday how he hoped her “horrible experience” would not prevent her from travelling again as it was very important she travelled as much as she could.
He said he was happy to approve the settlement offer of €30,000 to include special damages of €2,610.
