A six-year-old boy was yesterday awarded €1.5 million in damages after he lost his right hand in a lawnmower while visiting relatives with his mother.
Conor Byrne from Kilva, Midleton, Co Cork, was just three months short of celebrating his third birthday when the incident happened on May 1st, 2009. Conor had gone with his mother, Kathleen to visit her sister, Mary Keohane at Carrigogna in Midleton and was playing as his mother helped Ms Keohane plant some flowers.
The little boy was standing on a raised area above a lawn where a teenage relative was operating a drive-on lawnmower and he fell down the embankment.
The drive-on lawnmower was reversing and Conor rolled down next to the machine with his right hand slipping in under a protective guard shielding the blade.
There was a complete amputation below his elbow and although he was rushed to Cork University Hospital for emergency surgery, doctors were unable to reattach the amputated part. Yesterday, Mr Justice Kevin Feeney approved a settlement award of €1.5 million for Conor following a legal action by his father Ciaran against Tom and Mary Keohane.
Mr Justice Feeney noted that settlement of €1.5 million effectively represented the full value of the action brought by the Byrnes with full liability at 100 per cent. He also approved the order in the sum of €350,000 in general damages for pain and €1.15 million in damages for losses and anticipated costs to provide for Conor in the future.
These damages which include the cost of adaptations of the family home represented a good award towards the top of the scale for such injuries, observed Mr Justice Feeney.
Conor’s mother told the judge the boy was doing well in school and the little boy himself confirmed to the judge that he was getting on well with his studies.
Mr Justice Feeney asked him could he use his left hand to write and to use a mobile phone and a computer and Conor approached him to confirm to him he could. “I’m glad to hear he’s getting on well in school because while nothing is certain, he’s going to have to make his way in life using his head,” said Judge Feeney.
