A former member of the Defence Forces has settled a €38,000 personal injury claim for damages against the Minister for Defence, for an undisclosed sum.
James Smyth, of The Old Mill, Ratoath, Co Meath, claimed in the Circuit Civil Court, he had wrenched his right shoulder while attempting to prevent a stack of chairs collapsing in the officers' mess at Casement Aerodrome in October 2009.
Mr Smyth, who had been attached to the Air Corps and had since retired, claimed he had been moving on to a stage in the mess a number of chairs that had been stacked one on top of another on a trolley he was pushing.
The chairs had started to topple over and he had reached out his right arm in a bid to avoid their collapse and suffered a wrenching injury to his shoulder.
Kevin D’Arcy, counsel for the Minister for Defence, told Judge Pauline Codd that following talks with Mr Smyth’s counsel, Willie Penrose the case had been settled and could be struck out with an order for taxation of the Mr Smyth’s costs.
The amount of the settlement was not disclosed in court.