Schoolgirl gets damages of €40,000 for fall at Sligo Racecourse
SCHOOLGIRL SUFFERED INJURY TO HER HEAD AT SLIGO RACECOURSE
A young girl who slipped and fell, injuring her head at Sligo Racecourse has been awarded damages of €40,000 at the Circuit Court in Sligo.
The award was made to Allie O’Shea of Garavogue Villas who sued County Sligo Races Limited through her mother, Ellen following an accident on August 29 th 2015 when she was aged 12.
The court was told that the plaintiff was walking through the entrance the racecourse when she slipped and injured herself on abandoned metal frames.
She had entered the racecourse through the pedestrian access which is used by walkers and joggers.
There was no race meeting on at the time of the accident.
The case was defended by Judge Doirbhle Flanagan found 100% in favour of the plaintiff saying she had suffered a very serious injury and had not contributed in any way to the accident.
The plaintiff was represented by Mr Peter Daly BL with Mr Gerard McGovern, solicitor.
Mr Damien Higgins BL with Ronan Daly Jermyn solicitors of Galway appeared on behalf of the defendant company.
The schoolgirl banged the left hand side of her head off the metal frame of abandoned metal frames and were brought to the Emergency Department of Sligo University Hospital where three sutures were inserted in a head wound.
She was discharged under the case of her GP, Dr Damien Tiernan and was left with a 3cm scar over her left forehead.
Dr Tiernan noted that the plaintiff remained very self conscious of the scar and has suggested that it may require revision in the future. The likelihood of it fading was unlikely, the court was told.
The plaintiff was out for a walk with a friend when the accident occurred around 7.30pm. Mr Mark Jordan, engineer, gave evidence on behalf of the plaintiff.