A car crash victim who suffered head injuries which have permanently impaired him to such an extent that he will never work or lead an independent life again was yesterday awarded €2.5 million in damages.
Danny Walsh (22), Pearse Road, Ballypheane, Cork city was 16-years-old when he suffered the serious head injuries in the single vehicle car crash at Lehanaghmore in Togher on May 3rd, 1999.
He was a rear seat passenger in an uninsured Toyota Corolla driven by John Paul Heffernan, Loughmahon Road, Mahon, which went out of control and crashed into a wall. The front seat passenger, Paul Barry (18), from Togher was killed.
Yesterday at the High Court in Cork, Mr Walsh sued the Motor Insurance Bureau of Ireland and Mr Heffernan for the injuries which happened as Mr Heffernan was driving himself and six passengers back to Togher after an evening out in Crosshaven.
Mr Walsh's counsel, Tom Creed SC, told Mr Justice Liam McKechnie that Danny was looked after by his mother and his sister. The family live on the first floor of a three-storey building in Ballypheane which is not suitable for his needs.
He said the settlement offer by the motor insurance bureau of €2.5 million took into account contributory negligent factors by Mr Walsh including getting into the car knowing it was uninsured and not wearing a seatbelt.
The issue of Mr Walsh being made a ward of court will be addressed at a later date.