Man (30) deliberately struck by uninsured driver settles case for €2.85m

A man who suffered life-changing injuries when van was deliberately driven at him in Co Longford has settled his High Court action against the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) for €2.85 million.

Stephen Roche (30) was catastrophically injured and spent 16 days in a coma after the incident involving an uninsured driver on Main Street in Edgeworthstown four years ago.

The court previously heard that the van was moving in a circle around Mr Roche and another man before the motorist then drove towards Mr Roche.

Sara Moorhead SC, for Mr Roche, said there had been an altercation earlier in the night and that the uninsured van driver deliberately drove at her client.

The court had heard the father-of-two suffered ongoing health problems including dizziness and blurred vision and will require anti-epilepsy medicine for the rest of his life.

Aaron Cassidy (29), of Cranleymore, Edgeworthstown, Co Longford, was last year sentenced to six years in prison, with the last year suspended, for dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm to Mr Roche on September 10th, 2017.

Future care needs

Counsel told Mr Justice Paul Coffey that a large part of the settlement with the MIBI will go towards Mr Roche’s future care needs.

The MIBI was established for the purpose of compensating victims of road traffic accidents caused by uninsured and unidentified vehicles, with funds collected through a levy on motor insurance companies.

Mr Roche, of Mullingar, Co Westmeath, had through his sister Tracey Golden sued the MIBI and Cassidy over the incident.

He had claimed he was a pedestrian when suddenly and without warning the van driven by Cassidy collided with him. He also claimed Cassidy was driving too fast and in a dangerous manner.