A 52-year-old senior bank executive who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder after a road traffic accident and who has not worked since January 2003 was awarded €579,225 damages at the High Court yesterday.
Mr Justice Ryan described the case of Mr Paul O'Connor as "highly unusual". Mr O'Connor, from Temple Vale, Ballintemple, Cork, was a senior executive with Bank of Ireland when he sustained injuries in a road accident on September 14th, 1997.
He was stopped in a line of cars at Silversprings, Cork, when a vehicle driven by the defendant Mr Fachtna O'Driscoll of Cullinagh, Courtmacsherry, Bandon, Co Cork, crashed into the rear of his car. The collision was heavy and the plaintiff felt a severe impact, it was claimed.
Mr O'Connor initiated High Court proceedings against Mr O'Driscoll. Mr Justice Ryan heard yesterday that liability was not an issue and the court's task was to assess damages.
Mr Justice Ryan said Mr O'Connor had stated there was a "massive explosion". The driver's seat was broken and Mr O'Connor was thrown forward. After the accident, he had pain in his lower back and neck.
Mr Justice Ryan said the case was highly unusual. The physical injuries sustained by the plaintiff were soft tissue damage to his neck and lower back, as well as some relatively minor damage to the three upper teeth.
He also underwent a very serious post-traumatic stress disorder and a major depressive illness and his condition had been complicated by generalised anxiety disorder.
Prior to the accident he was an ambitious and successful bank executive and was in charge of more than 300 people, the judge said. It was agreed all round that the plaintiff could not return to Bank of Ireland. His basic earnings were €87,551 per annum and with bonus payments annually his salary reached €100,551.