A 14-month-old child, who was hit in the face by a shower of broken glass during road collision, has been awarded €37,500 damages in the Circuit Civil Court.
Stella Danijelianc had been strapped into a child’s seat in the rear of her mother’s car when it was involved in a serious road collision, barrister Samantha Cruess-Callaghan told the court .
Ms Cruess-Callalghan, who appeared with Rose Sweeney of Coleman Legal Partners, said Stella, whose mother Gajane Danijelianc , lives at St Joseph’s Terrace, Gallows Hill, Sligo, was cut in several places on her face by tiny shards of glass.
She said the accident happened on 30th October, 2014, and Stella, who is now aged five, sustained multiple significant abrasions to the right side of her face from pieces of shattered glass. A car in front of Ms Danijelianc’s vehicle had apparently collided with an oncoming truck which had then lost control.
Circuit Court President, Mr Justice Raymond Groarke, heard that Ms Gajane Danijelianc’s vehicle had been crashed into by the truck. An occupant in the second car that had been struck had died in the accident.
Stella had been taken by ambulance to the emergency department of Sligo Regional Hospital where her wounds had been cleaned and treated with an antibiotic cream.
Ms Cruess-Callaghan told Judge Groarke that insurers for three defendants in the case, Nina Perepecina Petrossiene, the National Truck Rental Company and Gary Faherty had made a settlement offer of €37,500 to Stella and she was recommending it to the court.
Counsel said there were a few little marks which were by now barely discernible on Stella’s face and under her hairline.
Judge Groarke said it was a good settlement on Stella’s behalf and approved the offer.