Injured girl gets £25,000

A schoolgirl who crashed into an unmarked glass patio door at a friend's house has been awarded more than £25,000 damages.

A schoolgirl who crashed into an unmarked glass patio door at a friend's house has been awarded more than £25,000 damages.

Michelle Benson (15), through her father Gerard, of Orlagh Downs, Templeogue, Co Dublin, sued her friend's parents, Francis and Bridget Hanlon, of Orlagh Rise, Templeogue, where the accident happened on August 23rd, 1993.

Ms Marianne, Fields, counsel for the Hanlons, told Judge James Carroll in the Circuit Civil Court that liability had been conceded and the defendants were offering a settlement of £25,279 for the court's approval.

Mr Michael Byrne, counsel for Michelle, said she was 12 at the time. She had suffered lacerations to the face and had been left with an obvious scar on her left cheek, which had been fractured a less obvious scar on her upper lip and a noticeable drooping of her lip when she smiled.

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Mr Byrne said the settlement offer included an estimate for future cosmetic plastic surgery, which Michelle would consider when she was 18.

He said Michelle suffered headaches after the accident.

Michelle told the court she had felt very self conscious about the scars, and the droop on her lip when she smiled.