Girl struck by falling door in leisure centre awarded €5,500

A Donegal schoolgirl has been awarded €5,500 after a door in a leisure centre fell on top of her.

The award was endorsed by Judge Vincent Deane at Letterkenny District Court this week.

The plaintiff’s father was present in court, where barrister Mr Ciaran O’Rourke outlined the case.

In 2022, when the girl was described as being ’10 or 11’, the incident occurred. Mr O’Rourke said the door of a changing room came off the hinges and fell onto the girl while she was bending down.

Mr O’Rourke said the girl ‘felt immediate pain and was very distressed’. Bystanders went to the assistance of the girl, who had bruising to her temple and a mark on her mid-back as well as bruising to her forearm and left foot.

Mr O’Rourke told the court that the girl ‘walked with a slight limp’ for a few days. On the evening of the incident, the girl presented to NoWDOC with her injuries. 

The girl suffered from headaches for a few days and had cramping in her left foot, but the injury ‘gradually healed’, the court heard.

When she was examined in June 2022, three months after the incident, a 'general tenderness' was noted by the doctor.

The claimant’s symptoms all healed within three-four months, Mr O’Rourke said, adding that in his opinion the offer of €5,500 was ‘very reasonable’ and he was ‘happy to recommend’ it to the court.

The offer was inclusive of special damages of €45.

Judge Deane endorsed the acceptance of the offer.