Our client was staying in a hostel when he fell from a top bunk and suffered a serious spinal injury that changed his life. The injury had a profound impact on him, both physically and psychologically. A €1 million spinal injury settlement was reached in a case where liability was strongly disputed, without admission of liability.
A spinal injury of this kind can affect every aspect of a person’s life, from mobility and independence to mental health and the ability to plan for the future. Because liability was strongly contested, the claim had to be carefully prepared and supported by substantial evidence.
Rose Sweeney acted for our client. Where a person is injured on premises such as a hostel, an important legal question is whether the party responsible for those premises met the duty of care owed to those staying there. An engineer was instructed to examine how the fall had occurred and what safety measures should have been in place to prevent it.
Given the seriousness of the injury, extensive additional evidence was needed to establish its full impact and the support our client would require in the years ahead. A vocational assessor addressed the impact on his ability to work, while an assistive technology expert and a nursing expert assessed his future care and equipment needs. Several medical consultants also provided evidence concerning the injury and his prognosis.
Together, this evidence established the full extent of our client’s injuries, losses and future needs.
The outcome
The spinal injury claim was resolved in 2023 with a €1 million settlement, reached without admission of liability. Securing a settlement of this value in a case where liability was strongly contested was a significant outcome. The settlement provides financial support towards our client’s ongoing care and future needs.
How Coleman Legal helped
Rose Sweeney handled the case throughout. She assembled the engineering and medical evidence needed to address the disputed liability, ensuring that the full extent of our client’s future care, equipment needs and loss of earnings was properly documented.
She also negotiated with the insurer on his behalf and kept our client informed at every stage of what was a difficult and strongly contested case.
Through careful preparation, expert evidence and negotiations, Coleman Legal LLP secured a €1 million settlement that recognised the serious and lasting impact of our client’s spinal injury.
