Courts

Garda flung from motorbike when hit by car awarded €90,000

Garda Dean Keogh suffered severe injuries to both his arms as well as several other minor injuries to his body

Garda Dean Keogh was hit by a car at the junction of Drumcondra Road and Dargle Road in Dublin. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill

Tue Jan 16 2024 - 17:56

A motorcycle garda who was hit by a car and suffered serious arm injuries has been awarded more than €90,000 by the High Court.

Garda Dean Keogh, a married father of one who has been attached to the traffic unit for 15 years, was hit by a car driven by Maria Byrne, Dargle Road, Drumcondra, Dublin, on September 18th, 2021, at the junction of Drumcondra Road and Dargle Road in Dublin.

He was flung from his Garda motorbike and landed on his back.

Liability was admitted and the case was before the court for assessment of damages only.

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In a judgment on Tuesday, Mr Justice Paul Coffey said Garda Keogh suffered severe injuries to both his arms as well as several other minor injuries to his body. He was taken to hospital where the following day he underwent major orthopaedic surgery that rendered him unable to use either arm. He was totally dependent on his wife for normal things like feeding and drinking, the judge said.

He exercised at home and attended all physiotherapy sessions with the result that after 12 months he was able to return to work. However, he was no longer confident in handling the weight of a Garda motorbike and he failed a test that would allow him to work as an escort for VIP vehicles, the judge said.

Apart from certain restrictions, he had made “a remarkable recovery from potentially life-changing injuries”, he said.

Although Garda Keogh regained a good deal of function, he was left with a residual feeling of weakness and has pain in his left arm which puts him at risk of developing arthritis, the judge said. He also has significant scars on his arms as a result of the surgery he required.

The judge awarded him €90,185, including €85,000 in general damages.

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