Girl left deaf after family car crushed carrycot awarded €1m

A teenage girl left profoundly deaf due to injuries suffered as a baby when her carrycot was crushed against the porch of her home by the family car after it rolled along the driveway has secured €1 million under a settlement of her High Court action.

Emma Farrell, now aged 16, sued her mother Angela Farrell as a result of the incident which happened when she was aged just seven months.

Outlining the case to Mr Justice Kevin Cross, Patrick O’Connell SC said the incident occurred on June 28th, 2000, after Emma’s mother parked her car in the driveway of their Dublin home.

Counsel said the driveway slopes towards the house.

The baby was in the carrycot which was placed on the ground, he said. The car had moved forward, crushing the cot against the porch of the house.

A neighbour who ran to help managed to reverse the car off the carry cot and baby Emma was taken to hospital, he said.

Good settlement

Emma suffered serious head injuries, including a skull fracture, and was transferred to Beaumont Hospital intensive care unit. She was discharged a month later.

As a result of the incident she is profoundly deaf but can lip read and has consistently good grades at school, said counsel.

When she was younger she had a weakness in the left side of her body, he added.

Speaking to Emma, Mr Justice Cross said, while nothing would restore her hearing, it was a good settlement.

Noting she was doing well in school, the judge said he was sure the teenager would do well for herself in whatever career she chooses.

“You are a joy to your parents,” he told her, adding he was allowing for a payment of €5,000 out of the settlement towards “a well deserved holiday”.

Through her father, Noel Farrell, Beverly Rise, Knocklyon, Templeogue, Dublin, Emma had sued her mother Angela, of the same address, as a result of the accident.

Emma was accompanied by both parents to see the settlement approved by the judge.