Injured rugby player unlikely to ever work

MARY CAROLAN

A young man injured during a schools rugby match has a severe and permanent acquired brain injury rendering him "very vulnerable" and unlikely to ever get open market employment, the High Court has heard.

Brain injury specialist Dr Sarah O'Doherty said she believed Lucas Neville would have progressed to average employment had he not suffered the injuries. However, she said she believed any employment he undertook in the future would have to be closely supervised due to his injuries.

She had seen nothing in six years of St Michael's College reports on Mr Neville to suggest the school had ever considered he had any special educational requirements before he suffered his injuries, she also said. She agreed he had received low grades prior to suffering his injuries but she believed he could have improved had he applied himself.

Head injury

A senior clinical psychologist at the National Rehabilitation Centre who has worked with Mr Neville, Dr O’Doherty was giving evidence in the hearing of his action against St Michael’s College, Ailesbury Road, Dublin, and St Vincent’s Healthcare Group, as owner of St Vincent’s hospital, Elm Park, Dublin.

Mr Neville, now aged 22, of Pembroke Lawns, Ballsbridge, has sued for damages as a result of serious head injuries suffered in November 2009. He collapsed having suffered a head injury during a schools’ rugby match on November 28th, 2009. He had suffered another injury 17 days earlier on November 11th after receiving an accidental knee in the head during school rugby training.

The court heard his mother contacted St Michael’s after the November 11th injury and was assured the school would implement its protocol under which students who suffer head injuries would not be involved in contact sports for a three-week period.

Among the claims of negligence against the hospital is that it should have, but failed, to carry out a scan of his head on November 15th.

Both defendants have admitted liability and the case is before Mr Justice Ryan to assess damages only. Mr Neville is claiming some €5 million damages but the defendants dispute his entitlement to that amount.

In cross-examination of Dr O’Doherty yesterday, Eoghan Fitzsimon, for the school, said the real issue in the case was the “vast” claim of more than €2 million being advanced for future care.

The case continues.