A garda squad car driver, whose lower back was injured when an uninsured motorist "crashed" traffic lights, has been awarded €24,000 damages against the driver and the Motor Insurers Bureau.
Garda Neil Crowley (28), of Dodsboro Road, Lucan, Co Dublin, told the Circuit Civil Court that in October 1998 he and a number of colleagues were going to investigate an allegation by a man who claimed he was being followed by another man with a gun.
As the squad car moved off from Sundrive Road crossroads a car had broken the lights, spinning the garda car around on the crossing.
Garda Crowley told his counsel, Mr Michael Byrne, that whiplash injuries to his neck and shoulders had cleared up reasonably quickly but he had been left with ongoing problems with his lower back.
While he had returned to lighter traffic duties he had to give up his keen interest in rowing and running. He had put on two-and-a-half stone since the accident and had been warned by doctors that he would have to be extremely careful with regard to future strenuous activities.
He told Ms Olive Brennan, counsel for the MIBI, he had changed doctors because he had not been happy with the advice he had been receiving. He had also declined to undergo a pain management regime and had opted instead for physiotherapy and osteopathy.
The award, with costs, was made against the MIBI and motorist Mr David Slight, Powerscourt, Mount Street, Dublin.