A MAN who claimed he had to have a vasectomy because his wife was advised, on health grounds, not to have any more children after she was in a road accident, has lost his High Court action for damages for alleged post-vascetomy injuries against two motorists involved in that accident in 1996.
Mr Justice Vivian Lavan also dismissed an additional claim by Patrick Ward for damages arising from the loss of a baby to his wife and himself following the termination of a pregnancy in the aftermath of the accident.
The court heard Gráinne Ward had become pregnant after the accident and before her husband’s vasectomy and, in light of her doctors’ advice about dangers to her health from pregnancy, had travelled to England for a termination.
Mr Justice Lavan said Mrs Ward had travelled for a termination although her life was not in danger. He was giving his reserved judgment on an action by Mr Ward (48), a father of two, Redford Court, Greystones, Wicklow.
Gráinne Ward had in 2007 secured a €325,000 High Court settlement against Niall Sheridan, Cherrytree Drive, Boghall Road, Bray, Co Wicklow and Christine Quinn, Cedarwood, Kilcoole, Co Wicklow, the drivers of the two cars allegedly involved in the accident at the junction of Redford Estate and the Bray/Greystones Road on February 6th, 1996.
Mr Ward, who was not involved in the accident, had lodged a claim against the motorists over pain and mental distress allegedly suffered by him following a vasectomy in March 1998. Rejecting the claim Mr Justice Lavan said the defendants had argued Mr Ward was fully warned as to the possible consequences of a vasectomy.
