A soldier whose penis was severely scalded when a hot-water pipe burst in a United Nations billet has settled a damages claim against the State for more than £20,000. His counsel, Mr Rory De Bruir, told Judge Esmonde Smyth in the Circuit Civil Court that his client, a member of the Signals Corps, had been serving in Camp Tara, Naqoura, Lebanon, five years ago when the accident occurred.
Mr De Bruir said the soldier concerned had been in the bathroom shaving when a hot-water pipe under the wash-hand basin broke away from a wall and he was hit in the groin by scalding steam.
His client had sustained injuries to his abdomen and groin and, in particular, to his penis. He had been immediately treated by the Irish Army Medical Corps and a fortnight later, on completion of his UN tour of duty, had returned to Ireland, where he took a 30-day sickness leave.
Mr De Bruir said since then the soldier had encountered problems regarding sensitivity of the penis. Layers of skin had broken down and it had taken some time for that to resolve.