A young boy who was attacked by his grandmother’s dog as he played in her garden with his cousins has settled a High Court action for €80,000.
Eoin Kerrigan, the High Court heard was just four years of age when the Japanese Akita dog which had been purchased by his grandmother as a guard dog attacked and bit him.
The little boy suffered lacerations to his scalp and forehead in the attack in the back garden of his grandmother’s Co Longford home.
Eoin Kerrigan, now aged 8 years from Millrace Park, Drumlish, Co Longford had through his mother Aine Kerrigan sued his grandmother Anna Reilly, Kilmahon, Drumlish, Co Longford as a result of the attack on October 2nd, 2016.
Mr Justice Garrett Simons was told the boy had gone with his mother to his granny's for Sunday lunch and was playing with his three cousins when the incident occurred. The boy suffered lacerations to the scalp and forehead, was extremely shocked and distressed and bled profusely. He was treated at Mullingar Regional Hospital.
Treatment
At the hospital it was noted the boy had sustained four lacerations, two deep ones to the scalp about six centimetres in length with one single laceration to the left side of his forehead and one above his left eyebrow. The boy was kept overnight in hospital, where his wounds were cleaned, and he received 26 stitches under general anaesthetic.
In an affidavit to the court his mother Aine said her son’s stitches were removed seven days later and the wounds had healed up well. She said a review by a plastic surgeon in 2019 said the boy did not need further treatment for the scars. Eoin, she said suffered flashbacks of the incident and also developed a fear of dogs for a time. The boy also had nightmares about the attack.
Approving the settlement Mr Justice Garrett Simons said the boy was attacked by his grandmother's dog a Japanese Akita which had been purchased as a guard dog. The judge said he had seen photographs of the scarring and they showed an improvement. The settlement Mr Justice Simons said was a very good one.
