A child who lost the tip of a finger after it got caught in the hinge of a crèche toy cupboard when another child shut it has been awarded €80,000.
Bobby Murphy, the High Court heard, was almost two-years-old when the incident happened at a crèche he attended near his home..
Robert 'Bobby' Murphy, now five-years-old of Waterside, Malahide, Co Dublin had, through his mother Katrina Murphy, sued TLC crèche Waterside Ltd, of Waterside, Swords Road, Malahide, Dublin as a result of the incident on November 29th, 2018.
It was claimed the boy's right index finger got caught in the hinge mechanism of a toy cupboard which was being closed by another child and, as a result, he suffered a subtotal amputation in the nail area.
Michael Connellan BL, instructed by solicitor Iain Montgomery, told the High Court that surgeons had tried unsuccessfully to repair the finger but the boy had to have the tip amputated a few days later.
In an affidavit to the court, the boy's mother said she got a call from the crèche manager to say her son had sustained a hand injury.
Ms Murphy said her husband, who was working from their home two minutes away, went to the crèche where he found Bobby in the arms of a staff member.
She said an ambulance had already been called and her son was “extremely distraught”.
Amputation
Bobby was taken to Temple Street Hospital and surgeons attempted to repair the finger where the tip was hanging, but this was unsuccessful and a couple of days later the tip was amputated.
She said her son was in a bandage for five weeks.
Ms Murphy said doctors believe the loss of the fingertip may lead to difficulties with the simplest of tasks such as holding keys or coins and that playing a musical instrument will be difficult for him.
The Personal Injuries Assessment Board had in December 2020 assessed general damages in the case at €80,000 and that figure was before the High Court for approval.
Approving the assessment, Mr Justice Simons noted the child, according to medical reports, has a minor functional deficit on the right index finger and will have difficult playing a musical instrument.
Mr Justice Simons said it was a good assessment.
