The Sunday Game presenter Jacqui Hurley and her insurers Allianz have settled a €60,000 damages claim after she rear-ended another car on the M4 exit on the M50.
In the Civil Circuit Court, Judge John O’Connor heard a nine-year-old boy, Morgan Gladney, who is now 14, had been injured in the collision on May 25th, 2018.
Ms Hurley, whose address was given as c/o Allianz Insurers, Allianz House, Elmpark, Merrion Road, Dublin 4, had conceded liability after her vehicle collided with the vehicle driven by Morgan’s mother, the court was told.
Morgan and his father Richard, of Rokeby, Lucan, Co Dublin. Morgan had brought the claim through his father Richard, of Rokeby, Lucan, Co Dublin, represented by barrister Tim Sheehan, who appeared with Coyne Solicitors.
The court heard Morgan was a passenger in his mother’s car and hit his head off the headrest in front of him. He was shocked, distressed and suffered from intermittent headaches following the incident.
Judge O’Connor was told the scene of the collision was chaotic as Ms Hurley was very distressed because her own baby was in the back of her car at the time. An ambulance was called and firefighters attended the scene, but no one at the scene required hospitalisation.
In the boy’s claim, it was alleged that Ms Gladney’s car was hit at speed by Ms Hurley’s vehicle and the impact was severe.
Morgan was treated the following day by Dr Turlough Bolger in Tallaght Hospital, with x-rays revealing there were no bone injuries.
Mr Sheehan told Judge O’Connor that Morgan had recovered after about three months and the Injuries Board had assessed damages for him at €5,000, which was initially deemed by another court to be insufficient.
Counsel informed the court that Ms Hurley and her insurers had doubled the offer to €10,000, together with expenses of €339, which Judge O’Connor approved as appropriate.
Ms Hurley was not in court for the legal ruling, which was conducted by video from Judge O’Connor’s chambers.
