Carrick woman awarded €425,000 in High Court

A CARRICKMACROSS woman was awarded €425,000 in compensation at the conclusion of a seven year legal case which ended in Dublin’s High Court on Wednesday of last week .
Natasha Gartlan of Corrinty, Corduff, Carrickmacross was a back seat passenger in a stolen car which was involved in an accident near Kingscourt, Co Cavan on November 9th 2004.
Ms Gartlan , who was then a fifteen year old schoolgirl, received serious personal injuries including head injuries.
She took the case against the driver of the car Gavin Brady and the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland which was established by the insurance industry in Ireland as a funds’ pool from which compensation could be paid to successful insurance claimants in cases where uninsured drivers were involved.
The stolen car was the property of Uche Nwogu of Rathmines, Dublin. In evidence during the course of the proceedings the court heard that the stolen vehicle went out of control and collided with a ditch near Kingscourt resulting in Ms Gartlan’s injuries. No other vehicle was involved. The court also heard that the plaintiff had suffered memory loss, blackouts and a decrease in concentration ever since the accident.
Ms Gartlan, now the mother of a two-and- a- half year old child, was represented by senior counsel, Mr. Bernard Barton S.C., instructed by Carrickmacross solicitor, Mr Gerry Jones.
Mr Barton told the High Court sitting that an offer by way of settlement of €425,000, including special damages had been made by the respondents in the case.
He was successful in his application to request Mr Justice Quirke to approve the settlement. The judge ruled accordingly.