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A YOUNG LAW student who received first-degree burns when a member of a Ryanair cabin crew accidentally splashed boiling water on his right foot has been awarded €10,000 damages only two hours before graduating in law at UCD.
Kevin Keenan (23) of Doonsalla Park, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin, told the Circuit Civil Court he was injured while returning on a Ryanair flight from Malaga on 12 June 2016.
“I was standing at the toilet waiting for another passenger to come out when one of the cabin crew carrying a jug of boiling water turned quickly and splashed the boiling water on my foot,” he said.
“The toilet was close to the kitchen area.”
Keenan told his barrister Justin McQuade that he had immediately been treated by cabin crew staff who applied burn solution and ice before bandaging his foot.
McQuade, who appeared with Brendan Maloney Solicitors for Keenan, said it was an unfortunate incident. Liability had been conceded and the court was being asked to assess damages. Keenan said the incident occurred about an hour into the flight.
Keenan, who was due to be conferred this afternoon, told Judge Karen Fergus he was a keen golfer and also played football and tag rugby. He said that on arrival at Dublin Airport he had driven himself home and on the following day, a Monday, he had attended his GP, Dr Barry Danaher.
He told the court that when the bandage that had been applied to his foot on the aircraft had been removed by Dr Danaher an area of skin had come away with it.
Keenan said he had afterwards attended for dressings at St Michael’s Clinic in Dun Laoghaire.
He told barrister Andrew Walker, who appeared with Maples and Calder Solicitors, for Ryanair, that he had returned to playing golf, football and tag rugby within three weeks of the incident.
He said that during his first game of golf he began feeling pain after about 16 holes. He had told his treating doctors that his ability to stand and walk had been profoundly affected. He had been left with an area of mild scar tissue which, according to doctors, would fade over time.
Judge Fergus said Keenan had suffered a first-degree burn which had required immediate treatment. He had been left with minor residual scarring and she considered an appropriate award of damages would be €10,000 plus special damages of €77 and costs.
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Was scalded myself on the 2nd Ryanair flight out of Dublin, years ago when I was kid.
Had a cup of coffee spilled onto my knee!
Feck it stung, screamed like a mad thing!
For my troubles, i was given lots of treats by the staff, even allowed up to the cockpit to meet the Captain.
Had a great adventure (didnt sue anyone)
@marty: simpler times Martin, before Ireland started modelling itself on the compensation culture of the US and where accidents just happened and were shugged off as “ah sure that’s life…”
@marty: yeah but you see the thing is that when companies can scald a few passengers here and there and not get sued they’ve no incentive to put some proper safety measures and training in place. Having to pay out €10K each time might remind them to be more careful. So by not suing you’ve done the airline a favor but both yourself and the next passenger to be scalded a considerable disservice.
@marty: while that is all good and well. These companies only look at money. If the fines are less that what it would cost to change a process “such as carrying hot water only in sealed spill.proof canisters”, companies wont do it. Whats to say thr next time it happens it wont be a small child that gets scalded down its face.
They can slash boiling water on my feet anyday for 10 K
Poor lad only started feeling pain after the 16th hole. For me the pain usually starts after I slice my first tee shot
@Ciarán Ó Dubhda: I dont play that posh game so have no idea what hole that would be
@Alan Scott: the one after 15
@Alan Scott: first tee shot is the first hole
@Alan Scott: and before 17
@Abe Brennan: The 19th is my favorite.
Was he in his bare feet.???
@Stewart O Neill: Returning from Malaga – guessing sandals….
First ever hot cup of tea on Ryanair!
Joke
@Sshh I’m Undercover: She was having a bad day as before that she got knocked down crossing the road. She screamed that her arm was broken . A passerby ran over to her and asked her “how many fingers have I up?” to which she replied “God no, I’m paralyzed, too?!”
@DarkHorse: I was walking home with my bag of groceries from Tescos the other day when could of sworn I heard my onions singing Bee Gees songs. When I looked in the bag it was just my Ch-ch-ch-chives talking!
Lulz
@Presuming Ed: Deleted my harmless joke. Such dry shites at the Journal. Don’t know why I bother.
@Sshh I’m Undercover: It’s a bit much alright, lad. Sure mine was worse than yours. Someone probably got offended at all the violent imagery in your one!
@Presuming Ed: People who get easily offended are such dumb fucķers.
10,000? Ridiculous
We’re turning into a nation of claims! I’m all in favour of compensation for medical and other bills incurred but mad claims for nothing is out and out wrong!
Just shows you with the right lawyer and a fine sense of entitlement/injustice you can squeeze good money out of the tightest of companies!
to be honest 10k is really scraping the barrel, I’d say he’s sick of the exposure, but it will make them more cautious it could have been a baby or even Miriam OCallaghan
I remember when i was a kid staying in a b&b with the family in Ballybunnion on holiday on summer when by some accident the landland spilt a pot of tea on me by accident. Luckly was not injured. Missed out on a wind fall there though.
You have a flourishing career ahead of you Mr Keenan,Congratulations you’ve got the hang of the Litigation Laws.
Or did your parents do a cash deal and gave you a lolly hmmmmmm
Slipping Jimmy strikes again!!!
Solicitor and barrister gets paid though … anyone wonder why PIAB gets bypassed so much ? Clue … rhymes with toe frosts…..
@Dan Cahill: costs.
have your say