€1.3m settlement for family car rental accident

AN AMERICAN family whose hire car crashed killing three members of the family and seriously injuring two others, settled their actions for damages yesterday for a total of €1.3 million.

The Devane family had been travelling to Shannon from Connemara at the end of their holiday to travel home, when their car went out of control and crashed into a stone pillar at Galway, 10 years ago.

Mary Teresa Devane, 31, and her two daughters Elaine, nine, and Christine, eight, were killed and two other children, Brenda, five, and toddler Michael and the car driver Martin Devane were seriously injured.

An inquest later heard the car driven by Martin Devane appeared to have gone out of control as it came in to a bad bend at Kileen House, Bushy Park in Galway on the morning of August 28, 1997.

In the High Court yesterday Brenda Devane who is now 15 years of age settled her action for damages for €750,000 and her brother Michael who is now 12 years of age settled his action for damages for €370,000.

Mr Justice John Quirke approved the settlements and also approved another settlement of €200,000 for the family in respect of the death of Mary Teresa Devane.

Mr Justice Quirke sympathised with the family and said he was sorry at the dreadful tragedy which had overcome them.

Brenda Devane and her brother Michael of Roxbury, Boston, Massachusetts had sued through their uncle John Beatty her father Martin Devane who was the driver of the car along with Flynn Brothers Rent a Car (Ballygar) Ltd, Co Galway trading as Budget Rent a Car and the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland Ltd.

Counsel Paul Flannery SC told the court Martin Devane who was the driver of the car was not insured to drive the hire car.

His wife had hired the car at the start of the holiday and Mr Devane had joined his family in Ireland a week later.